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

Gitte Petersen, Camilla Sørensen, Patricia C Schmid, Andreas Artmann, Mads Tang-Christensen, Steen H Hansen, Philip Just Larsen, Harald H O Schmid, Harald S. Hansen

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

84 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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

Keywords

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

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