Biomaterial Database

Lung phosphatidylcholine synthesis and cholinephosphotransferase activity in anencephalic rat fetuses with corticosteroid deficiency. 1977

P M Farrell, and W R Blackburn, and A J Adams

Adrenocortical insufficiency was produced in rat fetuses by surgical decapitation. These animals show low plasma corticosterone levels compared to littermate controls. Lung slices from anencephalic fetuses were found to have reduced incorporation of [14C]choline into phosphatidylcholine, hence diminished choline pathway activity; this abnoramlity was present at 21 days of gestation but not at term. Cholinephosphotransferase (CPT), the terminal catalyst of the choline pathway, also showed diminished activity in lungs of anencephalic fetuses, with a mean of 120 pmol/min/mg protein compared to a control value of 190. Dexamethasone treatment of these animals for 6-12 hr led to enhanced choline incorporation rates. Corticosteroid administration also restored CPT activity and even elevated the enzyme to a mean level (340 pmol/min/mg protein) greater than that found in normal fetuses at 21-22 days of gestation. The early pulmonary biochemical effects of dexamethasone in this model were not accompanied by recognizable ultrastructural changes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D010713	Phosphatidylcholines	Derivatives of PHOSPHATIDIC ACIDS in which the phosphoric acid is bound in ester linkage to a CHOLINE moiety.	Choline Phosphoglycerides,Choline Glycerophospholipids,Phosphatidyl Choline,Phosphatidyl Cholines,Phosphatidylcholine,Choline, Phosphatidyl,Cholines, Phosphatidyl,Glycerophospholipids, Choline,Phosphoglycerides, Choline
D010770	Phosphotransferases	A rather large group of enzymes comprising not only those transferring phosphate but also diphosphate, nucleotidyl residues, and others. These have also been subdivided according to the acceptor group. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) EC 2.7.	Kinases,Phosphotransferase,Phosphotransferases, ATP,Transphosphorylase,Transphosphorylases,Kinase,ATP Phosphotransferases
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D002798	Diacylglycerol Cholinephosphotransferase	An enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of phosphatidylcholines from CDPcholine and 1,2-diacylglycerols. EC 2.7.8.2.	Cholinephosphotransferase,Phosphorylcholine-Glyceride Transferase,1-alkyl-2-Acetylglycerol Cholinephosphotransferase,CDP-Choline 1,2-Diglyceride Choline Phosphotransferase,CDP-Choline Cholinephosphotransferase,CDP-Diacylglycerol Synthase,Diacylglycerol-CDP Choline Phosphotransferase,PAF Phosphocholinetransferase,Phosphocholinetransferase,Phosphorylcholineglyceride Transferase,CDP Choline 1,2 Diglyceride Choline Phosphotransferase,CDP Choline Cholinephosphotransferase,CDP Diacylglycerol Synthase,Choline Phosphotransferase, Diacylglycerol-CDP,Cholinephosphotransferase, 1-alkyl-2-Acetylglycerol,Cholinephosphotransferase, CDP-Choline,Cholinephosphotransferase, Diacylglycerol,Diacylglycerol CDP Choline Phosphotransferase,Phosphocholinetransferase, PAF,Phosphorylcholine Glyceride Transferase,Phosphotransferase, Diacylglycerol-CDP Choline,Synthase, CDP-Diacylglycerol,Transferase, Phosphorylcholine-Glyceride,Transferase, Phosphorylcholineglyceride
D003907	Dexamethasone	An anti-inflammatory 9-fluoro-glucocorticoid.	Hexadecadrol,Decaject,Decaject-L.A.,Decameth,Decaspray,Dexasone,Dexpak,Hexadrol,Maxidex,Methylfluorprednisolone,Millicorten,Oradexon,Decaject L.A.
D005260	Female		Females
D005315	Fetal Diseases	Pathophysiological conditions of the FETUS in the UTERUS. Some fetal diseases may be treated with FETAL THERAPIES.	Embryopathies,Disease, Fetal,Diseases, Fetal,Embryopathy,Fetal Disease
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D000305	Adrenal Cortex Hormones	HORMONES produced by the ADRENAL CORTEX, including both steroid and peptide hormones. The major hormones produced are HYDROCORTISONE and ALDOSTERONE.	Adrenal Cortex Hormone,Corticoid,Corticoids,Corticosteroid,Corticosteroids,Cortex Hormone, Adrenal,Hormone, Adrenal Cortex,Hormones, Adrenal Cortex