Intestinal levels of anandamide and oleoylethanolamide in food-deprived rats are regulated through their precursors

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Gitte Petersen
  • Camilla Sørensen
  • Patricia C Schmid
  • Andreas Artmann
  • Mads Tang-Christensen
  • Steen H Hansen
  • Philip Just Larsen
  • Harald H O Schmid
  • Hansen, Harald S.
The anorectic lipid oleoylethanolamide and the orexigenic lipid anandamide both belong to the group of N-acylethanolamines that are generated by the enzyme N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D. The levels of the two bioactive lipids were investigated in rat intestines after 24 h of starvation as well as after 1 and 4 h of re-feeding. Total levels of precursor phospholipids and N-acylethanolamines were decreased upon food-deprivation whereas the level of the anandamide precursor molecule was significantly increased. The level of 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol was unchanged as was the activity of N-acyltransferase, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D, and fatty acid amide hydrolase upon starvation and re-feeding. It is concluded that remodeling of the amide-linked fatty acids of N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine is responsible for the opposite effects on levels of anandamide and oleoylethanolamide in intestines of food-deprived rats and not an alternative biochemical route for anandamide synthesis. Furthermore, linoleoylethanolamide, which accounted for more than 50 mol% of the endogenous pool of N-acylethanolamines, was found not to have the same inhibitory effect on food intake, as did oleoylethanolamide following oral administration.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBBA General Subjects
Volume1761
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)143-50; discussion 141-2
ISSN0304-4165
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2006

    Research areas

  • Animals, Arachidonic Acids, Eating, Endocannabinoids, Food Deprivation, Intestines, Male, Oleic Acids, Phospholipids, Polyunsaturated Alkamides, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Former Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

ID: 44796934