Role of phospholipase A(2) on the variations of the choline signal intensity observed by H-1 magnetic resonance spectroscopy in brain diseases

Phospholipase Az catalyzes the hydrolysis of membrane glycerophospholipids leading to the production of metabolites observable by both H-1 and P-31 ma gnetic resonance spectroscopy. The signal of choline-containing compounds ( Cho) observed by H-1 magnetic resonance spectroscopy is constituted of meta bolites of phosphatidylcholine, especially phosphocholine (PCho) and glycer ophosphocholine (GPCho). The phosphomonoester (PME) and phosphodiester (PDE ) signals observed by P-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy are, respectivel y, precursors and catabolites of phospholipids. A large number of brain dis eases have been reported to cause variations in the intensity of the Cho, P ME and PDE signals. Changes in the activity of phospholipase A(2) have been measured in many brain diseases. In this review, the relationships between the results of H-1 and P-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy and the phosph olipase A(2) assays are analyzed. In many brain diseases, the variation in the Cho signal intensity can be correlated with a stimulation or inhibition of the phospholipase A(2) activity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.