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A Pathway for the Biosynthesis of Fatty Acid Amides

  • Chapter
Eicosanoids and Other Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation, and Radiation Injury, 4

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 469))

Abstract

Fatty acid primary amides are potent, bioactive molecules. Oleamide induces physiological sleep1,2, potentiates the action of 5-hydroxytryptamine on rat brain 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors3, and blocks gap junction communication in glial cells4. Erucamide stimulates angiogenesis5, arachidonamide is a tight-binding inhibitor of human synovial phospholipase A2 6, and valpromide (n-propylpentanamide) is used clinically as an antiepileptic7. These studies indicate that the fatty acid primary amides are an exciting new class of mammalian, bioactive lipid. The biosynthetic pathway leading to the formation of the fatty acid primary amides is not understood and is information critical to the understanding and control of diseases related to their production.

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Author notes

  1. David J. Merkler

    Present address: Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, T6G 2G2

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15282-1530, USA

    Kathleen A. Merkler, Laura E. Baumgart, Jodi L. DeBlassio, Lawrence King III, Kimberly Ritenour-Rodgers, Benjamin J. Wilcox & David J. Merkler

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, T6G 2G2

    Uta Glufke & John C. Vederas

Authors
  1. Kathleen A. Merkler
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  2. Laura E. Baumgart
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  3. Jodi L. DeBlassio
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  4. Uta Glufke
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  6. Kimberly Ritenour-Rodgers
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  7. John C. Vederas
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  8. Benjamin J. Wilcox
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  9. David J. Merkler
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA

    Kenneth V. Honn

  2. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

    Lawrence J. Marnett

  3. Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Santosh Nigam

  4. University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California, USA

    Edward A. Dennis

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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Merkler, K.A. et al. (1999). A Pathway for the Biosynthesis of Fatty Acid Amides. In: Honn, K.V., Marnett, L.J., Nigam, S., Dennis, E.A. (eds) Eicosanoids and Other Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation, and Radiation Injury, 4. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 469. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4793-8_76

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4793-8_76

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7171-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4793-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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