Cytidine diphosphate choline administration activates brain cytidine triphosphate: phosphocholine cytidylytransferase in aged rats

Beneficial effects of cytidine (5') diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) administ ration on several diseases including brain aging, ischemia and stroke are b ased on an increase in membrane phospholipid turnover. We have studied the possible involvement of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) in thi s mechanism by measuring its gene expression and enzyme activity in the bra ins of young and aged rats treated with 500 mg/kg per day of CDP-choline, O lder animals showed higher (57%) of total CT activity in particulate (activ e) fraction than younger animals (46%). Treatment of aged animals for 8, 16 , or 60 days had no effect on the CT gene expression but increased activati on of the CT by translocation to membranes. The particulate fraction rose f rom 57% of total activity to more than 65% after 2 months of treatment. Thi s may explain the long-term repairing effects of CDP-choline on damaged mem branes of aged animals, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights r eserved.