Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase activity is increased in rat intestinal brush-border membrane by chronic ethanol ingestion.
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.
Furtado
Valéria Cristina Soares
VC
Division of Nutrition and Metabolism, University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Takiya
Christina Maeda
CM
Braulio
Valeria Bender
VB
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
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol; D008780:Methyltransferases; D050918:Phosphatidylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase