Cholinesterase,acid phosphatase,and phospholipase C ofPseudomonas aeruginosa under hyperosmotic conditions in a high-phosphate medium

The presence of low choline or betaine concentrations in a culture medium containing succinate, NH₄Cl, and inorganic phosphate (Pi) as the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate sources, respectively, permits the growth ofPseudomonas aeruginosa in a hyperosmolar medium. Dimethylglycine, acetylcholine, and phosphorylcholine were less effective as osmoprotectants than choline or betaine. Other alkylammonium compounds tested were virtually ineffective in this capacity. Bacterial growth was also observed in a hyperosmolar medium when choline was the sole carbon and nitrogen source. Choline could act as an osmoprotectant under all the conditions tested. However, the production of cholinesterase (ChE), acid phosphatase (Ac. Pase) and phospholipase C (PLC) took place only when choline was the carbon and nitrogen source. This fact confirms that the synthesis of PLC may occur even in the presence of a high Pi concentration in the medium. Inasmuch as in a high-P_i medium the synthesis of PLC and Ac. Pase (phosphorylcholine phosphatase) is dependent only on choline metabolism, it is postulated that both enzymes are involved in a set of reactions coordinated to produce the breakdown of the membrane phospholipids of the host cell in a hyperosmotic medium.     

Carnitine resembles choline in the induction of cholinesterase,acid phosphatase,and phospholipase C and in its action as an osmoprotectant in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The present study demonstrates that under conditions of iso or hyperosmolarity, P. aeruginosa utilized carnitine as the carbon, nitrogen or carbon and nitrogen sources. As occurred in the case of choline, the bacteria synthesized cholinesterase (ChE), acid phosphatase (Ac.Pase) and phospholipase C (PLC) under any of these conditions and in the presence of high or low P_i concentrations.Carnitine acted as an osmoprotectant when the cells were grown in the presence of preferred carbon and nitrogen sources and high NaCl concentrations. Under these conditions the three enzyme activities were not produced.The osmotically stressed bacteria grown under any of the above conditions accumulated betaine. Its presence indicated that carnitine may be metabolized by P. aeruginosa to produce betaine which could account for the induction of the three enzyme activities or its action as an osmoprotectant.The phosphatidylcholine encountered in the host cell membranes allows the bacteria to obtain free choline by the coordinated action of PLC and Ac.Pase. Since the consequence of this action may be cell disruption, the increase of free carnitine in the natural environment of the bacteria is also possible. These two compounds, choline and carnitine, acting in conjunction or separately, may increase the production of PLC and Ac.Pase activities by P. aeruginosa and thus enhance the degradative effect upon the host cells.     

Identification, Cloning, and Expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Phosphorylcholine Phosphatase Gene

Pseudomonas aeruginosa phosphorylcholine phosphatase (PChP) is a periplasmic enzyme produced simultaneously with the hemolytic phospholipase C (PLc-H) when the bacteria are grown in the presence of choline, betaine, dimethylglycine or carnitine. Molecular analysis of the P. aeruginosa mutant JUF8-00, after Tn5-751 mutagenesis, revealed that the PA5292 gene in the P. aeruginosa PAO1 genome was responsible for the synthesis of PChP. The enzyme expressed in E. coli, rPChP-Ec, purified by a chitin-binding column (IMPACT-CN system, New England BioLabs) was homogeneous after SDS-PAGE analysis. PChP was also expressed in P. aeruginosa PAO1-LAC, rPChP-Pa. Both recombinant enzymes exhibited a molecular mass of approximately 40 kDa, as expected for the size of the PA5292 gene, and catalyzed the hydrolysis of phosphorylcholine, phosphorylethanolamine, and p-nitrophenylphosphate. The saturation curve of rPChP-Ec and rPChP-Pa by phosphorylcholine revealed that these recombinant enzymes, like the purified native PChP, also contained the high- and low-affinity sites for phosphorylcholine and that the enzyme activity was inhibited by high substrate concentration.     

Identification of the Pseudornonas aeruginosa acid phosphatase as a phosphorylcholine phosphatase activity

Summary Choline, betaine and N,N-dimethylglycine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source induced a periplasmic acid phosphatase activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This enzyme produced the highest rates of hydrolysis in phosphorylcholine and phosphorylethanolamine among the various phosphoric esters tested. At saturating concentrations of Mg²⁺, the K_m values were 0.2 and 0.7 mM for phosphorylcholine and phosphorylethanolamine respectively. At high concentrations both compounds were inhibitors of the enzyme activity. The K _inf1 ^sups values for phosphorylcholine and phosphorylethanolamine were 1.0 and 3.0 mM respectively. The higher catalytic efficiency was that of phosphorylcholine. Considering these results it is possible to suggest that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa acid phosphatase is a phosphorylcholine phosphatase. The existence of this activity which is induced jointly with phospholipase C by different choline metabolites, in a high phosphate medium, suggests that the attack of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the cell host may also be produced under conditions of high phosphate concentrations, when the alkaline phosphatase is absent.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa acid phosphatase and cholinesterase induced by choline and its metabolic derivatives may contain a similar anionic peripheral site

Summary Different compounds derived from choline, and obtained by demethylation or by oxidation of the primary alcohol group with subsequent N-demethylation, were tested as inducer agents of acid phosphatase and cholinesterase in Ps. aeruginosa. It was found that betaine and dimethylglycine were the most effective inducers of both enzyme activities. These metabolites including choline itself, were not inducers of acid phosphatase and cholinesterase in other Gram-negative bacteria such as: Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Enterobacter liquefacciens and Proteus mirabilis. The acid phosphatase activities found in these bacteria were not inhibited in vitro by choline, betaine and phosphorylcholine. From these results it may be concluded that the acid phosphatase activity from Ps. aeruginosa is different from the same activity observed in the other bacteria. In addition, it is also shown that Ps. aeruginosa acid phosphatase and cholinesterase were inhibited by a number of compounds containing a positively charged amino group, with methyl or ethyl groups bound to it. These results seem to confirm that Ps. aeruginosa acid phosphatase and cholinesterase may contain a similar anionic site.     

Indophenol Chromogenic Substrates of Cholinesterases of Different Origin

An analysis of influence of indophenol substrate structure on rate of their enzymatic hydrolysis under action of cholinesterases (ChE) of different animals is carried out for the first time. Study of indophenylacetate (IPhA) and a group of isomeric dichloroderivatives as substrates of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase, serum butyrylcholinesterase, and ChE from optical ganglia of the Pacific squid Todarodes pacificus allowed us to reveal a role of steric and inductive effects of the substrates molecule in enzymatic catalysis, as well as differences in substrate specificity of the studied ChE. This comparative enzymologic aspect of the work was evident to a greater degree at studying hydrolysis of choline (acetylcholine, acetylthiocholine) and indophenol (IPhA, 2,6-dichloroindophenylacetate, 2,6-dichloro-3´-methyl indophenylacetate) esters under action of mammalian blood ChEs, ChE from hemolymph of the gastropod mollusc Neptunea, and also of ChE from the nervous tissue of different species of Pacific squids and of the cabbage root fly. Differences in values of the kinetic parameters characterizing sorption and catalytic stages of the hydrolysis process are revealed. Comparison of substrate properties of choline and indophenol esters enabled us to compare enzymes in terms of hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions.     

Choline derivatives increase two different acid phosphatases in Rhizobium meliloti and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Rhizobium meliloti several choline derivatives, utilized as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, increase acid phosphatase activity. The enzyme activity of both bacteria could be released into the surrounding medium by EDTA-lysozyme treatment. The R. meliloti acid phosphatase activity of crude periplasmic extracts measured with p-nitrophenylphosphate was not inhibited by the presence of 5 mM choline, betaine, trimethylammonium or phosphorylcholine. The activity could not be detected using phosphorylethanolamine or phosphorylcholine as substrates. Among several phosphoesters tested only pyridoxal-5-phosphate was hydrolyzed at a considerable rate. In 7.5% polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis (non-denaturing conditions) of crude extracts obtained from bacteria grown in the presence of serine, glutamate, aspartate or dimethylglycine a phosphatase activity with identical mobility could be detected when alpha-naphthylphosphate or pyridoxal-5-phosphate were used as substrates. In conclusion, although the coline metabolites are capable of increasing acid phosphatase activities in R. meliloti and in P. aeruginosa, there are two different enzymes involved, apparently in different metabolisms.Abbreviations p-NPP p-nitrophenyl phosphate - PLP pyridoxal-5-phosphate - PMP pyridoxamine-5-phosphate Recipient of a Fellowship from the CONICORMember of the SAPIU-CONICETCareer Member of the CONICET     

