Biomaterial Database

Molecular composition of the phosphatidylcholines produced by the phospholipid methylation pathway in rat brain in vivo. 1987

M B Lakher, and R J Wurtman

Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139.

We examined the formation in vivo of molecular subspecies of brain phosphatidylcholine (PC) via the phospholipid-methylation pathway. [3H]Methionine was infused into a lateral cerebral ventricle, and 3H-labelled PC was isolated from brains of rats 0.1-18 h after the infusions. Three major subspecies of this PC, differing in their fatty acid compositions, were separated on silver-impregnated t.l.c. plates, and the proportions of radioactivities in these three PC fractions were determined. The results indicate that newly-formed PC synthesized by methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine at 0.1 h after [3H]methionine contains a significantly higher proportion of polyunsaturated subspecies (i.e. those with six or four double bonds) than does PC obtained later times after injection of [3H]methionine. This change in the composition of 3H-labelled brain PC occurs gradually and is not due to an influx of radioactive PC from the periphery. Our data suggest that polyunsaturated PC (hexaenes and tetraenes) produced in the brain by methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine turns over faster than does that containing more-saturated fatty acids.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008715	Methionine	A sulfur-containing essential L-amino acid that is important in many body functions.	L-Methionine,Liquimeth,Methionine, L-Isomer,Pedameth,L-Isomer Methionine,Methionine, L Isomer
D008745	Methylation	Addition of methyl groups. In histo-chemistry methylation is used to esterify carboxyl groups and remove sulfate groups by treating tissue sections with hot methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Methylations
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
D010714	Phosphatidylethanolamines	Derivatives of phosphatidic acids in which the phosphoric acid is bound in ester linkage to an ethanolamine moiety. Complete hydrolysis yields 1 mole of glycerol, phosphoric acid and ethanolamine and 2 moles of fatty acids.	Cephalin,Cephalins,Ethanolamine Phosphoglyceride,Ethanolamine Phosphoglycerides,Ethanolamineglycerophospholipids,Phosphoglyceride, Ethanolamine,Phosphoglycerides, Ethanolamine
D010743	Phospholipids	Lipids containing one or more phosphate groups, particularly those derived from either glycerol (phosphoglycerides see GLYCEROPHOSPHOLIPIDS) or sphingosine (SPHINGOLIPIDS). They are polar lipids that are of great importance for the structure and function of cell membranes and are the most abundant of membrane lipids, although not stored in large amounts in the system.	Phosphatides,Phospholipid
D011919	Rats, Inbred Strains	Genetically identical individuals developed from brother and sister matings which have been carried out for twenty or more generations or by parent x offspring matings carried out with certain restrictions. This also includes animals with a long history of closed colony breeding.	August Rats,Inbred Rat Strains,Inbred Strain of Rat,Inbred Strain of Rats,Inbred Strains of Rats,Rat, Inbred Strain,August Rat,Inbred Rat Strain,Inbred Strain Rat,Inbred Strain Rats,Inbred Strains Rat,Inbred Strains Rats,Rat Inbred Strain,Rat Inbred Strains,Rat Strain, Inbred,Rat Strains, Inbred,Rat, August,Rat, Inbred Strains,Rats Inbred Strain,Rats Inbred Strains,Rats, August,Rats, Inbred Strain,Strain Rat, Inbred,Strain Rats, Inbred,Strain, Inbred Rat,Strains, Inbred Rat
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D002621	Chemistry	A basic science concerned with the composition, structure, and properties of matter; and the reactions that occur between substances and the associated energy exchange.
D005227	Fatty Acids	Organic, monobasic acids derived from hydrocarbons by the equivalent of oxidation of a methyl group to an alcohol, aldehyde, and then acid. Fatty acids are saturated and unsaturated (FATTY ACIDS, UNSATURATED). (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Aliphatic Acid,Esterified Fatty Acid,Fatty Acid,Fatty Acids, Esterified,Fatty Acids, Saturated,Saturated Fatty Acid,Aliphatic Acids,Acid, Aliphatic,Acid, Esterified Fatty,Acid, Saturated Fatty,Esterified Fatty Acids,Fatty Acid, Esterified,Fatty Acid, Saturated,Saturated Fatty Acids