Anandamide and its congeners inhibit human plasma butyrylcholinesterase. Possible new roles for these endocannabinoids?

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), a serine hydrolase biochemically related to the cholinergic enzyme Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), is found in many mammalian tissues, such as serum and central nervous system, but its physiological role is still unclear. BChE is an important human plasma esterase, where it has detoxifying roles. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that brain BChE can have a role in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Effect of acylethanolamides on lipid peroxidation and paraoxonase activity.

N-acylethanolamides (NAEs) are hydrophobic molecules synthesized in many tissues. An increase in the plasma levels of NAEs has been observed in human diseases. Previous studies have suggested that NAEs could exert a protective effect against oxidative stress.

Oleoylethanolamide protects human sperm cells from oxidation stress: studies on cases of idiopathic infertility.

N-acylethanolamides are naturally occurring hydrophobic molecules usually present in a very small amount in many mammalian tissues and cells. The presence of N-acylethanolamides has also been demonstrated in human reproductive tracts and fluids, although their biological effects and molecular mechanisms of action are not yet completely elucidated. It is known that some N-acylethanolamides, such as oleoylethanolamide, have antioxidative properties.

Temperature-induced molten globule-like state in human alpha1-acid glycoprotein: an infrared spectroscopic study.

Despite extensive investigations on thermal denaturation of alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) using a variety of techniques, structural features of the folded-unfolded state in terms of residual secondary structures and the structural transitions involved in this process have not been fully characterized. In this study we employed FT-IR spectroscopy to investigate the thermal unfolding and reversibility of temperature-induced changes in AGP. The data revealed a fully reversible beta-sheet-rich protein which exhibits a molten globule-like state, an important protein folding intermediate.

Increased plasma concentrations of palmitoylethanolamide, an endogenous fatty acid amide, affect oxidative damage of human low-density lipoproteins: an in vitro study.

Fatty acid ethanolamides (NAEs) are naturally occurring hydrophobic molecules usually present in a very small amount in many mammalian tissues and cells. Moreover, these compounds have been isolated in mammalian biological fluids, such as blood. Palmitoylethanolamide (C16:0) (PEA) is a fully saturated NAE, which presents some possible pharmaceutical activities, such as anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects.

Idiopathic infertility: effect of palmitoylethanolamide (a homologue of anandamide) on hyperactivated sperm cell motility and Ca2+ influx.

The goal of this study was to examine the effect of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) on the capacitation process and hyperactivated motility (HA) in idiopathic infertile men. Our data show the effect of PEA on the kinematic parameters of sperm cells from idiopathic infertile men during the capacitation of spermatozoa in vitro, both in the presence and absence of 2.5 nM PEA, a molecule physiologically present in human reproductive tracts.

Correlation between functional and structural changes of reduced and oxidized trout hemoglobins I and IV at different pHs. A circular dichroism study.

Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of two major hemoglobin components (Hb), HbI and HbIV, from Oncorhyncus mykiss (formerly Salmo irideus) trout were evaluated in the range 250-600 nm. HbI is characterized by a complete insensitivity to pH changes, while HbIV presents the Root effect. Both reduced [iron(II) or oxy] and oxidized (met) forms of the two proteins were studied at different pHs, 7.

Different modulation of phospholipase A2 activity by saturated and monounsaturated N-acylethanolamines.

The physiological functions of N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are poorly understood, although many functions were suggested for these naturally occurring membrane components of plants and animals. The binding with cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 was demonstrated for some NAEs, such as anandamide. However, the chemical nature of these molecules suggests that some of their biological effects on biomembranes could be related, at least partially, to physical interactions with the lipid bilayer.