UPTAKE OF [3H-METHYL]CHOLINE BY MICROSOMAL, SYNAPTOSOMAL, MITOCHONDRIAL AND SYNAPTIC VESICLE FRACTIONS OF RAT BRAIN

Abstract— Microsomal, mitochondrial, synaptosomal and synaptic vesicle fractions of rat brain took up [³H-methyl]choline by a similar carrier-mediated transport system. The apparent K_m for the uptake of [³H-methyl]choline in these subcellular fractions was about 5 × 10^?5 M. Choline uptake was also observed in microsomal fractions prepared from liver and skeletal muscle. Virtually identical kinetic properties for [³H-methyl]choline transport were found in the synaptosomal fractions prepared from the whole brain, cerebellum or basal ganglia. Countertransport of [³H-methyl]choline from the synaptosomal fraction was demonstrated against a concentration gradient. HC-3 was a competitive inhibitor of the uptake of [³H-methyl]choline in brain microsomal, synaptosomal and mitochondria] fractions with respective values for K_i of 4.0, 2.1 and 2.3 × 10^?5 M. HC-15 was a competitive inhibitor of the transport of [³H-methyl]choline in the synaptosomal fraction, with a K_i of 1.7 × 10^?4 M. Upon entry into the microsomal fraction, 74 per cent of the radioactivity could be recovered as unaltered choline, 10 per cent as phosphorylcholine, 1.5 per cent as acetylcholine and 2.5 per cent as phospholipid. Choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.6) was assayed with [¹⁴C]acetylCoA in synaptosomal fractions prepared from basal ganglia and cerebellum, and in the 31,000 g supernatant fraction of a rat brain homogenate. Enzyme activity was 11-fold greater in the synaptosomal fraction from the basal ganglia than in that from the cerebellum. HC-3 did not inhibit choline acetyltransferase and there was no evidence for acetylation of HC-3. Our findings suggest that choline uptake is a ubiquitous property of membranes in the CNS and cannot serve to distinguish cholinergic nerve endings and their synaptic vesicles.     

Digestion of phosphatidylcholines,absorption, and esterification of lipolytic products by Aeshna cyanea larvae as studied in vivo and in vitro

Digestion and absorption of phosphatidylcholine by Aeshna cyanea larvae were studied in vivo and in vitro with the isolated digestive juice and isolated midgut. The experiments were performed with stable ether analogues (1-alkyl-2-acyl-,1,2-dialkyl phosphatidylcholine, and 1-monoalkyl-lysophosphati-dylcholine), with radioactive 1,2-diacylphosphatidylcholine alternatively labelled in the acyl- and choline moieties, and with several phosphatidylcholine derivatives (1-[1-¹⁴C]acyl- and 1-[³H] alkyl-lysophosphatidylcholine, [1-¹⁴C]oleic acid, [2-¹⁴C]glycerol, phosphoryl[methyl-¹⁴C]choline, and [methyl-¹⁴C]choline). Chromatographic analyses of the digestion products revealed that phosphatidylcholine was degraded via two interconnected hydrolytic pathways involving phospholipase C, phospholipase A₂, lipase, and alkaline phosphatase. Complete hydrolysis by these pathways yielded the same four end products: free fatty acid, glycerol, choline, and P_i, which were absorbed by the midgut enterocytes. Of the intermediate hydrolysates, lysophosphatidylcholine, monoacylglycerol, and possibly phosphorylcholine were also absorbed. Radiolabelled oleic acid, glycerol, lysophosphatidylcholine and monoacylglycerol (as judged from monoalkylglycerol absorption) were incorporated into phospholipids and acylglycerols of the midgut enterocytes and were released into the haemolymph primarily in the form of diacylglycerols. In the case of glycerol ingestion, a small fraction of haemolymph radioactivity was associated with free glycerol and glycerolphosphate. After absorption by the enterocytes, radiolabelled choline was partly oxidized to betaine, partly phosphorylated, and partly incorporated into lyso- and phosphatidylcholine. It was recovered from the haemolymph predominantly as free choline, phosphorylcholine, and betaine. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 36:273–293, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

