18:1 DG or 1,2-dioleoyl-
sn-glycerol (DOG) comprises a small polar region and is synthesized via phosphatidic acid intermediate.
[1]In biochemical signaling, diacylglycerol (DAG) functions as a second messenger signaling lipid, and is a product of the hydrolysis of the phospholipid PIP2 (phosphatidylinositolbisphosphate) by the enzyme phospholipase C (PLC) (a membrane-bound enzyme) that, through the same reaction, produces inositol trisphosphate (IP3). Although inositol trisphosphate (IP3) diffuses into the cytosol, DAG remains within the plasma membrane due to its hydrophobic properties. IP3 stimulates the release of calcium ions from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, whereas DAG is a physiological activator of protein kinase C (PKC). The production of DAG in the membrane facilitates translocation of PKC from the cytosol to the plasma membrane.
[2][3][4][5][6]Diacylglycerol mimicks the effects of the tumor-promoting compounds phorbol esters.