Formic acid is a product of the alpha-oxidation of fatty acids by human skin fibroblasts: deficiency of formic acid production in peroxisome-deficient fibroblasts.
Human skin fibroblasts in culture can oxidize beta-methyl fatty acids, such as phytanic acid and 3-methylhexadecanoic acid, to CO2 and water-soluble products. The latter are released largely into the culture medium. The major water-soluble product formed from [1-14C]phytanic and [1-14C]3-methylhexadecanoic acids is [14C]formic acid. As phytanic acid and 3-methylhexadecanoic acids contain beta-methyl groups and theoretically cannot be degraded by beta-oxidation, we postulate that formic acid is formed from fatty acids by alpha-oxidation. The marked reduction in formic acid production from beta-methyl fatty acids in peroxisome-deficient skin fibroblasts suggests that peroxisomes are involved in the generation of C1 units.
Department of Chemical Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia.
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A
Poulos
P
P
Sharp
H
H
Singh
D W
DW
Johnson
W F
WF
Carey
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C
Easton
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005561:Formates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008830:Microbodies / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010831:Phytanic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005561:Formates; C030544:formic acid; D010831:Phytanic Acid