PARTIAL PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF CHOLINE KINASE (EC 2.7.1.32) FROM RABBIT BRAIN: MEASUREMENT OF ACETYLCHOLINE

Choline kinase (EC 2.7.1.32; ATP: choline phosphotransferase) was purified 200-fold from an extract of acetone powder of rabbit brain by a combination of acid precipitation, ammonium sulphate precipitation, DEAE cellulose chromatography, and ultrafiltration. Maximal activity of 243 nmol of phosphorylcholine synthesized. min^?1 mg^?l of protein occurred at pH 9.5–10.0 in the presence of 10 mm MgS0₄, 10 mm choline and 0.005% (w/v) bovine serum albumin. 2-Aminoethanol, 2-methylaminoethanol, and 2-dimethylaminoethanol were also phosphorlyated by the enzyme preparation. The enzyme quantitatively converted low concentrations of choline (2.5–50 μm ) to phosphorylcholine [³²P] in the presence of ATP [y³²P], and may, therefore, be used to measure small amounts of choline acetylcholine. There were two K_m values for choline at pH 9.5; 32 μm and 0.31 mm . At pH 7.4, the higher K_m was not observed and enzyme activity was maximal with 0.1 mm choline. The K_m for ATP was 1.1 mm . Enzyme activity was inhibited by ATP (20 mm ), AMP, ADP, cytidine diphosphocholine (1 or 10 mm ), and activated by choline esters (1.0 mm ), NaCl or KCl(200 mm ).     

Rosmarinic acid inhibits some metabolic enzymes including glutathione S-transferase,lactoperoxidase, acetylcholinesterase,butyrylcholinesterase and carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a natural polyphenol contained in many aromatic plants with promising biological activities. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) are widespread and intensively studied metalloenzymes present in higher vertebrates. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE, E.C. 3.1.1.7) is intimately associated with the normal neurotransmission by catalysing the hydrolysis of acetylcholine to acetate and choline and acts in combination with butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) to remove acetylcholine from the synaptic cleft. Lactoperoxidase (LPO) is an enzyme involved in fighting pathogenic microorganisms, whereas glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are dimeric proteins present both in prokaryotic and in eukaryotic organisms and involved in cellular detoxification mechanisms. In the present study, the inhibition effects of rosmarinic acid on tumour-associated carbonic anhydrase IX and XII isoenzymes, AChE, BChE, LPO and GST enzymes were evaluated. Rosmarinic acid inhibited these enzymes with K_is in the range between micromolar to picomolar. The best inhibitory effect of rosmarinic acid was observed against both AChE and BChE.     

Molecular Response of the Bloom-Forming Cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa, to Phosphorus Limitation

Cyanobacteria blooms caused by species such as Microcystis have become commonplace in many freshwater ecosystems. Although phosphorus (P) typically limits the growth of freshwater phytoplankton populations, little is known regarding the molecular response of Microcystis to variation in P concentrations and sources. For this study, we examined genes involved in P acquisition in Microcystis including two high-affinity phosphate-binding proteins (pstS and sphX) and a putative alkaline phosphatase (phoX). Sequence analyses among ten clones of Microcystis aeruginosa and one clone of Microcystis wesenbergii indicates that these genes are present and conserved within the species, but perhaps not the genus, as phoX was not identified in M. wesenbergii. Experiments with clones of M. aeruginosa indicated that expression of these three genes was strongly upregulated (50- to 400-fold) under low inorganic P conditions and that the expression of phoX was correlated with alkaline phosphatase activity (p < 0.005). In contrast, cultures grown exclusively on high levels of organic phosphorus sources (adenosine 5′-monophosphate, β-glycerol phosphate, and d-glucose-6-phosphate) or under nitrogen-limited conditions displayed neither high levels of gene expression nor alkaline phosphatase activity. Since Microcystis dominates phytoplankton assemblages in summer when levels of inorganic P (P_i) are often low and/or dominate lakes with low P_i and high organic P, our findings suggest this cyanobacterium may rely on pstS, sphX, and phoX to efficiently transport P_i and exploit organic sources of P to form blooms.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa cholinesterase and phosphorylcholine phosphatase: two enzymes contributing to corneal infection

Choline, acetylcholine and betaine used as the sole carbon, nitrogen or carbon and nitrogen source increase cholinesterase activity in addition to phosphorylcholine phosphatase and phospholipase C activities in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The cholinesterase activity catalyses the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine (Km approx. 0.13 mM) and propionylthiocholine (Km approx. 0.26 mM), but not butyrylthiocholine, which is a pure competitive inhibitor (Ki 0.05 mM). Increasing choline concentrations in the assay mixture decreased the affinity of cholinesterase for acetylthiocholine, but in all cases prevented inhibition raised by high substrate concentrations. Considering the properties of these enzymes, and the fact that in the corneal epithelium there exists a high acetylcholine concentration and that Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces corneal infection, it is proposed that these enzymes acting coordinately might contribute to the breakdown of the corneal epithelial membrane.     

UPTAKE OF ACETYLCHOLINE AND CHOLINE INTO RAT BRAIN CORTICAL SLICES AND SYNAPTOSOMES AS RELATED TO 32Pi, INCORPORATION INTO THEIR PHOSPHOLIPIDS

—The role of ACh-stimulated ³²P_i incorporation into the phospholipids of rat cerebral cortex slices and isolated nerve endings (synaptosomes) has been studied. ACh stimulation is not connected with any carrier-mediated uptake of ACh. Such uptake may occur in slices in the presence of the anticholinesterase Sarin but barely in the presence of eserine. Regardless of the nature of the anticholinesterase used, rat cerebral cortex synaptosomes that respire and show high and low affinity choline uptake do not accumulate ACh against a concentration gradient. At exogenous ACh concentrations of 10^–5m and above, some ACh enters the synaptosomes by diffusion and significantly stimulates ³²P_i incorporation into phosphatidic acid. It is discussed whether, in isolated nerve endings, an increase in cytoplasmic ACh concentration due to diffusion may induce vesicle turnover to keep a balance between ‘free’ and bound ACh or if a presynaptic ACh receptor is responsible for the observed changes in phosphatidic acid. The distribution of accumulated radioactivity derived from exogenous choline and ACh respectively between ACh, choline, phosphorylcholine and betaine has been studied in slices and isolated nerve endings.     

Transition from octahedral to tetrahedral geometry causes the activation or inhibition by Zn<Superscript>2+</Superscript> of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</Emphasis> phosphorylcholine phosphatase

Pseudomonas aeruginosa phosphorylcholine phosphatase (PchP) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphorylcholine, which is produced by the action of hemolytic phospholipase C on phosphatidylcholine or sphyngomielin, to generate choline and inorganic phosphate. Among divalent cations, its activity is dependent on Mg²⁺ or Zn²⁺. Mg²⁺ produced identical activation at pH 5.0 and 7.4, but Zn²⁺ was an activator at pH 5.0 and became an inhibitor at pH 7.4. At this higher pH, very low concentrations of Zn²⁺ inhibited enzymatic activity even in the presence of saturating Mg²⁺ concentrations. Considering experimental and theoretical physicochemical calculations performed by different authors, we conclude that at pH 5.0, Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺ are hexacoordinated in an octahedral arrangement in the PchP active site. At pH 7.4, Mg²⁺ conserves the octahedral coordination maintaining enzymatic activity. The inhibition produced by Zn²⁺ at 7.4 is interpreted as a change from octahedral to tetrahedral coordination geometry which is produced by hydrolysis of the [ \textZn ²⁺ \textL ₂ ^{- 1} \textL ₂⁰ ( \textH ₂ \textO ) ₂ ] \left[ {{\text{Zn}}^{ 2+ } {\text{L}}_{ 2}^{ - 1} {\text{L}}_{ 2}^{0} \left( {{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}} \right)_{ 2} } \right] complex.     

