ENZYMATIC-SYNTHESIS OF ANANDAMIDE, AN ENDOGENOUS CANNABINOID RECEPTOR-LIGAND, THROUGH N-ACYLPHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE PATHWAY IN TESTIS - INVOLVEMENT OF CA2-DEPENDENT TRANSACYLASE AND PHOSPHODIESTERASE ACTIVITIES()

Rat testis was shown to contain significant amounts of both N-acyletha nolamine, including N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide), and N-acy lphosphatidylethanolamine (N-acylPE), including N-arachidonoylPE. The fatty acid profiles of the N-acyl moieties of the two classes resemble d each other. We confirmed that testis microsomes contain a phosphodie sterase activity catalyzing the release of anandamide from N-arachidon oylPE. They also contain an enzyme activity catalyzing the transfer of arachidonic acid from the 1-position of diacylphospholipids to PE to form N-arachidonoylPE. These results suggest that the N-acylPE pathway is important in the synthesis of anandamide in this tissue. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.