ω-AND (ω-1)-HYDROXYLATION OF FATTY ACIDS IN RABBIT INTESTINAL MUCOSA MICROSOMES

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the ω– and (ω-l)–hydroxylation of fatty acids in rabbit intestinal mucosa microsomes. It has been found that fatty acids are rapidly converted to ω– and (ω-l)–hydroxy fatty acids in the microsomes from rabbit intestinal mucosa that had been washed with a sucrose solution containing phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride as a trypsin inhibitor. Small intestine is the site of fat absorption with subsequent activation and esterification of fatty acids, thus, studies on fatty acid hydroxylation help to elucidate its physiological significance in the fatty acid metabolism of intestinal mucosa. The chapter describes some properties of the fatty acid ω– and (ω-1)–hydroxylation system of rabbit intestinal mucosa microsomes. The microsomes from rabbit intestinal mucosa catalyze the hydroxylation of fatty acids in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase (NADPH) and molecular oxygen. Myristic and palmitic acids are converted to the corresponding ω–and (ω-l)–hydroxy fatty acids whereas lauric acid is converted to 12–hydroxy–lauric acid and capric acid,to 9– and 10–hydroxycapric acids together with an unknown polar acid. Among these fatty acids, myristic and lauric acids appear to be the most efficient substrates.