Application Notes:
This odd numbered methyl omega-hydroxyheptacosanoate is ideal as an internal standard for studies involving long-chain
omega-hydroxy fatty acids.1 omega-Hydroxy C27:0 fatty acid and other omega-hydroxy fatty acids can be lactonized by
certain enzymes into mono- and oligolactones.2 omega-Oxidation is a minor fatty acid pathway used for fatty acid
metabolism and usually occurs in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Stimulation of omega-hydroxylation has been proposed
as a method for treating X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, a disease that is characterized by elevated levels of very long chain
fatty acids.3 omega-Hydroxy fatty acids have an important role while acylated to various lipids. omega-Hydroxylated very
long chain fatty acid (VLCFA) ceramides are vital to skin barrier functions and a deficiency of these lipids can cause death
from water loss through the skin. In atopic dermatitis, a common skin disease, there are considerable deficiencies of omegahydroxy
long chain fatty acids acylated to ceramides and this may contribute to the severely damaged permeability barrier
found in this disease.4
References:
1. M. Nakano, E. Kelly, and A. Rettie “Expression and Characterization of CYP4V2 as a Fatty Acid omega-Hydroxylase” Drug Metabolism and
Disposition, vol. 37 pp. 2119-2122, 2009
2. U. Antczak et al. “Enzymatic lactonization of 15-hydroxypentadecanoic and 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acids to macrocyclic lactones” Enzyme and
Microbial Technology, vol. 13 pp. 589-593, 1991
3. R. Sanders et al. “Omega-Oxidation of Very Long-Chain Fatty Acids in Human Liver Microsomes: Implications for X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy”
Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 281 pp. 13180-13187, 2006
4. O. Macheleidt, H. Kaiser, K. Sandhoff “Deficiency of epidermal protein-bound omega-hydroxyceramides in atopic dermatitis” J Invest Dermatol., vol.
119 pp. 166-173, 2002