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Impaired biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine causes a decrease in the number of very low density lipoprotein particles in the Golgi but not in the endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver.

We have investigated the mechanism by which inhibition of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in rat hepatocytes by choline deprivation causes a reduction in the secretion of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) (Yao, Z., and Vance, D. E. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 2998-3004). Rats ingested a choline-deficient or control diet for 3 days, and subcellular fractions of liver were prepared. No change in the amount of apolipoprotein B in the lumina of the endoplasmic reticulum was observed, but there was a 40-50% decrease of apolipoprotein B in the lumina of the Golgi from choline-deficient compared with control rats. Incubation of microsomes, derived from choline-deficient and -supplemented hepatocytes, with trypsin showed similar degradation of apolipoprotein B, indicating similar quantities of this protein are present on the surface and within the lumina. The VLDL particles in the Golgi of liver cells and in plasma, on average, were larger in samples derived from choline-deficient compared with choline-supplemented animals. Incubation of plasma VLDL with proteases demonstrated that the apolipoprotein B of plasma VLDL particles from choline-deficient animals had a different susceptibility to digestion than did VLDL from choline-supplemented animals. These data indicate that the number of VLDL particles assembled in the endoplasmic reticulum of liver is similar in choline-deficient and -supplemented rats, but the number of particles is decreased in the Golgi from choline-deficient animals.

Animals↗

Prevention/reversal of choline deficiency-induced steatohepatitis by a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha ligand in rats.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, often associated with obesity and diabetes, is a common liver condition in the U.S. Individuals with steatohepatitis are not eligible for liver donation and may be at increased risk from developing complications following lobectomy. If steatosis and steatohepatitis can be treated medically, these individuals can become eligible for living donor transplants and segmental resection of the liver for treatment of primary or metastatic liver diseases. Because rats fed a choline-deficient diet (CDD) develop morphological changes in the liver similar to that observed in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, we examined the effect of ciprofibrate, a potent peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha) ligand and inducer of fatty acid oxidation systems in the liver, on reversal of steatosis. Rats fed CDD for 2 weeks developed marked fatty change with mild hepatitis and marked increase in serum aminotransferases and liver triacylglycerols. Concurrent administration of CDD and ciprofibrate resulted in the prevention of fatty change. Rats that were fed CDD for 2 weeks followed by feeding CDD containing ciprofibrate for 1 or 2 weeks resulted in marked reduction of fatty change and normalization of serum aminotransferases. Compared with the CDD group, all groups that received ciprofibrate showed several-fold increase in mRNA and protein levels of several PPAR alpha target genes. In addition, electron microscopic examination showed marked peroxisome proliferation in the hepatocytes. The results of these studies clearly demonstrate that the severity of CDD-induced fatty change and hepatitis in rats can be rapidly decreased by ciprofibrate and suggest the therapeutic potential of PPAR alpha ligands in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in humans to rapidly reverse liver changes.

Animals↗

Application of proton NMR spectroscopy in the study of lipid metabolites in a rat hepatocarcinogenesis model.

Liver cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Altered lipid metabolism in the liver is a key feature of developing liver nodules and tumors. Methods of analysis vary from the most sophisticated chromatography to the in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In this study, we present a systematic method for the identification and quantitation of signature signals from lipid metabolites using 1D NMR proton spectroscopy. We assessed lipid metabolites in an epigenetic rat hepatocarcinogenesis model induced by treatment with a choline-deficient diet (CDAA, choline-deficient l-amino acid defined) over a period of 1 year, from the formation of steatosis, to the development of nodules and adenomas. A comparable choline-sufficient (CSAA) diet was used for the controls. The resonances of the methylene protons of the glycerol backbone in phospholipids were used to quantify the total concentration of such compounds. CDAA rat livers were found to have significantly higher levels of phospholipids, when compared to CSAA, throughout the entire carcinogenesis period. The tri-methyl protons of choline compounds serves to quantify total choline, and the vinyl and bis-allyl proton resonances can be used to not only quantify fatty acid concentrations but also to probe the number of double bonds in a fatty acid moiety. Early stages of carcinogenesis indicate a lower degree of double bonds in fatty acyl containing compounds in CDAA rat livers, when compared to CSAA. The results of this study are in agreement with those previously published in the literature on other rat hepatocarcinogenesis models.

