Sandbox Reserved 921: Difference between revisions

Fatty acid amide hydrolase[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_acid_amide_hydrolase] (FAAH) is the primary catabolic enzyme for the degradation of fatty acid amides[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_acid_amide].  FAAH is most commonly known for the degradation of anandamide[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anandamide], which is an endocannabinoid that activates the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_receptor].  When CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors are active the receptors affect appetite, sleep, and relief of pain.  The ability to inhibit FAAH has been widely investigated for possible pain relief medication.  A recent study on FAAH inhibitors combined an irreversible bond at Cys269 and a reversible bond at Ser241 of the active site.  A humanized rat variant of FAAH was inhibited and the mice displayed an increase in endogenous brain levels of FAAH substrates for over six hours.  This is the first step towards developing a long lasting pain relief medication by inhibiting FAAH.  

The Fatty acid amide hydrolase <scene name='57/573135/4j5p_dimer/3'>dimer</scene> is an integral protein that cleaves fatty acid amides at the carbon-oxygen double bond in the amide functional group.  The lipid-degrading activity of FAAH derives from its unusual <scene name='57/573135/Catalytic_triad/2'>catalytic triad</scene>, consisting of Ser241, Ser217, and Lys142.  The hydrogen bonding between the three amino acid residues allows for a partial negative charge at <scene name='57/573135/Ser241_4j5p/1'>Ser241</scene>, which acts as a nucleophile in the enzymatic reaction.  The Ser241 residue binds with the carbon in the amide group, cleaves the fatty acid amide, and is protonated by water.  The inhibitor used covalently binds to Ser241 disrupting the catalytic triad active site and leaving the hydrolase inactive.  Without the enzyme FAAH active, anandamide accumulates, resulting in pain relief due to its interaction with the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors.