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Choline and phospholipid metabolism and the synthesis of acetylcholine in rat brain.

The metabolism of choline by rat brain, plasma, and liver was investigated using combined gas chromatography mass spectrometry following microwave irradiation and treatment with deuterium-labeled choline. Methods were established to measure simultaneously the concentrations of six choline-containing compounds and the incorporation of labeled choline into each of them. Intravenous injection of [2H4]-choline led to initial labeling of choline, acetylcholine, and phosphocholine in rat brain, with all of the label eventually entering the phosphocholine pool. When labeled choline was administered in the diet its rate of incorporation into choline, phosphatidylcholine, and combined choline plasmalogen and lysophosphatidylcholine in the plasma and liver and into choline, acetylcholine, phosphocholine, glycerophosphorylcholine, phosphatidylcholine, and combined choline plasmalogen and lysophosphatidylcholine in the brain were determined. Choline, phosphatidylcholine, and combined choline plasmalogen and lysophosphatidylcholine in the plasma had similar specific activities. In the cortex and the striatum, choline and combined choline plasmalogen and lysophosphatidylcholine fraction generally had the highest specific activities. The time course of the post-mortem release of choline by the brain was measured, and the sources of this choline were, sequentially, acetylcholine, glycerophosphoryl-choline, and phospholipids.

Acetylcholine

Transport and oxidation of choline by liver mitochondria.

1. Rapid choline oxidation and the onset of P(i)-induced swelling by liver mitochondria, incubated in a sucrose medium at or above pH7.0, required the addition of both P(i) and an uncoupling agent. Below pH7.0, P(i) alone was required for rapid choline oxidation and swelling. 2. Choline oxidation was inhibited by each of several reagents that also inhibited P(i)-induced swelling under similar conditions of incubation, including EGTA, mersalyl, Mg(2+), the Ca(2+)-ionophore A23187, rotenone and nupercaine. None of these reagents had any significant effect on the rate of choline oxidation by sonicated mitochondria. There was therefore a close correlation between the conditions required for rapid choline oxidation and for P(i)-induced swelling to occur, suggesting that in the absence of mitochondrial swelling the rate of choline oxidation is regulated by the rate of choline transport across the mitochondrial membrane. 3. Respiratory-chain inhibitors, uncoupling agents (at pH6.5) and ionophore A23187 caused a loss of endogenous Ca(2+) from mitochondria, whereas nupercaine and Mg(2+) had no significant effect on the Ca(2+) content. Inhibition of choline oxidation and mitochondrial swelling by ionophore A23187 was reversed by adding Ca(2+), but not by Mg(2+). It is concluded that added P(i) promotes the Ca(2+)-dependent activation of mitochondrial membrane phospholipase activity in respiring mitochondria, causing an increase in the permeability of the mitochondrial inner membrane to choline and therefore enabling rapid choline oxidation to occur. Nupercaine and Mg(2+) appear to block choline oxidation and swelling by inhibiting phospholipase activity. 4. Choline was oxidized slowly by tightly coupled mitochondria largely depleted of their endogenous adenine nucleotides, suggesting that these compounds are not directly concerned in the regulation of choline oxidation. 5. The results are discussed in relation to the possible mechanism of choline transport across the mitochondrial membrane in vivo and the influence of this process on the pathways of choline metabolism in the liver.

Adenine Nucleotides

Assay for free and total choline activity in biological fluids and tissues of rats and man with Torulopsis pintolopessi.

The sensitive, specific growth response to choline activity of the thermophilic enteric yeast Torulopsis pintolopessi enables estimation of free and bound choline activity in rat and human fluids and tissues- as little as 10 ng/ml of choline is measurable. Unlike other microbial assays, estimation of unbound (free) choline activity is not influenced by methionine or phospholipids. The method also distinguishes differences in choline activity of fluids and tissues from choline-deficient and choline-replete rats. Free and bound choline activity in blood, red blood cells, plasma, and liver from choline-deficient rats were almost 2-fold lower than from choline-supplemented animals. Free and bound choline activity in whole brain from choline-deficient rats were signifigantly higher (more than 2-fold). The application of the T. pintolopessi method in studying choline status in man and reasons for high choline activity in brain of choline-deficient rats are suggested.

