| First Author | Li Z | Year | 2006 |
| Journal | Cell Metab | Volume | 3 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 321-31 |
| PubMed ID | 16679290 | Mgi Jnum | J:129649 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3769940 | Doi | 10.1016/j.cmet.2006.03.007 |
| Citation | Li Z, et al. (2006) The ratio of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine influences membrane integrity and steatohepatitis. Cell Metab 3(5):321-31 |
| abstractText | Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are major phospholipids in mammalian membranes. In liver, PC is synthesized via the choline pathway or by methylation of PE via phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT). Pemt(-/-) mice fed a choline-deficient (CD) diet develop rapid steatohepatitis leading to liver failure. Steatosis is observed in CD mice that lack both PEMT and multiple drug-resistant protein 2 (MDR2), required for PC secretion into bile. We demonstrate that liver failure in CD-Pemt(-/-) mice is due to loss of membrane integrity caused by a decreased PC/PE ratio. The CD-Mdr2(-/-)/Pemt(-/-) mice escape liver failure by maintaining a normal PC/PE ratio. Manipulation of PC/PE levels suggests that this ratio is a key regulator of cell membrane integrity and plays a role in the progression of steatosis into steatohepatitis. The results have clinical implications as patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis have a decreased ratio of PC to PE compared to control livers. |