Critical Active-Site Residues Identified by Site-Directed Mutagenesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Phosphorylcholine Phosphatase, A New Member of the Haloacid Dehalogenases Hydrolase Superfamily

Pseudomonas aeruginosa phosphorylcholine phosphatase (PChP), the product of the PA5292 gene, is synthesized when the bacteria are grown with choline, betaine, dimethylglycine, or carnitine. In the presence of Mg²⁺, PChP catalyzes the hydrolysis of both phosphorylcholine (PCh) and p-nitrophenylphosphate (p-NPP). PCh saturation curve analysis of the enzyme with or without the signal peptide indicated that the peptide was the fundamental factor responsible for decreasing the affinity of the second site of PChP for PCh, either at pH 5.0 or pH 7.4. PChP contained three conserved motifs characteristic of the haloacid dehalogenases superfamily. In the PChP without the signal peptide, motifs I, II, and III correspond to the residues ³¹DMDNT³⁵, ¹⁶⁶SAA¹⁶⁸, and K²⁴²/²⁶¹GDTPDSD²⁶⁷, respectively. To determine the catalytic importance of the D31, D33, T35, S166, K242, D262, D265, and D267 on the enzyme activity, site-directed mutagenesis was performed. D31, D33, D262, and D267 were identified as the more important residues for catalysis. D265 and D267 may be involved in the stabilization of motif III, or might contribute to substrate specificity. The substitution of T35 by S35 resulted in an enzyme with a low PChP activity, but conserves the catalytic sites involved in the hydrolysis of PCh (K_m1 0.03 mM, K_m2 0.5 mM) or p-NPP (K_m 2.1 mM). Mutating either S166 or K242 revealed that these residues are also important to catalyze the hydrolysis of both substrates. The substitution of lysine by arginine or by glutamine revealed the importance of the positive charged group, either from the amino or guanidinium groups, because K242Q was inactive, whereas K242R was a functional enzyme.     

A simple and reliable method for the purification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phospholipase C produced in a high phosphate medium containing choline

• 1.1. Pseudomonas aeruginosa phospholipase C from culture supernatants of bacteria grown in high-P_i basal salt medium with choline, as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, was purified by precipitation with 70% saturation ammonium sulfate in the presence of celite.
• 2.2. The PLC activity was eluted of this mixture by the use of a reverse gradient of 70-0% ammonium sulfate.
• 3.3. The peak containing the PLC activity revealed a single protein after SDS-PAGE.
• 4.4. The method could also be applied to purify PLC produced in a low-P_i complex medium. The resultant preparation was not homogeneous.
• 5.5. The molecular weight for both PLC preparations was about 70 kDa.
• 6.6. Both PLC used phosphatydilcholine and sphingomyelin as substrates, displayed hemolytic activity an exhibited an apparent K_M of 25 mM for p-nitrophenylphosphorylcholine.
• 7.7. They were not inhibited by 1% sodium deoxycholate but were 30% inhibited by 1% Triton X-100.
• 8.8. 2% sodium dodecylsulfate and 1% tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide inhibited the PLC from the HP_l-BSM plus choline but not the enzyme from the LP_l-CM.

     

Choline Administration Elevates Brain Phosphorylcholine Concentrations

Abstract: The phosphorylcholine concentration of rat brain rises and falls in response to parallel changes in the concentration of circulating choline. A single oral dose of choline chloride (20 mmol/kg) elevated whole-brain concentrations of both choline and phosphorylcholine 5 h after administration; a greater proportion of exogenously administered choline was retained by the brain in its phosphorylated form than as the free arnine. Striatal phosphorylcholine concentrations were elevated within 2 h of choline administration and continued to be significantly greater than control values for up to 34 h after treatment. The response of striatal choline levels to exogenous choline was of shorter duration than that of phosphorylcholine and was correlated with a significant increase in striatal acetylcholine concentrations. The consumption of a choline-free diet for 7 days lowered both serum choline and striatal phosphorylcholine concentrations, but had no effect on striatal choline or acetylcholine. These results suggest that choline kinase is unsaturated by its substrate in vivo and may thus serve to modulate the response of brain choline concentrations to alterations in the supply of circulating choline.     

