title: Choline partially prevents the impact of ethanol on the lipid raft dependent functions of l1 cell adhesion molecule.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the leading known cause of mental retardation, is caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. One mechanism of ethanol (EtOH) teratogenicity is the disruption of the functions of L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1). These functions include enhancement of neurite outgrowth, trafficking through lipid rafts, and signal transduction. Recent data have shown that choline supplementation of rat pups reduces the effects of EtOH on neurobehavior. We sought to determine whether choline could prevent the effect of EtOH on L1 function using a simple experimental system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cerebellar granule neurons (CGN) from postnatal day 6 rat pups were cultured with and without supplemental choline, and the effects on L1 signaling, lipid raft distribution, and neurite outgrowth were measured in the presence or absence of EtOH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Choline significantly reduced the effect of EtOH on L1 signaling, the distribution of L1 in lipid rafts and L1-mediated neurite outgrowth. However, choline supplemented EtOH-exposed cultures remained significantly different than controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Choline pretreatment of CGN significantly reduces the disruption of L1 function by EtOH, but does not completely return L1 function to baseline. This experimental system will enable discovery of the mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of choline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Ningfeng
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bamford
authors.forename: Jace
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Maureen A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: Sandra M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: Cynthia F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Bearer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002794:Choline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1; D000431:Ethanol; D002794:Choline
keywords: Choline; Ethanol; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; L1 Cell Adhesion Molecule; Lipid Raft