title: Phosphatidylethanolamine methylation and hepatoma cell growth.
abstract: Phosphatidylethanolamine is converted to phosphatidylcholine in hepatocytes via the enzyme phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT). An isoform, PEMT2 has been cloned, expressed and localized to a mitochondria-associated membrane in rat liver. Expression of PEMT2 caused a decreased rate of cell division of cultured rat hepatoma cells. Mechanistic studies suggest that the slower growth of transfected hepatoma cells may be due to down regulation of CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase and the CDP-choline pathway for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. A role for PEMT2 in the regulation of hepatocyte cell division is also indicated by PEMT2 down-regulation in regenerating rat liver.
authors.affiliation: Lipid and Lipoprotein Research Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Houweling
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D019916:Choline-Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008745:Methylation; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000502:physiology*; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D050918:Phosphatidylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D008780:Methyltransferases; D050918:Phosphatidylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; D019916:Choline-Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase