Phospholipids Store Choline for Acetylcholine Synthesis
{'Code': '08090200', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'IOS', 'LongName': 'Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems'}}
{'SignBlockName': None}
These studies are designed to explore a fundamental biochemical                 property of cholinergic neurons, nerve cells that synthesize and                release acetylcholine as their neurotransmitter.  These neurons                 are unique among cells since they alone utilize choline not only                as a precursor of phospholipids ?phosphatidylcholine,                           sphingomyelin, plasmalogens!, the major structural components of                all biological membranes, but also as a precursor of                            acetylcholine.  This metabolic property of cholinergic neurons                  led to a recently verified hypothesis (by studies of a purely                   cholinergic population of human neuroblastoma cells, LA-N-2) that               choline stored in membranes as a component of phospholipids is                  available for acetylcholine synthesis.  The overall goal of this                study is to explore the metabolic mechanisms that regulate the                  reversible fluxes of choline between the membrane                               phosphatidylcholine and acetylcholine in LA-N-2 cells.  The                     predominant pathway of phosphatidylcholine metabolism and                       contribution of phosphatidylcholine in providing choline for                    acetylcholine synthesis will be determined.  The effects on                     choline transfer from phosphatidylcholine to acetylcholine of 1.                neuronal firing, and 2. extracellular choline concentration, will               be characterized.  Specific "pools" of phosphatidylcholine                      (defined by pathway of synthesis, or subcellular localization)                  that might preferentially be utilized to provide choline for                    acetylcholine synthesis will be identified.  The studies will be                performed using radiolabeled precursors of phosphatidylcholine                  and acetylcholine and tracing the metabolic fate of the labeled                 precursors by high performance liquid chromatography.  The                      results of this study will improve the understanding of the                     metabolic processes that regulate neurotransmission as well as                  those that regulate the structure and functions of biological                   membranes, allowing for the formulation of theoretical models of                neuronal function and for medical applications in diseases                      characterized by impaired cholinergic neurotransmission.
{'FirstName': 'Jan', 'LastName': 'Blusztajn', 'EmailAddress': 'jbluszta@bu.edu', 'StartDate': '09/01/1988', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'Mallory Pathology Associates Inc', 'CityName': 'Boston', 'ZipCode': '021182317', 'PhoneNumber': '6174245310', 'StreetAddress': '784 Massachusetts Avenue', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Massachusetts', 'StateCode': 'MA'}
{'Code': '1192', 'Text': 'NEURONAL AND GLIAL MECHANISMS'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8808942.xml'}