Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 59, Issue 3 738-742, Copyright © 1985 by American Physiological Society
Differential response of lung and liver of juvenile rats to choline deficiency
R. W. Yost, A. Chander and A. B. Fisher
The effect of choline deficiency on the lung lipids of actively growing
male Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated using a washed soy protein diet
deficient in choline and methionine (lipotrophic). The livers from
deficient animals had a significantly increased total lipid content and
decreased phosphatidylcholine (PC) content and
PC-to-phosphatidylethanolamine ratio (P less than 0.01). Although lung free
choline levels were decreased 40% compared with controls (P less than
0.05), the PC content of the whole lung homogenate was unchanged. However,
disaturated phosphatidylcholine from animals receiving the lipotrophic diet
was significantly increased in the lavage and proportionally decreased in
the lavaged lung tissue compared with controls (P less than 0.01). This
study indicates that, despite decreased lung choline levels as a result of
ingesting a lipotrophic diet, and unlike the liver, lung PC content is
maintained at normal values. Although the lung total PC levels are
maintained, there is a change in the partition of this lipid pool between
the tissue and the alveolar space.
