title: Anandamide hydrolysis by human cells in culture and brain.
abstract: Anandamide (arachidonylethanolamide; AnNH) has important neuromodulatory and immunomodulatory activities. This lipid is rapidly taken up and hydrolyzed to arachidonate and ethanolamine in many organisms. As yet, AnNH inactivation has not been studied in humans. Here, a human brain fatty-acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) has been characterized as a single protein of 67 kDa with a pI of 7.6, showing apparent Km and Vmax values for AnNH of 2.0 +/- 0.2 microM and 800 +/- 75 pmol.min-1.mg of protein-1, respectively. The optimum pH and temperature for AnNH hydrolysis were 9.0 and 37 degreesC, respectively, and the activation energy of the reaction was 43.5 +/- 4.5 kJ.mol-1. Hydro(pero)xides derived from AnNH or its linoleoyl analogues by lipoxygenase action were competitive inhibitors of human brain FAAH, with apparent Ki values in the low micromolar range. One of these compounds, linoleoylethanolamide is the first natural inhibitor (Ki = 9.0 +/- 0.9 microM) of FAAH as yet discovered. An FAAH activity sharing several biochemical properties with the human brain enzyme was demonstrated in human neuroblastoma CHP100 and lymphoma U937 cells. Both cell lines have a high affinity transporter for AnNH, which had apparent Km and Vmax values for AnNH of 0.20 +/- 0.02 microM and 30 +/- 3 pmol.min-1.mg of protein-1 (CHP100 cells) and 0.13 +/- 0.01 microM and 140 +/- 15 pmol.min-1.mg of protein-1 (U937 cells), respectively. The AnNH carrier of both cell lines was activated up to 170% of the control by nitric oxide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via di Tor Vergata 135, I-00133 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maccarrone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van der Stelt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Veldink
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Vliegenthart
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Agrò
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001692:Biological Transport; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D008579:Meningioma / Q000201:enzymology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000201:enzymology; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D020298:U937 Cells; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases
chemical_list: D000581:Amidohydrolases; D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D002186:Cannabinoids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases; C078814:anandamide