Kinetic Data on the Inhibition of High-affinity Choline Transport into Rat Forebrain Synaptosomes by Choline-like Compounds and Nitrogen Mustard Analogues

Abstract: A series of choline analogues and nitrogen mustard derivatives were evaluated as inhibitors of high-affinity transport of choline in rat forebrain synaptosomes. When synaptosomes were preincubated for 10 min with choline mustard aziridinium ion, monoethylcholine and monoethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion, the agents appeared to be equipotent as inhibitors of high-affinity uptake (K_i=2.63, 3.15 and 2.72 μm , respectively). Acetylcholine mustard aziridinium ion was less potent than these compounds (K_i= 27.8 μm ), but it was more potent than ethoxycholine and ethoxycholine mustard aziridinium ion (K_i= 500 and 403 μm ) as a blocker of choline transport. From study with these compounds it was concluded that the high-affinity choline transport mechanism shows specificity for hydroxylated compounds over those in which the same hydroxyl has been acetylated (10-fold) and that the carbonyl oxygen of the acetylated analogues is important, as its removal (to form the ethylether derivative) decreased affinity another 20-fold. The presence of an aziridinium ring on the quaternary nitrogen in place of two methyl groups did not affect the blocking of transport at 10 min of inhibitor preincubation and replacement of a methyl group on the nitrogen by an ethyl group did not alter affinity for the high-affinity carrier. The aziridinium ring on the nitrogen of the mustard analogues was important, however, in determining the extent of reversibility of the binding of these agents to the carrier protein. Choline transport was not restored by washing synaptosomes that were incubated with choline mustard aziridinium ion or monoethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion, but was readily obtained in washed synaptosomes preincubated with monoethylcholine, hemicholinium-3, or pyrrolcholine. The results indicate that the mustard analogues may be potent alkylators of the high-affinity choline carrier and thus, useful agents in monitoring acetylcholine turnover in systems where the carrier is blocked.     

Assessment of receptor-dependent activation of phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by both phospholipase D and phospholipase C.

Enhancement of cellular phospholipase D (PLD)-1 and phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated hydrolysis of endogenous phosphatidylcholine (PC) during receptor-mediated cell activation has received increasing attention inasmuch as both enzymes can result in the formation of 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG). The activities of PLD and PLC were examined in purified mast cells by quantitating the mass of the water-soluble hydrolysis products choline and phosphorylcholine, respectively. Using an assay based on choline kinase-mediated phosphorylation of choline that is capable of measuring choline and phosphorylcholine in the low picomole range, we quantitated the masses of both cell-associated and extracellular choline and phosphorylcholine. Activating mast cells by crosslinking its immunoglobulin E receptor (Fc epsilon-RI) resulted in an increase in cellular choline from 13.1 +/- 1.2 pmol/10(6) mast cells (mean +/- SE in unstimulated cells) to levels 5- to 10-fold higher, peaking 20 s after stimulation and rapidly returning toward baseline. The increase in cellular choline mass paralleled the increase in labeled phosphatidic acid accumulation detected in stimulated cells prelabeled with [3H]palmitic acid and preceded the increase in labeled DAG. Although intracellular phosphorylcholine levels were approximately 15-fold greater than choline in unstimulated cells (182 +/- 19 pmol/10(6) mast cells), stimulation resulted in a significant fall in phosphorylcholine levels shortly after stimulation. Pulse chase experiments demonstrated that the receptor-dependent increase in intracellular choline and the fall in phosphorylcholine were not due to hydrolysis of intracellular phosphorylcholine and suggested a receptor-dependent increase in PC resynthesis. When the extracellular medium was examined for the presence of water-soluble products of PC hydrolysis, receptor-dependent increases in the mass of both choline and phosphorylcholine were observed. Labeling studies demonstrated that these extracellular increases were not the result of leakage of these compounds from the cytosol. Taken together, these data lend support for a quantitatively greater role for receptor-mediated PC-PLD compared with PC-PLC during activation of mast cells.