MAGL (单酰甘油酯酶)

Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a serine hydrolase that plays a crucial role catalysing the hydrolysis of monoglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids. MAGL links the endocannabinoid and eicosanoid systems together by degradation of the abundant endocannabinoid 2-arachidaoylglycerol into arachidonic acid, the precursor of prostaglandins and other inflammatory mediators.

MAGL plays a critical role in lipid signalling: i) it is the major enzyme that controls the levels of 2-AG, an important lipid with various neuroprotective effects; ii) inactivation of MAGL induces an elevation in brain levels of 2-AG and a reduction of AA, a key precursor of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, resulting in the reduction of neuroinflammation; iii) MAGL regulates the levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) in aggressive cancer cells, and this MAGL-promoted fatty acid network drives a number of pro-tumorigenic signalling pathways. MAGL is emerging as a promising drug target for various diseases.