Adult

Synthesis of choline from ethanolamine in rat brain.

Specific radioactivities of choline, acetylcholine, phosphocholine, lecithin, lysolecithin, and glycerophosphorylcholine have been measured in brain, blood, liver, and muscle after the intravenous injection of three labeled precursors: choline, methyl-labeled methionine, and ethanolamine. In relation to the specific activity of free choline in blood there was significantly more radioactivity in the free choline of brain after administration of methyl-labeled methionine and labeled ethanolamine than after labeled choline. Since the choline moiety of lipids, which returns back to the choline pool, contained less radioactivity after methyl-labeled methionine and labeled ethanolamine than after labeled choline, it is the most likely interpretation of the finding that choline, in brain can be formed by methylation of free ethanolamine. Data from liver confirm that lecithin is formed in the liver by methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine. No indication was found for the synthesis of choline in muscle. Rates of transfer and transport of choline in brain have been calculated as nmol x g-1 x min-1 as follows: turnover rate of choline, 36.5; rate of synthesis of choline by methylation and net loss of choline into the bloodstream, 6.3; inflow from the blood 6.2; outflow into the blood, 12.5; transfer into lipids and vice versa, 20; transfer to acetylcholine and vice versa, 4.

Acetylcholine

Effect of choline deficiency on the enzymes that synthesize phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in rat liver.

Activities have been determined in subcellular fractions of livers from choline-deficient and normals rats for the enzymes that convert choline and ethanolamine to phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine respectively, that methylate phosphatidylethanolamine to yield phosphatidylcholine, and that oxidize choline to betaine. The activities of ethanolamine kinase, phosphoethanolamine cytidylyltransferase, and CDP-ethanolamine: 1,2-diacylglycerol phosphoethanolaminetransferase are not changed in the livers from choline-deficient rats for at least 18 days. Similarly, the activities of choline kinase and CDP-choline: 1,2-diacylglycerol phosphocholine transferase were unaffected by choline depletion. A decrease of 30-41% was observed, however, in the mitochondrial oxidation of choline to betaine. Also, the activity of the phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase was reduced in the choline-deficient livers to 60% olf the control values. The only observed increase in enzyme activity was a 62% elevation of the phosphatidylethanolamine-S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase activity after 2 days of choline deficiency. This increased activity was maintained for at least 18 days of choline deprivation. The results suggest a lack of adaptive change in the levels of these phospholipid biosynthetic enzymes as a result of choline deficiency.

Animals

Development of high affinity choline uptake and associated acetylcholine synthesis in the rat fascia dentata.

The ontogenic development of hemicholinium-sensitive, high affinity choline uptake and the synthesis of acetylcholine from exogenous choline have been studied in particulate preparations of the rat fascia dentata. Between 6 days of age and adulthood the rate of high affinity choline uptake increases 3-fold, when expressed with respect to protein, and 125-fold, when expressed independently of protein. This process develops most rapidly during the period around 16-17 days of age, similar to the ontogenesis of choline acetyltransferase activity. This observation supports the idea that cholinergic septohippocampal boutons develop mainly at this time. Unlike choline acetyltransferase activity, the velocity of high affinity choline uptake increases to as much as 161% of the adult value at about 30 days of age. It is suggested that at 25-31 days of age a relatively high endogenous septohippocampal firing rate increases the rate of choline uptake. At 6 days of age we detected no synthesis of acetylcholine from the accumulated choline. Uptake-synthesis coupling develops mainly between 6 and 13 days of age, earlier than any other presynaptic cholinergic property. Acetylcholine synthesis from exogenous choline develops in paralled with high affinity choline uptake, but developmental increases in uptake velocity result in comparable increases in synthesis rate only after a delay of several days. Some limiting factor other than choline acetyltransferase activity appears to link the accumulation of exogenous choline to acetylcholine synthesis during development.

