α‐Oxidation of α‐hydroxyfatty acids in rat brain. Possible involvement of an α‐peroxylactone

Abstract
Combine—but not individual—microsomal and supernatant fractions obtained from rat brains not only consume oxygen but also provoke emission from added chlorophyll. These results are consistent with literature data (Levis and Mead,J. Biol. Chem. 239, 77 [1964]) for trapping of radioactive14CO2 following addition of α-hydroxy-[1-14C]stearic acid. The most plausible explanation for emission is the interaction of chlorophyll with an α-peroxylactone. An intermediary α-peroxylactone in α-oxidation is consistent with other available data (Salim-Hanna, Campa and Cilento,Photochem. Photobiol. 45, 849 [1987]; Campa, Salim-Hanna and Cilento,Photochem. Photobiol. 49, 349 [1989]) and, on chemical grounds, provides a feasible route to the final products.