Anandamide and other N-acylethanolamines in human tumors.

Abstract

Long-chain N-acylethanolamines (NAE), including the endocannabinoid, anandamide, accumulate in mammalian tissues under a variety of pathological conditions. They have also been shown to inhibit the growth of various cancer cell lines in vitro. Here, we report the presence, in widely differing amounts (3.88-254.46 pmol/micromol lipid P), of NAE and their precursor phospholipids in various human tumors and some adjacent unaffected tissues. Anandamide ranged from 1.5 to 48% of total NAE, and incubation of tissue homogenates suggested possible NAE biosynthesis by both the established transacylation-phosphodiesterase pathway via N-acyl PE and by direct N-acylation of ethanolamine.

• Authors: Patricia C Schmid, Lester E Wold, Randy J Krebsbach, Evgueni V Berdyshev, Harald H O Schmid
• Journal: Lipids (Lipids) Vol. 37 Issue 9 Pg. 907-12 (Sep 2002) ISSN: 0024-4201 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12458627 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Arachidonic Acids
• Endocannabinoids
• Ethanolamines
• N-acylethanolamines
• Polyunsaturated Alkamides
• Tissue Extracts
• anandamide

Topics

• Arachidonic Acids (analysis, metabolism)
• Endocannabinoids
• Ethanolamines (analysis, metabolism)
• Humans
• Neoplasms (chemistry, metabolism)
• Polyunsaturated Alkamides
• Tissue Extracts (chemistry, metabolism)
• Tumor Cells, Cultured