title: Effects of dietary conditions on the pool sizes of precursors of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis in rat liver.
abstract: We developed a new method for the determination of choline- and ethanolamine-containing precursors of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine after their separation by HPLC and we have studied the effects of different dietary conditions on the pool sizes of these metabolites in rat liver. Fasting for 48 h induced only a small decrease in the amounts of phosphatidylethanolamine and its water-soluble precursors. Upon refeeding with a high-sucrose, fat-free diet for 72 h, the levels of ethanolamine-containing compounds were only slowly restored. The effects of various dietary conditions on the amounts of phosphatidylcholine and its water-soluble precursors were much more pronounced. Fasting induced a sharp decrease, especially of the amount of cholinephosphate. However, the levels of phosphatidylcholine and the choline-containing precursors were rapidly restored upon refeeding for 24 h. Continued refeeding for an additional 48 h enhanced the cholinephosphate pool size to a level more than double that found in normally fed rats. The latter effect was accompanied by an inhibition of the enzyme CTP:choline-phosphate cytidylyltransferase. The results are discussed in view of a possible regulatory mechanism that may balance the amounts of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Biochemistry, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Tijburg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Houweling
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Geelen
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: van Golde
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004032:Diet; D005215:Fasting; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D010743:Phospholipids; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes