ETHANOL POTENTIATES THE UPTAKE OF [C-14] SERINE INTO PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE BY BASE-EXCHANGE REACTION IN NG-108-15 CELLS

Phospholipid base-exchange enzymes catalyze the incorporation of nitro genous bases into phosphoglycerides by a calcium-dependent mechanism. In this study, we describe the effect of ethanol on the incorporation of radioactive serine, choline and ethanolamine into their respective phospholipids in a neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cell line (NG 108- 15 ). Long term ethanol exposure induced a potentiation of the incorporat ion of [C-14]serine into phosphatidylserine. Moreover, the phosphorus content of PS was found to be increased after long-term ethanol exposu re. No concomitant changes in the phosphorus content of other phosphol ipids were observed. The results indicate that in NG 108-15 cells, the incorporation of radiolabelled serine into PS is potentiated during c hronic ethanol exposure.