Degradation of Sphingosine, Dihydrosphingosine, and Phytosphingosine in Rats

Yechezkel Barenholz, Shimon Gatt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tritium-labeled sphingosine, dihydrosphingosine, and phytosphingosine were administered by intravenous injection into rats. Two main changes were observed in the intact liver. The bases were converted in a biosynthetic route into ceramide (the N-acyl derivatives of the bases). In a degradative pathway they were cleaved to fatty acids which could be isolated from the liver triglycerides and lecithin. Using gas-liquid partition chromatography and determining the radioactivity of the effluents, the fatty acids, formed by cleavage of the respective bases, were identified. Hexadecanoic (palmitic) acid was the main product of the degradation of both sphingosine and dihydrosphingosine; pentadecanoic acid was the main product of phytosphingosine. The possible mechanisms leading to the formation of these fatty acids are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2603-2609
Number of pages7
JournalBiochemistry
Volume7
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jul 1968

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