Animals↗

Effects of the cholecystokinin receptor antagonist L-364,718 on pancreatitis induced by a deficient in choline and supplemented with ethionine (CDE) diet in the rat.

The role of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the development of a necrotizing acute pancreatitis induced by a diet deficient in choline and supplemented with ethionine (CDE) has been evaluated in the rat by using a potent CCK receptor antagonist L-364,718. Acute pancreatitis was induced by administration of CDE diet for 14 days. L-364,718 administration was carried out by subcutaneous injections at dose of 0.1 mg/kg/day. Pancreatic exocrine secretion (flow, protein, amylase and trypsin outputs) in resting and under infusion of 1.25 microgram/kg/h of CCK-8 were used to evaluate the pancreatic functionality. Others parameters (serum amylase, percentage fluid in pancreas, haematocrit and mortality) evaluated the severity of pancreatitis. L-364,718 slightly reduced the mortality and the increases of percentage of fluid accumulated in pancreas in CDE diet acute pancreatitis. Basal and CCK stimulated pancreatic secretion was significantly depressed 36 hours after L-364,718 treatment. A slight response to CCK was observed. Nevertheless it was lower than usually observed in control rats. Our results demonstrate that in the rat, chronic L-364,718 treatment did not completely restore pancreatic activity in acute pancreatitis induced by CDE diet. Hence CCK cannot be considered as the main factor involved in the development of this pancreatitis model.

Acute Disease↗

Feedback regulation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase translocation between cytosol and endoplasmic reticulum by phosphatidylcholine.

The mechanism for the increased association of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) with membranes of hepatocytes derived from choline-deficient, compared with choline-supplemented rats, has been investigated. The cells were maintained in culture for 4 h in a choline- and methionine-deficient medium. (Methionine is required for synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) via methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine.) Afterward, the cells were incubated +/- choline for various times up to 4 h. In the presence, but not in the absence, of choline there was a translocation of CT activity from membranes to cytosol. During this time period there was no change in the amounts of unesterified fatty acids or diacylglycerol recovered from the hepatocytes. In addition, there was no evidence for a difference in the incorporation of 32P into CT or other cytosolic proteins isolated from hepatocytes +/- choline. In contrast, there was a highly significant correlation between the concentration of PC in the membranes and the increased activity of CT in the cytosol (R = 0.98) and the decreased activity in the membranes (R = 0.93). The concentration of PC could alternatively be altered by incubation of the choline-deficient hepatocytes with methionine or lyso-PC. With either of these supplementations highly significant correlation coefficients were observed between the concentration of PC in membranes and decreased activity of CT in membranes or increased activity in cytosol. The concentration of PC was reduced in the endoplasmic reticulum, but not the Golgi membranes, isolated from choline-deficient compared with choline-supplemented livers. The data suggest that the amount of PC in the endoplasmic reticulum feedback regulates the amount of CT associated with this membrane.

Biological Transport↗

Development of an experimental diet for determining bioavailable choline concentration and its application in studies with soybean lecithin.

Attempts to determine choline bioavailability have encountered criticism of experimental diets and protocol. Our objectives were to develop a choline-deficient soy isolate diet to quantify bioavailable choline concentration of soybean lecithin and to compare results to those obtained with a purified diet. In Assay 1, weight gain of chicks fed a choline-free crystalline amino acid diet responded linearly (P < .01) to graded doses of choline chloride, fluid lecithin (FL), or deoiled lecithin (DL). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated a bioavailable choline content of 2.3 and 3.7% for FL and DL, respectively. In Assay 2, a choline-deficient soy isolate diet was supplemented with 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) to inhibit choline biosynthesis. Weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency increased (P < .05) markedly with the addition of choline chloride, but supplemental methionine or betaine had no effect (P > .10). Addition of 10% soybean meal to the diet severely deficient in choline per se produced a growth response (P < .05), whereas the same addition to the diet made adequate in choline did not elicit a growth response. In Assay 3, addition of graded levels of choline chloride, FL, or DL to the choline-deficient soy isolate diet containing AMP resulted in a linear (P < .01) increase in weight gain and feed intake. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated a bioavailable choline content of 2.0 and 3.5% for FL and DL, respectively. The AMP-containing soy isolate diet seems well suited for determination of bioavailable choline content in products containing secondary nutrients. Bioavailable choline content of FL and DL was similar to estimates of total choline content, suggesting that the choline in these products was fully available.

