Heteroatom-
substituted fatty acids have been observed to modulate the extension and desaturating of fatty acids, and to influence their distribution within phospholipids pools.
1,2 10-Thiastearic acid inhibits desaturation of radiolabeled stearate to oleate in rat hepatocytes and hepatoma cells by more than 80% at a concentration of 25 μM.
3 This activity is associated with a hypolipidemic effect, making this 10-thiastearic acid a useful tool for evaluating new anti-
obesity therapeutics.
1. Wu, P., Grav, H.J., Horn, R., et al. Effects of chain length and sulphur position of thia fatty acids on their incorporation into phospholipids in 7800 C1 hepatoma cells and isolated rat hepatocytes, and their effects on fatty acid composition of phospholipids Biochem. Pharmacol. 51,751-758(1996).
2. Pascal, R.A., Jr., and Ziering, D.L. Synthesis of heteroatom-substituted analogues of stearic acid J. Lipid Res. 27,221-224(1986).
3. Hovik, K.E., Spydevold, O.S., and Bremer, J. Thia fatty acids as substrates and inhibitors of stearoyl-CoA desaturase Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1349,251-256(1997).
