Loss of dihydroceramide desaturase drives neurodegeneration by disrupting endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplet homeostasis in glial cells.

Abstract

Dihydroceramide desaturases convert dihydroceramides to ceramides, the precursors of all complex sphingolipids. Reduction of DEGS1 dihydroceramide desaturase function causes pediatric neurodegenerative disorder hypomyelinating leukodystrophy-18 (HLD-18). We discovered that <i>infertile crescent</i> (<i>ifc</i>), the <i>Drosophila DEGS1</i> homolog, is expressed primarily in glial cells to promote CNS development by guarding against neurodegeneration. Loss of <i>ifc</i> causes massive dihydroceramide accumulation and severe morphological defects in cortex glia, including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) expansion, failure of neuronal ensheathment, and lipid droplet depletion. RNAi knockdown of the upstream ceramide synthase <i>schlank</i> in glia of <i>ifc</i> mutants rescues ER expansion, suggesting dihydroceramide accumulation in the ER drives this phenotype. RNAi knockdown of <i>ifc</i> in glia but not neurons drives neuronal cell death, suggesting that <i>ifc</i> function in glia promotes neuronal survival. Our work identifies glia as the primary site of disease progression in HLD-18 and may inform on juvenile forms of ALS, which also feature elevated dihydroceramide levels.