Effect of membrane phosphatidylethanolamine‐deficiency/phosphatidylcholine‐excess on the metabolism of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine

Abstract Cells of epithelial origin generally require ethanolamine (Etn) to grow in defined culture medium. When such cells are grown without Etn, the membrane phospholipid composition changes drastically, becoming phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)‐deficient due to a reduced de novo rate of PE synthesis, and growth stops. We have hypothesized that the cessation of growth occurs because this membrane phospholipid environment is no longer suitable for membrane‐associated functions. Phospholipid has long been known to play a role in the transduction of some signals across membranes. In addition to the well‐known phosphatidylinositol cycles, hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and PE has recently been shown to play a central role in signal transduction. Using an Etn‐requiring rat mammary cell line 64‐24, we have studied the metabolism of PC and PE in response to the phorbol ester phorbol 12, 13‐dibutyrate (PDBu) under conditions where cells have either normal or PE‐deficient membrane phospholipid. In cells having normal membrane phospholipid, the synthesis of PC was stimulated by PDBu (∼fourfold), as was the degradation of PC and PE (by twofold and fourfold, respectively). Product analysis suggested that PDBu stimulated hydrolysis of PC by both phospholipases C and D (PLC and PLD), and of PE by PLD. However, in PE‐deficient cells, neither lipid synthesis or degradation were significantly stimulated by PDBu. Analysis of the CDP‐choline pathway of PC sythesis indicated that the regulatory enzyme, CTP: phosphorylcholine cytidylyltransferase, was stimulated about twofold by PDBu in cells having normal membrane, but not in PE‐deficient cells. These results indicate that the membrane phospholipid environment profoundly affects phospholipid metabolism, which no doubt influences cell growth and regulation. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.