Acetylcholine

A possible mechanism for the increased oxidation of choline after chronic ethanol ingestion.

An attempt has been made to determine the location of the site at which the metabolism of ethanol interacts with that of choline to produce an increase in the oxidation of choline. The first enzyme in the oxidation pathway for choline, choline dehydrogenase, was assayed using a newly developed spectrophotometric assay and freshly isolated intact rat liver mitochondria. No changes were observed in either 'apparent' V or the 'apparent' Km values of choline dehydrogenase for choline after ethanol ingestion. However, when the choline oxidase system was assayed, a 28% decrease in 'apparent' Km for choline and a 53% increase in 'apparent' V was observed. The effects of ATP on choline oxidase were studied further, and a 29.4% decrease was observed in mitochondrial ATP levels from freshly isolated mitochondria from the ethanol-treated rats. In vitro aging of mitochondria further decreased the level of ATP, and the rate of decrease was considerably faster during the first hour in the mitochondria from the ethanol-treated animals. The decreases in ATP from both control and experimental mitochondria were accompanied by increases in choline oxidase activity. The initial decrease in ATP was correlated with an increase in mitochondrial ATPase activity which may be related to an increase in mitochondria Mg2+. Because chronic ethanol ingestion has resulted in decreased oxidation rates of succinate and beta-hydroxybutyrate while at the same time increasing the oxidation rates of choline, the studies reported here suggest that the effect of chronic ethanol ingestion is primarily on a step that is unique to choline and which probably exists prior to the electron transport chain.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Utilization of choline from crude soybean lecithin by chicks. 2. Absorption measurements.

Absorption of choline was investigated in 30-day-old chicks fed a casein-glucose diet supplemented with either choline chloride or crude soybean lecithin and containing 91YCl3 as a nonabsorbable reference substance. The choline concentration, expressed as choline chloride, was 0.101% in both experimental diets. Net rates of absorption or secretion were computed from the amounts of 91Y and choline assayed in the contents of different segments of the small intestine. Net secretion of total choline into the duodenum was over twice the daily choline intake in both treatments. Most of the choline was absorbed in the upper small intestine. Of the small amounts remaining in the lower jejunum, significantly more choline was absorbed by the choline-fed chicks than by the lecithin-treated birds, but the rates of secretion into the duodenum, the rates of absorption from the upper small intestine and the overall apparent absorbability were not significantly different in the two treatments. Absorption measurements thus indicate that crude soybean lecithin may replace choline chloride as a source of choline.

Animals

Deanol acetamidobenzoate inhibits the blood-brain barrier transport of choline.

Competition by deanol (dimethylaminoethanol) with choline for uptake from the bloodstream into the brain was demonstrated by simultaneous intracarotid administration of carbon 14-labeled choline with deanol (plus tritiated water and indium 113m, to calculate a brain uptake index) and by measuring the brain uptake of 14C-labeled choline mixed with sera from rats pretreated with deanol (300 or 500 mg/kg 8 or 30 minutes earlier). The inhibition constant for inhibition of choline uptake by deanol (159 micrograms) was actually lower than the Michaelis constant for choline itself (442 micrograms); hence, the affinity of the carrier mechanism for deanol is at least as great as it is for choline. Deanol administration also elevated blood choline levels; thus, the effect of the drug on brain choline (and acetylcholine) levels is the result of the increase it produces in blood choline and the suppression it causes in choline uptake. These findings may explain discrepant results from laboratories seeking increases in brain acetylcholine or clinical improvement in patients with tardive dyskinesia after deanol treatment.

Acetylcholine

Effect of ethanol ingestion on choline phosphotransferase and phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase activities in liver microsomes.

