Enzymatic formation of N-acylethanolamines from N-acylethanolamine plasmalogen through N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D-dependent and -independent pathways

► N-Acylethanolamine (NAE) plasmalogens are precursors of NAEs in the brain. ► The phospholipase D-type enzyme NAPE-PLD converted NAE plasmalogen to NAE. ► Brain homogenates of NAPE-PLD-null mice also formed NAE from NAE plasmalogen. ► The homogenates could hydrolyze N-acylated plasmalogen lysophospholipids to NAEs. ► Thus NAPE-PLD-independent formation of NAEs from NAE plasmalogens was also shown.