ENZYMATIC-SYNTHESIS OF ANANDAMIDE, AN ENDOGENOUS CANNABINOID RECEPTOR-LIGAND, THROUGH N-ACYLPHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE PATHWAY IN TESTIS - INVOLVEMENT OF CA2-DEPENDENT TRANSACYLASE AND PHOSPHODIESTERASE ACTIVITIES()
T. Sugiura et al., ENZYMATIC-SYNTHESIS OF ANANDAMIDE, AN ENDOGENOUS CANNABINOID RECEPTOR-LIGAND, THROUGH N-ACYLPHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE PATHWAY IN TESTIS - INVOLVEMENT OF CA2-DEPENDENT TRANSACYLASE AND PHOSPHODIESTERASE ACTIVITIES(), Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 218(1), 1996, pp. 113-117
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.