The effect of ethanol ingestion on choline phosphotransferase and phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase activities, the two enzymes involved in phosphatidyl choline biosynthesis in liver microsomes, has been investigated. Female rats were fed a 5% ethanol-liquid diet containing amino acids, minerals, vitamins, with and without choline, for 2, 6 and 10 weeks. Control animals were pair-fed the same isocaloric diet with 5% sucrose with and without choline. Ethanol administration with or without dietary choline stimulated significantly (P less than 0.001) the specific activities of phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase in liver microsomes in the animals fed 5% ethanol for 2, 6, and 10 weeks, when compared to those control animals pair-fed the isocaloric diet with or without choline. Ethanol administration with or without dietary choline for 2 weeks stimulated significantly (P less than 0.02) the specific activities of choline phosphotransferase. The specific activities of phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase continued to increase in the liver microsomes from the animals in which dietary choline was omitted for 2, 6, and 10 weeks in the sucrose controls and alcohol-fed animals. Ethanol administration stimulates significantly (P less than 0.001) the phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase specific activities in liver microsomes of animals fed the liquid diet with dietary omission of choline and methionine for 2 weeks.

Alcohol Drinking

Phospholipid synthesis in mammary tissue. Choline and ethanolamine kinases: kinetic evidence for two discrete active sites.

Choline and ethanolamine kinases are located in the high speed supernatant of lactating bovine mammary gland. Maximum activities of choline and ethanolamine kinases were observed at pH 9.2 and 8.0, respectively, with the rate of ethanolamine phosphorylation being 1/15 that of choline phosphorylation. Activation energies of 29 joules (Q10--1.5) and 31 joules (Q10 = 1.5) were calculated between 3.4 and 31.3 C for choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase, respectively. Above 31.3 C, the Arrhenius plot deviated from linearity for both enzymes, suggesting that denaturation was occurring. An apparent Km of 0.25 mM for choline was obtained for choline kinase activity. The apparent Km of ethanolamine kinase for ethanolamine was unusually high (17 mM), the activity was not linear with increasing protein concentration. Activity was tripled and the Km decreased to 2.5 mM when the enzyme preparation was washed with butanol: benzene mixture, suggesting the presence of an endogenous competitive inhibitor(s), with respect to ethanolamine. Choline kinase was not affected by the solvent wash. Substrate competition studies revealed that choline kinase was slightly inhibited competitively by ethanolamine (apparent Ki = 19-21 mM), whereas choline was a potent competitive inhibitor of ethanolamine kinase (apparent Ki = 0.33-0.50 mM). The results indicated that these two kinase activities were mediated by two distinct active sites, possibly on a single protein. The significance of choline in the regulation of phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis is discussed.

Animals

Cation-induced asymmetry of choline flux across presynaptic plasma membranes.

Highly cholinergic synaptosomes from the optic lobes of Sepia officinalis retain their ability to concentrate K+ and extrude Na+ sensitive but is not obligatorily coupled to choline metabolism, or an energy supply as shown by the action of metabolic and ion pump inhibitors. The influx and efflux and/or steady-state distributions of choline in the presence of Na+, Li+, Rb+, Cs+ and mannitol were studied. The influx studies at different cis-choline concentrations revealed two systems for choline influx with different monovalent cation sensitivity and suggested a 1 : 1 interaction of choline with both mechanisms. Choline efflux was stimulated by trans-choline. Calculations of the internal/external concentration ratio expected if choline transport were coupled to the Na+ gradient gave a maximal value of about 10(2). A secondary active transport of choline, where Na+ is the driver solute provides an explanation for the cation sensitivity of the mechanism as well as for the method of coupling of choline transport to the varying demands of the nervous system for acetylcholine.

Animals

Effect of two hemicholiniums on the disposition and distribution of endogenous free choline in anaesthetized rabbits.

