Abstract
The effect of chronic, nonlethal endotoxemia on the endogenous content and de novo biosynthesis of glycerolipids was investigated in rat hepatocytes. Continuous E. coli endotoxin (ET) infusion for 30 hours through a subcutaneously implanted mini-pump greatly altered the composition of membrane phospholipids. Sphingomyelin (SPH) and phosphatidylserine (PS) content increased by 56% and 29%, respectively, while the content of phosphatidylcholine (PC) decreased slightly (6%) as compared with saline-infused rats. These effects contrasted with those observed in parir-fed rats (whose food intake was matched to that voluntarily consumed by ET-infused animals). Food restriction induced a great depletion of phospholipid content, mainly phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), PC, phosphatidylinositol (PI), and PS, with no changes at the level of SPH as compared with control (fed ad libitum) rats. Triacylglycerol (TG) content was greatly decreased (66%) in ET-infused rats and the magnitude of the change and the fatty acid composition followed a pattern similar to that observed in pair-fed rats. The kinetics of [2- 3H]-glycerol incorporation reflected efficient utilization of the precursor for de novo biosynthesis of glycerolipids. Labeling of the intermediate metabolite phosphatidic acid (PA) peaked at an earlier time (1 min) in ET-infused, and in pair-fed rats, as compared with saline-infused and control rats (3 min) respectively, and was followed by alater peak in diacylglycerol (DG) labeling. The metabolic flux thereafter in endotoxemia reflected a redirection toward the synthesis of TG and PI, while in pair-fed animals the label went mainly to PC, concomitantly with a great reduction in the uptake of label into PI. These results suggest that during chronic endotoxemia the modulation of phospholipid metabolism can compensate for catabolic processes known to be triggered by endotoxin and/or fasted states. Moreover, the observed increase in SPH and PS content could play an important role modulating the activity of different membrane-related enzymes ie, phospholipase C and protein kinase C.
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