title: Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase activity is increased in rat intestinal brush-border membrane by chronic ethanol ingestion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) catalyses the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine from phosphatidylethanolamine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic ethanol ingestion on PEMT activity in the jejunal brush-border membrane (BBM) of adequately nourished rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this purpose, rats were fed a liquid diet containing ethanol [ethanol-fed group (EFG)] or an isocaloric liquid diet without ethanol [pair-fed group (PFG)] for 4 weeks. Diet ingestion, body weight, nitrogen balance and urinary creatinine excretion were monitored during the experimental period, and serum transferrin levels were determined at the end. BBM was isolated for the determination of PEMT activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PEMT activity was significantly increased in the jejunal BBM of the EFG. Nutritional parameters, however, did not differ between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in PEMT activity may be attributed exclusively to chronic ethanol ingestion, since a major nutritional deficit was excluded.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition and Metabolism, University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valéria Cristina Soares
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.forename: Christina Maeda
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Takiya
authors.forename: Valeria Bender
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Braulio
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000187:drug effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008871:Microvilli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D050918:Phosphatidylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol; D008780:Methyltransferases; D050918:Phosphatidylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase