Studies on the effect of fenoprofen on the activation and oxidation of long chain and very long chain fatty acids in hepatocytes and subcellular fractions from rat liver

Peroxisomal acyl-CoA synthetases

Peroxisomes carry out many essential lipid metabolic functions. Nearly all of these functions require that an acyl group-either a fatty acid or the acyl side chain of a steroid derivative-be thioesterified to coenzyme A (CoA) for subsequent reactions to proceed. This thioesterification, or "activation", reaction, catalyzed by enzymes belonging to the acyl-CoA synthetase family, is thus central to cellular lipid metabolism. However, despite our rather thorough understanding of peroxisomal metabolic pathways, surprisingly little is known about the specific peroxisomal acyl-CoA synthetases that participate in these pathways. Of the 26 acyl-CoA synthetases encoded by the human and mouse genomes, only a few have been reported to be peroxisomal, including ACSL4, SLC27A2, and SLC27A4. In this review, we briefly describe the primary peroxisomal lipid metabolic pathways in which fatty acyl-CoAs participate. Then, we examine the evidence for presence and functions of acyl-CoA synthetases in peroxisomes, much of which was obtained before the existence of multiple acyl-CoA synthetase isoenzymes was known. Finally, we discuss the role(s) of peroxisome-specific acyl-CoA synthetase isoforms in lipid metabolism.

Hepatic alpha-oxidation of phytanic acid. A revised pathway

Synthetic 3-methyl-branched chain fatty acids were used to decipher the breakdown of phytanic acid. Based on results obtained in intact or permeabilized rat hepatocytes, rat liver homogenates or subcellular fractions, a revised alpha-oxidation pathway is proposed which appears to be functioning in man as well. In a first step, the 3-methyl-branched chain fatty acid is activated by an acyl-CoA synthetase. This reaction requires CoA, ATP and Mg2+. Subsequently, the acyl-CoA ester is hydroxylated at position 2 by a peroxisomal dioxygenase. This step is dependent on alpha-oxoglutarate, ascorbate (or glutathione), Fe2+ and O2. The 2-hydroxy-3-methylacyl-CoA intermediate is cleaved by a peroxisomal lyase to formyl-CoA and a 2-methyl-branched fatty aldehyde. Formyl-CoA is (partly enzymically) hydrolyzed to formate, which is then converted, most likely in the cytosol, to CO2. In the presence of NAD+, the aldehyde is dehydrogenated to a 2-methyl-branched fatty acid, presumably by a peroxisomal aldehyde dehydrogenase. This acid can--after activation--be degraded via a D-specific peroxisomal beta-oxidation system.

alpha-Oxidation of 3-methyl-substituted fatty acids in rat liver. Production of formic acid instead of CO2, cofactor requirements, subcellular localization and formation of a 2-hydroxy-3-methylacyl-CoA intermediate

alpha-Oxidation of 3-methyl-substituted fatty acids in rat liver was studied in intact and permeabilized rat hepatocytes, and in homogenates and subcellular fractions. The experiments revealed that the primary end product of alpha-oxidation is formic acid, which is then converted to CO2. Rates of alpha-oxidation identical to those observed in intact hepatocytes were obtained in the permeabilized hepatocytes and liver homogenates when ATP, Mg2+ and CoA, and Fe2+, 2-oxoglutarate and ascorbate were added, suggesting that alpha-oxidation involves a fatty acid activation reaction and a dioxygenase reaction. Subcellular fractionation by differential and density gradient centrifugation demonstrated that alpha-oxidation is confined to peroxisomes, which produce formic acid that is converted to CO2, mainly in the cytosol. alpha-Oxidation in broken cell systems went hand in hand with the formation of a 2-hydroxy-3-methylacyl-CoA ester. Formation of the metabolite was strictly dependent on the presence of the above-mentioned cofactors, was confined to peroxisomes and was inhibited by fenoprofen and propyl gallate, inhibitors of alpha-oxidation in intact cells, indicating that the 2-hydroxyacyl-CoA ester is a bona fide intermediate of alpha-oxidation. Selective omission of cofactors from the reaction mixture and analysis of the incubation mixtures for 3-methyl fatty acids, 3-methyl fatty acyl-CoAs and their respective 2-hydroxy derivatives revealed that the activation reaction precedes the dioxygenase (hydroxylase) reaction. Our experiments demonstrate that alpha-oxidation is a peroxisomal process that consists of at least three reactions: fatty acid activation, hydroxylation and the reaction(s) involved in the release of formic acid.

Sex differences in the metabolism of (+)-S-145, a novel thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist in rat

1. After the oral administration of 5 mg/kg S-1452 to rat, the plasma levels of (+)-S-145 were similar between the male and female, but there were sex differences in the profiles of its beta-oxidized and hydroxylated metabolites in plasma. 2. beta-Oxidation of (+)-S-145 determined in vitro was slightly higher in the female than in the male, and agreed with the plasma levels of the beta-oxidized metabolites. 3. 5-Hydroxylation activities of (+)-S-145 and beta-oxidized metabolites by rat liver microsomes were significantly higher in the male than in the female, but marked sex differences were not observed in 6-hydroxylation activities. These results revealed that differences in monooxygenase activities directly account for the sex differences in the plasma level of 5-hydroxylated metabolites, and that the peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzyme system also affected the plasma level of 6-hydroxylated metabolites. 4. Biliary excretion was higher in the male than in the female, and quantitative identification of metabolites in bile indicated that this was based on the prominent excretion of taurine conjugates in the male rat. This conclusion was supported by the fact that taurine conjugation activity was higher in male liver homogenates than in the female.