Defining a role for acid sphingomyelinase in the p38/interleukin-6 pathway

Background: Sphingolipids are important in multiple biological processes, but there is a lack of understanding of the pathways that mediate these effects. Results: Acid sphingomyelinase is involved in p38 activation, interleukin-6 production, and cancer cell invasion. Conclusion: Acid sphingomyelinase plays a role in inflammatory, proinvasive signaling in cancer cells. Significance: This work expands the understanding of acid sphingomyelinase signaling and downstream biology.