Abstract
The cleavage products formed by autoxidation of phytofluene were evaluated in order to elucidate possible oxidation products of phytofluene under oxidative conditions. Phytofluene solubilized at 50$\mu$M in liposomal suspension was oxidized by incubating at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 72 h. Among a number of oxidation products formed, five products in the carbonyl compound fraction were identified as 6, 10, 14-trimethylpentadeca-3,5,9,13-tetraen-2-one, phytapentaenal, 5,9,13,17-tetramethyloctadeca-2,4,6,8,12,16-hexaenal, 5,9,13,17-tetramethyloctadeca-2,4,8,12,16-pentaenal, 2,7,11,15,19-pentamethylicosa-2,4,6,10,14,18-hexaenal and 4,9,13,17,21-pentamethyldocosa-2,4,6,8,12,16,20-heptaenal. These correspond to a series of products formed by cleavage in the respective eight conjugated double bonds of phytofluene. Also, 4,5-didehydorgeranyl geranoic acid was formed by autoxidation of phytofluene in liposomal suspension. The pig liver homogenate had the ability to convert phytapentaenal to 4,5-didehydrogeranyl geranoic acid, comparable to the conversion of all-trans-retinal to all-trans-retinoic acid. These results suggest that phytofluene is cleaved to a series of long-chain and short-chain carbonyl compounds under the oxidative condition in vitro and that phytapentaenal is further enzymatically converted to 4,5-didehydrogeranyl geranoic acid.