Phosphatidylcholine synthesis by rat type II pneumonocytes was altered either by depleting the cells of choline or by exposing the cells to extracellular lung surfactant. Effects of these experimental treatments on the activity of a regulatory enzyme, CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase, were investigated. Although choline depletion of type II pneumonocytes resulted in inhibition of phospha...

An adsorbent was synthesized by attaching 4-aminophenylphosphorylcholine to cyanogen bromide-activated Sepharose. A phosphorylcholine (P-choline)-binding protein from rat serum was adsorbed on this affinity column which was eluted by 4 mM P-choline. The protein separated into two bands of Mr = 47,000 and 24,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gradient gels and contained 18% carbohydrat...

Choline is an essential nutrient and can also be obtained by de novo synthesis via an oestrogen responsive pathway. Choline can be oxidised to the methyl donor betaine, with short-term supplementation reported to lower plasma total homocysteine (tHcy); however, the effects of longer-term choline supplementation are less clear. We investigated the effect of choline supplementation on plasma conc...

We report the isolation of two new opi3 mutants by EMS mutagenesis, and construction of an insertion allele in vitro using the cloned gene. We have demonstrated that the opi3 mutations cause a deficiency in the two terminal phospholipid N-methyltransferase (PLMT) activities required for the de novo synthesis of PC (phosphatidylcholine). The opi3 mutants, under certain growth conditions, produce...

The majority of the dehydrogenases of mammalian mitochondria are linked to the respiratory chain (cytochrome system) by way of pyridine nucleotides. Although the intramitochondrial pyridine nucleotide appears to be tightly bound in intact mitochondrial preparations (1) and thus does not function as a mobile coenzyme, the requirement of these dehydrogenases for added diphosphopyridine nucleotide...

methvlation can occur. It was found that after feeding choline-methyl-C14 to plants, radioactive betaine and dimethylglycine had been produced. Choline could give rise to betaine either by transferring its methyl groups to glycine, or some methylated glycine, to yield betaine, or oxidation of choline to betaine could occur. The experiments of Cromwell and Rennie (5) and of Bregoff and Delwiche ...

Autonomic dysfunction and abnormal immunity lead to systemic inflammatory responses, which result in cardiovascular damage in hypertension. The aim of this report was to investigate the effects of choline on cardiovascular damage in hypertension. Eight-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Wistar-Kyoto rats were intraperitoneally injected with choline or vehicle (8 mg/kg/day)...

During gestation there is a high demand for the essential nutrient choline. Adult rats supplemented with choline during embryonic days (E) 11-17 have improved memory performance and do not exhibit age-related memory decline, whereas prenatally choline-deficient animals have memory deficits. Choline, via betaine, provides methyl groups for the production of S-adenosylmethionine, a substrate of D...

Introduction Choline is a water-soluble micronutrient vital to cell membrane integrity, support of methyl group metabolism, and nervous system activity.1 It is present as free choline in small quantities in a wide variety of foods and frequently found in its esterified forms.2 Choline can also be found in fortified foods and dietary supplements; e.g., choline is a required additive in many infa...

In an attempt to gain some insight into possible approaches to reducing age-related memory disturbances, aged Fischer 344 rats were administered either vehicle, choline, piracetam or a combination of choline or piracetam. Animals in each group were tested behaviorally for retention of a one trial passive avoidance task, and biochemically to determine changes in choline and acetylcholine levels ...