Expression cloning of a human cDNA restoring sphingomyelin synthesis and cell growth in sphingomyelin synthase-defective lymphoid cells

Sphingomyelin (SM) synthase has been assumed to be involved in both cell death and survival by regulating pro-apoptotic mediator ceramide and pro-survival mediator diacylglycerol. However, its precise functions are ambiguous due to the lack of molecular cloning of SM synthase gene(s). We isolated WR19L/Fas-SM(-) mouse lymphoid cells, which show a defect of SM at the plasma membrane due to the lack of SM synthase activity and resistance to cell death induced by an SM-directed cytolytic protein lysenin. WR19L/Fas-SM(-) cells were also highly susceptible to methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD) as compared with the WR19L/Fas-SM(+) cells, which are capable of SM synthesis. By expression cloning method using WR19L/Fas-SM(-) cells and MbetaCD-based selection, we have succeeded in cloning of a human cDNA responsible for SM synthase activity. The cDNA encodes a peptide of 413 amino acids named SMS1 ( putative molecular mass, 48.6 kDa), which contains a sterile alpha motif domain near the N-terminal region and four predicted transmembrane domains. WR19L/Fas-SM(-) cells expressing SMS1 cDNA (WR19L/Fas-SMS1) restored the resistance against MbetaCD, the accumulation of SM at the plasma membrane, and SM synthesis by transferring phosphocholine from phosphatidylcholine to ceramide. Furthermore, WR19L/Fas-SMS1 cells, as well as WR19L/ Fas-SM(-) cells supplemented with exogenous SM, restored cell growth ability in serum-free conditions, where the growth of WR19L/ Fas-SM(-) cells was severely inhibited. The results suggest that SMS1 is responsible for SM synthase activity in mammalian cells and plays a critical role in cell growth of mouse lymphoid cells.