1 The effects of hemicholinium no. 3 (HC-3) and its p-terphenyl analogue (TPHC-3) on the disposition and distribution of free choline were studied in rabbits under pentobarbitone anaesthesia. Free choline was determined by bioassay. 2 The respiration of animals given 0.35 mumol/kg of HC-3 was hardly affected; however, 4 out of 6 rabbits given the same dose of TPHC-3 exhibited varying degrees of respiratory impairment. All animals that received 2 injections (1 h apart) of either HC-3 (1.4 mumol/kg) or TPHC-3 (0.7 mumol/kg) developed respiratory difficulty about 1 h after the second injection. 3 The respiratory distress was accompanied by a 2 to 15-fold rise in plasma choline concentration. This rise has been attributed to hypoxia. 4 In experiments in which choline has been infused it was observed that HC-3 could impair the animal's ability to dispose of exogenous choline. In control rabbits neither HC-3 nor TPHC-3 produced changes in plasma choline concentrations unless the respiration was depressed. 5 Either HC-3 or TPHC-3 (both at 0.35 mumol/kg) significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced the kidney choline concentration by 40% and 30% respectively; both hemicholiniums raised the lung choline concentration by about 35%. Only TPHC-3 caused a significant rise (40%) in liver choline. The choline concentrations in other tissues were unaffected by the hemicholiniums.

Animals

[A spectrophotometric method for the determination of serum cholinesterase variants with succinyl choline as substrate (author's transl)].

A simple and rapid method for the estimation of the hydrolysis of succinyl choline by serum cholinesterase variants is described. Succinyl choline, as substrate for the enzyme assay, has many advantages over other substrates (acetyl choline, benzoyl choline and butyryl choline) which have no clinical application. Choline, the hydrolytic product of succinyl choline, is oxidized to betaine aldehyde by choline oxidase (EC 1.1.99.1), a rat liver mitochondrial preparation; this is coupled to the reduction of cytochrome c which is measured at 550 nm. Fifty normal sera (UU), 17 heterozygous (UA) and 8 atypical (AA) were tested with this method, and on the basis of resistance to dibucaine (Cinchocain; Kalow, W. & Genest, K. (1957) Canad. J. Biochem. Physiol. 35, 339-346) inhibition, three distinct groups could be established using succinyl choline as substrate. These results are comparable with the standard optical method of Kalow & Genest (cf. above) using benzoyl choline as substrate.

Anesthesia

Effect of ethanol on the renal excretion and metabolism of choline in the isolated perfused rat kidney.

The isolated perfused rat kidney was used to investigate the effect of ethanol on the renal excretion and metabolism of choline. Choline at an initial perfusate concentration of 2.8 mM, with tracer amounts of [methyl-14C]choline, was recirculated through kidneys and radioactivity measured in perfusate, urine, and kidney. 14C-Choline and its metabolites were identified by chromatographic and electrophoretic procedures. Tubular excretion of choline was demonstrated and a transport maximum (Tm) of 1.6 mumol/kidney/min was reached at a choline perfusate concentration of 1.2 mM. Addition of 50 mM ethanol resulted in a 56% increase in the choline Tm and 100 mM ethanol decreased the choline Tm by 25%. The rate of loss of 14C-choline from the perfusate was increased by the lower ethanol concentration and decreased by the higher ethanol concentration. Ethanol at both concentrations diminished the amount of 14C remaining in the kidney. 14C-Betaine was the major choline metabolite and the only 14C-metabolite present in perfusate or urine. Addition of either 50 or 100 mM ethanol increased both glomerular filtration rate and urine volume.

