Phosphatidylcholine protects against fibrosis and cirrhosis in the baboon.
OBJECTIVE
Polyunsaturated soybean lecithin (55%-60% phosphatidylcholine [PC]) protects against fibrosis in alcohol-fed baboons. The present study was undertaken to determine whether PC is the active agent.


METHODS
Virtually pure PC (equivalent to that contained in the lecithin) was administered for up to 6.5 years with or without alcohol, and the results were compared with those of unsupplemented groups.


RESULTS
Control livers remained normal, whereas 10 of 12 baboons fed alcohol without PC developed septal fibrosis or cirrhosis with transformation of 81% +/- 3% of the hepatic lipocytes to collagen-producing transitional cells. By contrast, none of the eight animals fed alcohol with PC developed septal fibrosis or cirrhosis, and only 48% +/- 9% of their lipocytes were transformed, indicating that PC was indeed the protective compound. Ethanol feeding also resulted in decreased liver phospholipids and PC, and both were corrected by the supplementation. Furthermore, PC stimulated collagenase activity in cultured lipocytes. This PC consisted of several species, mainly dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (40%-52%) and palmitoyl-linoleoylphosphatidylcholine (23%-24%). Only dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine duplicated the effect of the PC on collagenase. Other species of PC, phosphatidylethanolamine, free fatty acids, or choline were without effect.


CONCLUSIONS
PC prevents alcohol-induced fibrosis and cirrhosis in nonhuman primates, and dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine appears to be the active species, possibly by promoting collagen breakdown.
Lieber
C S
CS
Section of Liver Disease and Nutrition, Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York.
Robins
S J
SJ
Li
J
J
DeCarli
L M
LM
Mak
K M
KM
Fasulo
J M
JM
Leo
M A
MA
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017364:Collagenases / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D010215:Papio; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values
D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D000431:Ethanol; C002448:1,2-linoleoylphosphatidylcholine; D017364:Collagenases