Oxidative metabolism of anandamide.
In addition to the well studied hydrolytic metabolism of anandamide, a number of oxidative processes are also possible. Several routes somewhat analogous to the metabolism of free arachidonic acid have been reported. These involve mediation by various lipoxygenases and COX-2 and lead to ethanolamide analogs of the prostaglandins and HETES. The physiological significance of these products is not well understood at this time. There are also preliminary data suggesting a pathway involving oxidation of the hydroxy group of anandamide to a putative metabolite, N-arachidonyl glycine (AA-gly). This molecule displays activities in experimental models that suggest that it may play a role in some of the activities attributed to its precursor, anandamide.
Burstein
S H
SH
Department of Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA, USA. sumner.burstein@umassmed.edu
Rossetti
R G
RG
Yagen
B
B
Zurier
R B
RB
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D002186:Cannabinoids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; C078814:anandamide