Accumulation of ceramide in ischemic human brain of an acute case of cerebral occlusion.

An increase of ceramide, which is the major component of sphingolipids, was found in the ischemic human brain of an acute case of internal carotid artery occlusion. Amide-linked fatty acids in the ceramide isolated from the ischemic human brain were mostly non-hydroxy fatty acids, such as stearic acid (66.9%) and palmitic acid (20.2%). Other long-chain fatty acids, C24:0 and C21:1, were rare components in the ceramide. The ceramide contained C-20 sphingosine, and the ratio of C-20 to C-18 was 0.13. These findings indicate that an ischemic insult accelerates the degradation of gangliosides and causes an accumulation of ceramide in the ischemic human brain.