Animals↗

Choline availability modulates human neuroblastoma cell proliferation and alters the methylation of the promoter region of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 3 gene.

Choline is an important methyl donor and a component of membrane phospholipids. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that choline availability can modulate cell proliferation and the methylation of genes that regulate cell cycling. In several other model systems, hypomethylation of cytosine bases that are followed by a guanosine (CpG) sites in the promoter region of a gene is associated with increased gene expression. We found that in choline-deficient IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells, the promoter of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 3 gene (CDKN3) was hypomethylated. This change was associated with increased expression of CDKN3 and increased levels of its gene product, kinase-associated phosphatase (KAP), which inhibits the G(1)/S transition of the cell cycle by dephosphorylating cyclin-dependent kinases. Choline deficiency also reduced global DNA methylation. The percentage of cells that accumulated bromodeoxyuridine (proportional to cell proliferation) was 1.8 times lower in the choline-deficient cells than in the control cells. Phosphorylated retinoblastoma (p110) levels were 3 times lower in the choline-deficient cells than in control cells. These findings suggest that the mechanism whereby choline deficiency inhibits cell proliferation involves hypomethylation of key genes regulating cell cycling. This may be a mechanism for our previously reported observation that stem cell proliferation in hippocampus neuroepithelium is decreased in choline-deficient rat and mouse fetuses.

Base Sequence↗

Phosphatidylethanolamine levels and regulation of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase.

The activity of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) N-methyltransferase in liver microsomes, measured using endogenous microsomal PE as a substrate, was elevated 2-fold in the choline-deficient state. However, methyltransferase activity assayed in the presence of a saturating concentration of phosphatidyl-N-mono-methylethanolamine or microsomal PE was unchanged by choline deficiency. Accompanying the increase in methyltransferase activity in liver homogenates and microsomes were increased PE concentrations and an increased PE to phosphatidylcholine ratio. The concentration of other phospholipids was unchanged. Immunoblot analysis of choline-deficient and choline-supplemented rat liver microsomes using a rabbit polyclonal anti-PE N-methyltransferase antibody revealed that the amount of enzyme protein was unaltered. The regulation of methyltransferase by PE levels was also investigated in cultured hepatocytes obtained from choline-deficient rat livers. Supplementation of deficient hepatocytes with 200 microM methionine resulted in a 50% reduction in cellular PE levels over a 12-h period. PE N-methyltransferase activity assayed with endogenous PE was also reduced by 50%, but phosphatidyl-N-monomethylethanolamine-dependent activity was unchanged. A 4-h supplementation with choline did not affect PE levels or methyltransferase activity. Either methionine or choline supplementation resulted in net synthesis of cellular phosphatidylcholine. Immunoblotting of membranes from methionine-supplemented hepatocytes revealed no change in enzyme protein, a further indication that enzyme mass was constitutive, and activity was regulated by the concentration of PE.

Animals↗

Biosynthesis of hippurate, urea and pyrimidines in the fatty liver: studies with rats fed orotic acid or a diet deficient in choline and inositol, and with genetically obese (Zucker) rats.

The activities of pathways for the biosynthesis of hippurate, urea and pyrimidines in hepatocytes isolated from lean livers were compared with those from three sources of fatty liver: a) the genetically obese Zucker rat, b) Sprague-Dawley rats fed a diet deficient in choline and inositol, and c) Sprague-Dawley rats fed a diet supplemented with orotic acid. The capacity for hippurate synthesis was not significantly affected by fat accumulation, but ureagenesis from saturating ammonia and ornithine was diminished about 50% in all models when fat content rose above 12% wet wt of liver. Pyrimidine biosynthesis under these conditions was similarly diminished with fat accumulation. Ureagenesis was inhibited by sodium benzoate in hepatocytes from lean livers, but not in hepatocytes from fatty livers. Other results suggest that higher rates of ureagenesis than could be achieved with the fatty liver are required in order to demonstrate inhibition by benzoate. Incorporation of [14C]NaHCO3 into orotate was also inhibited by sodium benzoate, but in hepatocytes from fatty as well as lean livers. The metabolic basis for impairment of ureagenesis and pyrimidine biosynthesis in the fatty liver requires further study. That the capacity for hippurate synthesis was not significantly affected suggests a pathway-specific mechanism.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Initiation of carcinogenesis by a dietary deficiency of choline in the absence of added carcinogens.

