title: Evidence for the intracellular accumulation of anandamide in adiposomes.
abstract: Anandamide is a lipid messenger that carries out a wide variety of biological functions. It has been suggested that anandamide accumulation involves binding to a saturable cellular component. To identify the structure(s) involved in this process, we analyzed the intracellular distribution of both biotinylated and radiolabeled anandamide, providing direct evidence that lipid droplets, also known as adiposomes, constitute a dynamic reservoir for the sequestration of anandamide. In addition, confocal microscopy and biochemical studies revealed that the anandamide-hydrolase is also spatially associated with lipid droplets, and that cells with a larger adiposome compartment have an enhanced catabolism of anandamide. Overall, these findings suggest that adiposomes may have a critical role in accumulating anandamide, possibly by connecting plasma membrane to internal organelles along the metabolic route of this endocannabinoid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oddi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fezza
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pasquariello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Simone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rapino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dainese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finazzi-Agrò
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maccarrone
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D021962:Membrane Microdomains; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015388:Organelles / Q000737:chemistry*; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases
chemical_list: D000581:Amidohydrolases; D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases; C078814:anandamide