Application Notes:
2-Hydroxy very long chain fatty acids are abundant in nervous tissues and are
components of cerebrosides and sulfatides, which are mostly found in the myelin of
nervous tissues. 2-Hydroxyeicosanoic acid has been reported in the marine sponge
Verongula gigantean.1 2-Hydroxy fatty acids are common in cosmetics and skin creams
and lotions. They are formed by the oxidation of saturated fatty acids by the enzyme fatty
acid 2-hydroxylase. This enzyme is also responsible for the formation of 2-hydroxy
galactolipids in the peripheral nervous system.2 alpha-Oxidation of 2-hydroxy fatty acids
to CO2 and fatty acid occurs in the peroxisome and is unique from the alpha-oxidation of
beta-carbon branched fatty acids such as phytanic acid. Cells from Zellweger syndrome
and peroxisome-deficient cells are unable to undergo alpha-oxidation although patients
with other peroxisomal disorders such as X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, Refsum
disease, and rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata are able.3 2-Hydroxy fatty acids are
undergoing much research and various methods of analysis are being investigated.4
References:
1. N Carballiera et al. “2-Hydroxy fatty acids from marine sponges 2. The phospholipid fatty acids of the caribbean spongesVerongula gigantea andAplysina
archeri” Lipids, vol. 24 pp. 229-232, 1989
2. E. Maldonado et al. “FA2H is responsible for the formation of 2-hydroxy galactolipids in peripheral nervous system myelin” Journal of Lipid Research,
Vol. 49 pp. 153-161, 2008
3. R. Sandhir, M. Khan, and I. Singh “Identification of the Pathway of alpha-Oxidation of Cerebronic Acid in Peroxisomes” Lipids, Vol. 35(10) pp. 1127-
1133, 2000
4. N. Alderson, M.Walla, and H. Hama “A novel method for the measurement of in vitro fatty acid 2-hydroxylase activity by gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry” Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 46 pp. 1569-1579, 2005