The feeding for 10 or 11 weeks of young male Fischer-344 rats, a diet devoid of choline and low in methionine, leads to the appearance of gamma-glutamyltransferase-positive foci of altered hepatocytes in the liver and to the induction of initiated resistant hepatocytes. The latter are known to contain the primary precursor cells for the ultimate development of hepatocellular carcinoma. This initiation of carcinogenesis with the choline-devoid diet is prevented by added choline. These observations indicate that a dietary deficiency may, by itself, without known contaminating or added carcinogens, initiate the carcinogenic process.

Animals↗

Chronic dietary choline modulates synaptic plasticity in the cerebellar glomeruli of aging mice.

A morphometric investigation was carried out on ethanolic phosphotungstic acid (E-PTA) stained synaptic junctions in the cerebellar glomeruli of adult, old, old choline-deficient and old choline-supplemented mice. Numerical (Nv) and surface (Sv) density as well as average length (L) of the synapses were calculated on 100 pictures per group. A significant reduction of Nv and Sv, as well as an increase of L was found during aging. Choline deficient animals did not show any change as compared to old animals of the same age. In choline supplemented mice Nv and Sv were significantly increased and L significantly decreased, respectively, as compared to old control littermates. No difference was found between adult and choline supplemented mice. In the cerebellar glomeruli only a small fraction of fibers are cholinergic, therefore the present findings support the idea that dietary choline can influence systems other than cholinergic. The possible role of choline supplementation in the modulation of synaptic plasticity via the synthesis and/or turnover of neuronal membrane choline phospholipids, is discussed.

Animals↗

The effect of a nutritional model of chronic liver injury on the hepatic glucuronidation of morphine in rats.

The effect of a choline-deficient diet on the hepatic glucuronidation of morphine was investigated using a rat perfused liver system. Rats fed a choline-deficient diet developed a fatty liver with minimal necrosis. Despite the morphological changes, neither hepatic extraction ratio (0.51 +/- 0.02 in control; 0.45 +/- 0.04 in the choline-deficient rats) nor intrinsic clearance (0.85 +/- 0.05 in control; 0.77 +/- 0.09 in choline-deficient rats) were affected by this injury model. This finding suggests that glucuronidation is relatively resistant to this chronic liver injury.

Animals↗

Pregnancy and lactation are associated with diminished concentrations of choline and its metabolites in rat liver.

Choline is an important nutrient that is actively transported from mother to fetus across the placenta and from mother to infant across the mammary gland. Thus, pregnancy and lactation are times when dietary requirements for choline may be increased. Pregnant rats eating AIN-76A diet (with and without choline) for 6 d (d 12-18 gestation) were compared with nonmated female and male rats eating the same diets. Similarly, lactating rats were compared with nonmated female rats, both groups eating these same diets for 25 d (gestation d 12-postpartum d 15). We measured choline and choline metabolites in livers on the last day of feeding. Nonmated female rats, eating the control diet, had higher hepatic choline metabolites concentrations than did male rats (choline, 98%; betaine, 96%; and phosphorylcholine, 55% higher), pregnant rats (phosphorylcholine, 47%; and betaine, 42% higher) or lactating rats (phosphorylcholine, 49%; phosphatidylcholine, 37%; and betaine, 273% higher). We found that nonmated females eating a choline deficient diet had only a modest diminution (33%) of the labile choline metabolite PCho in liver, compared with similar rats eating a control diet. When compared with similar rats fed a choline-adequate diet, pregnant rats fed a choline-deficient diet had significantly great diminution of hepatic phosphorylcholine (83% lower) than did nonmated females. Liver phosphorylcholine was only 12% lower than in controls in nonmated females fed the deficient diet for the same 25-d period. Lactating rats were the most sensitive to choline deficiency, with liver phosphorylcholine 88% lower than in similar rats fed control diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Head-group specificity for feedback regulation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase.

