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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2603-2609 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Biochemistry |
Volume | 7 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jul 1968 |