Ceramides have been shown to mediate anti-proliferative responses such as apoptosis, growth arrest, differentiation, and senescence. C-16 ceramide is an endogenous ceramide that acts a lipid secondary messenger to regulate such processes. It activates autophagy by interfering with the mTOR-signalling pathway, and by dissociating the Beclin 1:Bcl-2 complex in a JNK1-mediated Bcl-2 phosphorylation-dependent manner.
