Transglycosylation of N-acylethanolamines

N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), including N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide, AEA), N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) and N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA), are signaling lipids that play an important role in different physiological process. Alterations in endogenous NAE levels may affect these processes. β-glucocerebrosidase (GBA1) and glucosylceramidase 2 (GBA2) are able to degrade glucosylceramides (GlcCer) into glucose and ceramides. Deficiencies in the GBA1 enzyme, caused by mutations in its gene, leads to accumulation of GlcCer and is seen in the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease. Besides the ability of GBA1 and GBA2 to degrade GlcCer they can also perform a transglycosylation reaction, where they transfer glucose or galactose to other lipids containing a primary hydroxyl group. Since NAEs contain a primary hydroxyl group it was hypothesized that NAEs could serve as an acceptor for this transglycosylation reaction.