title: Biased distribution of the branched-chain fatty acids in ceramides of vernix caseosa.
abstract: The compositions of ester- and amide-linked fatty acids from ceramides of human vernix caseosa were described with emphasis on the distribution of the branched-chain fatty acid (BCFA). Two novel ceramides were isolated from vernix caseosa in the course of this study: the acylated type of esterified alpha-OH-hydroxyacid/sphingosine ceramide (Cer[EAS]) and nonacylated type of non-OH fatty acid/hydroxysphingosine ceramide (Cer[NH]). Their chemical structures were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance and chemical procedure. The Cer[EAS] was an acylceramide and consisted of the highest concentrations of ester- and amide-linked BCFA (62 and 67%, respectively). The iso- or anteiso-branching structures of the aliphatic chains were confirmed by the mass spectra of their picolinyl or pyrrolidide derivatives. As a whole, amide-linked fatty acids of ceramides 1-7 and Cer[NH] were normal types of straight-chain fatty acids with or without alpha- or omega-hydroxylation. The BCFA concentrations of amide-linked fatty acids in these ceramides (ceramides 1-7 and Cer[NH]) were low and less than 10%. The BCFA thus occurred exclusively in a novel acylceramide of Cer[EAS] in the vernix caseosa.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa-Ken, Japan. b986101@agr.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oku
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mimura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokitsu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Onaga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chinen
mesh_terms: D002518:Ceramides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D014708:Vernix Caseosa / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D005227:Fatty Acids