T. Sugiura et al., ENZYMATIC-SYNTHESIS OF OLEAMIDE (CIS-9,10-OCTADENOAMIDE), AN ENDOGENOUS SLEEP-INDUCING LIPID, BY RAT-BRAIN MICROSOMES, Biochemistry and molecular biology international, 40(5), 1996, pp. 931-938
The enzymatic synthesis of a novel sleep-inducing lipid, oleamide (cis
-9,10-octadecenoamide), was studied using rat brain subcellular fracti
ons as enzyme sources. We found that oleamide was formed from oleic ac
id and ammonia on incubation with a brain homogenate. The enzyme activ
ity catalyzing the formation of oleamide from oleic acid and ammonia w
as highest in the microsomal fraction among the subcellular fractions.
Boiled microsomes did not exhibit appreciable enzyme activity. These
results strongly suggest that oleamide can be synthesized enzymaticall
y in the brains of stimulated animals.