A bioactive sphingolipid; an intermediate in the metabolism of glycosphingolipids and sphingolipids; acts as an antagonist at the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P1/EDG-1) receptor (Ki = 15 nM); prevents liver and kidney damage following hepatic ischemia and reperfusion injury in mice at doses lower than 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg when administered prior to or following reperfusion, respectively; has antifibrotic effects in scleroderma fibroblasts