Animals

Source- and Solubility-specific Choline, Gut Microbiota, and Dyslipidemia Risk: Trimethylamine N-oxide-associated and Non-trimethylamine N-oxide-Associated Patterns in a Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary choline, a major precursor of the gut microbial metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), is implicated in dyslipidemia risk; however, source- and form-specific associations and interactions with gut microbiota remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine longitudinal associations of source- and form-specific dietary choline with plasma TMAO and dyslipidemia and to identify gut microbiota interactions. METHODS: Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2018-2023), dietary intake was assessed via 3 consecutive 24-h recalls in this prospective cohort study. Two-level generalized linear mixed-effects models were applied in 4828 adults (mean age: 55.9 ± 12.6 y, 56.6% females) to assess choline-dyslipidemia associations. Choline-TMAO and TMAO-dyslipidemia analyses were conducted in 1091 participants free of dyslipidemia at baseline. Among 7169 adults with gut microbiome data, Least Absolute Selection and Shrinkage Operator and logistic regression identified lipid-associated gut genera; TMAO relationships were examined in a subset of 693 participants. RESULTS: Higher intakes of total [Q4 compared with Q1: odds ratio (OR) = 1.261; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.007, 1.580], red meat-derived (OR: 1.753; 95% CI: 1.196, 2.568), and lipid-soluble choline (OR: 1.304; 95% CI: 1.047, 1.624) were associated with higher risk of elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol), whereas vegetable-derived choline was inversely associated. Egg-derived and lipid-soluble choline were positively associated with plasma TMAO, which was prospectively associated with 5-y incident dyslipidemia (Q4 compared with Q1-OR: 1.620; 95% CI: 1.047, 2.509), elevated LDL cholesterol (Q3 compared with Q1-OR: 2.478; 95% CI: 1.187, 5.174), and hypertriglyceridemia (Q4 compared with Q1-OR: 1.829; 95% CI: 1.028, 3.225). Three TMAO-associated genera were identified: Lachnospiraceae and Phascolarctobacterium as pro-risk taxa and Turicibacter as protective. The adverse LDLcholesterol association of egg-derived choline was observed exclusively in Phascolarctobacterium-enriched individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary choline source and solubility differentially associated with dyslipidemia risk through TMAO-associated and non-TMAO-associated patterns, with gut microbiota as key modulators.

Humans

Evidence for the existence of a single enzyme catalyzing the phosphorylation of choline and ethanolamine in primate lung.

Choline kinase (ATP:choline phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.32) has been isolated and purified 1000-fold from adult African Green monkey lung with a yield of 10%. The purified enzyme also phosphorylated ethanolamine (ratio of ethanolamine kinase to choline kinase = 0.30). This ratio remained constant throughout the purification procedure. The Km for choline (3.0 - 10(-5) M) was lower than that of ethanolamine (1.2 - 10(-3) M.) Choline was also found to inhibit ethanolamine kinase activity by 50% at a concentration of 0.005 mM, while ethanolamine inhibited choline only at very high concentrations (100--150 mM). When the enzyme was subjected to inactivation by heat, hemicholinium-3, trypsin digestion, and p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, both ethanolamine kinase and choline kinase activities were destroyed at the same rate. Freezing and thawing in the absence of glycerol also destroyed both activities at the same rate. Based on these findings, we conclude that in adult African Green monkey lung tissue, there is only one enzyme for the phosphorylation of ethanolamine and choline, and that choline phosphorylation predominates.

Animals

Lesion-induced plasticity of high affinity choline uptake in the developing rat fascia dentata.

After removal of the perforant path input to the rat fascia dentata at the age of 11 days, cholinergic septohippocampal fibers invade the denervated area. We have examined the effect of this lesion on hemicholinium-sensitive, high affinity choline uptake and its coupling to acetylcholine synthesis, specific properties of the septohippocampal input. Removal of the ipsilateral perforant path fibers increased the velocity of high affinity choline uptake by dentate particulate preparations, usually within 1 day. Studies conducted 5--104 days after operation showed a consistent 50--65% elevation in the molecular (denervated) layer. In contrast, the choline uptake rate in the granular layer eventually decreased slightly. Calculation of choline uptake rates independently of protein (per whole region) revealed that fasciae dentatae from operated and control sides accumulated choline at approximately equal rates, but on the operated side a greater percentage was transported by structures from the molecular layer and a lesser percentage by those from the granular layer. The rate of acetylcholine synthesis from exogenous choline increased to the same extent as high affinity choline uptake from 3 days after operation onwards. The changes in high affinity choline uptake and acetylcholine synthesis coincided spatially and temporally with the reactive growth of septohippocampal fibers. Our results support the view that a perforant path lesion during development permanently alters the distribution of functional septohippocampal boutons in the fascia dentata. Acetylcholine synthesis is regulated to the same extent by high affinity choline uptake in the anomalous boutons as in normally located boutons.

Acetylcholine