Sphinganine-1-phosphate protects kidney and liver after hepatic ischemia and reperfusion in mice via S1P(1) receptor activation

Liver failure due to ischemia and reperfusion (IR) and subsequent acute kidney injury are significant clinical problems. We showed previously that liver IR selectively reduced plasma sphinganine-1-phosphate levels without affecting sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) levels. Furthermore, exogenous sphinganine 1-phosphate protected against both liver and kidney injury induced by liver IR. In this study, we elucidated the signaling mechanisms of sphinganine 1-phosphate-mediated renal and hepatic protection. A selective S1P(1) receptor antagonist blocked the hepatic and renal protective effects of sphinganine 1-phosphate whereas a selective S1P(2) or S1P(3) receptor antagonist was without effect. Moreover, a selective S1P(1) receptor agonist, SEW-2871, provided similar degree of liver and kidney protection compared with sphinganine-1-phosphate. Furthermore, in vivo gene knock-down of S1P(1) receptors with small interfering RNA abolished the hepatic and renal protective effects of sphinganine 1-phosphate. In contrast to sphinganine 1-phosphate, S1P’s hepatic protection was enhanced with an S1P(3) receptor antagonist. Inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, Akt or pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins blocked sphinganine-1-phosphate-mediated liver and kidney protection in vivo. Taken together, our results show that sphinganine 1-phosphate provided renal and hepatic protection after liver IR injury in mice via selective activation of S1P(1) receptors and pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins with subsequent activation of ERK and Akt.