The specificity of the phospholipid head-group for feedback regulation of CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase was examined in rat hepatocytes. In choline-deficient cells there is a 2-fold increase in binding of cytidylyltransferase to cellular membranes, compared with choline-supplemented cells. Supplementation of choline-deficient cells with choline, dimethylethanolamine, monomethylethanolamine or ethanolamine resulted in an increase in the concentration of the corresponding phospholipid. Release of cytidylyltransferase into cytosol was only observed in hepatocytes supplemented with choline or dimethylethanolamine. The apparent EC50 values (concn. giving half of maximal effect) for cytidylyltransferase translocation were similar for choline and dimethylethanolamine (25 and 27 microM respectively). The maximum amount of cytidylyltransferase released into cytosol with choline supplementation (1.13 m-units/mg membrane protein) was twice that (0.62) observed with dimethylethanolamine. Supplementation of choline-deficient hepatocytes with NN'-diethylethanolamine, N-ethylethanolamine or 3-aminopropanol also did not cause release of cytidylyltransferase from cellular membranes. The translocation of cytidylyltransferase appeared to be mediated by the concentration of phosphatidylcholine in the membranes and not the ratio of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine. The results provide further evidence for feedback regulation of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis by phosphatidylcholine.

Animals↗

Effects of chronic (dietary) choline availability on the transport of choline across the blood-brain barrier.

The effects of dietary choline availability on the transport of choline across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) were investigated using the intracarotid injection technique. Maintenance of rats on choline-deficient, basal choline, or choline-supplemented diets for 28-32 days led to respective increases in blood levels of choline and correlative increases in the velocity of transport of choline measured using a buffer injectate. When serum from these rats was included in the injectate and transport determined in control animals, there was a marked inhibition of choline transport that was related to the concentration of choline in the diets. Results suggest that the activity of the choline carrier at the BBB is antagonized by an inhibitory substance in serum whose concentration or activity may be modified by chronic alterations in circulating levels of choline and whose presence may normally regulate the velocity of choline transport.

Animals↗

Gene expression profiling of choline-deprived neural precursor cells isolated from mouse brain.

Choline is an essential nutrient and an important methyl donor. Choline deficiency alters fetal development of the hippocampus in rodents and these changes are associated with decreased memory function lasting throughout life. Also, choline deficiency alters global and gene-specific DNA methylation in several models. This gene expression profiling study describes changes in cortical neural precursor cells from embryonic day 14 mice, after 48 h of exposure to a choline-deficient medium. Using Significance Analysis of Microarrays, we found the expression of 1003 genes to be significantly changed (from a total of 16,000 total genes spotted on the array), with a false discovery rate below 5%. A total of 846 genes were overexpressed while 157 were underexpressed. Classification by gene ontology revealed that 331 of these genes modulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, neuronal and glial differentiation, methyl metabolism, and calcium-binding protein classes. Twenty-seven genes that had changed expression have previously been reported to be regulated by promoter or intron methylation. These findings support our previous work suggesting that choline deficiency decreases the proliferation of neural precursors and possibly increases premature neuronal differentiation and apoptosis.

Animals↗

Simultaneous temporal processing is sensitive to prenatal choline availability in mature and aged rats.

Rats were trained at 2-4 months and at 24-26 months of age on a peak-interval timing procedure in which auditory and visual stimuli signaled two different fixed-interval schedules of reinforcement (15 and 30 s) that were presented simultaneously in a hierarchical fashion. Compared with control rats, increases in the probability of attention to the 15 s signal were observed for both the choline-supplemented and the choline-deficient rats. In contrast, an increase in attention to the 30 s signal was only observed for the choline-supplemented rats, whereas choline-deficient rats exhibited a decrease in attention that increased with age. Proportional rightward shifts in the remembered times of reinforcement emerged for the 24-26-month-old rats in the choline-deficient and control groups, but not in the choline-supplemented group. These results indicate that prenatal choline supplementation facilitates cognitive function across the lifespan, whereas prenatal choline deficiency impairs divided attention and accelerates age-related declines in temporal processing.

Acoustic Stimulation↗