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Reduced phospholipase D activity in brain tissue samples from Alzheimer's disease patients
Author(s) -
Kanfer Julian N.,
Hattori Hiroshi,
Orihel Danka
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410200214
Subject(s) - choline acetyltransferase , acetylcholine , choline , lecithin , phospholipase d , enzyme , enzyme assay , biochemistry , phospholipase , neurotransmitter , acetylcholinesterase , chemistry , cholinergic , phospholipase a2 , medicine , biology , endocrinology , receptor
Biochemical examinations of brain tissue samples obtained from patients with Alzheimer's disease have revealed a decreased quantity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and reduced activity of choline acetyl‐transferase (ChAT), the enzyme responsible for acetylcholine formation. It has been suggested that the choline moiety of lecithin, a substitute ubiquitously present in membranes of mammalian cells, could be mobilized for acetylcholine formation. The activity of phospholipase D, an enzyme which releases choline directly from lecithin, was measured in homogenates of Alzheimer brain tissue and found to be reduced by 63%. ChAT activity was reduced by 58% and 5′‐nucleotidase activity was reduced by 27% in these homogenates.