No up-regulation of the phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase pathway and choline production by sex hormones in cats

BMC Veterinary Research

Jan Rothuizen¹  Isabelle Jeusette³  Anne Kummeling¹  Maidina Tuohetahuntila²  Joris H. Robben¹  Robert P. Favier¹  Arie B. Vaandrager²  Chiara Valtolina¹ 

[1] Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 108, Utrecht, 3584 CM, The Netherlands;Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, Utrecht, 3584 CM, The Netherlands;Research and Development, Affinity Petcare, Pl. Xavier Cugat, 2 Edificio D, 3ª, Planta, 08174 St. Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain

关键词: Oestrogen;    PEMT;    Choline;    Hepatic lipidosis;    Cats;   

Others  :  1233999
DOI  :  10.1186/s12917-015-0591-6

 received in 2015-04-14, accepted in 2015-11-02,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Feline hepatic lipidosis (FHL) is a common cholestatic disease affecting cats of any breed, age and sex. Both choline deficiency and low hepatic phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) activity are associated with hepatic lipidosis (HL) in humans, mice and rats. The PEMT expression is known to be upregulated by oestrogens, protecting the females in these species from the development of HL when exposed to choline deficient diets. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of sex hormones on choline synthesis via the PEMT pathway in healthy male and female cats before and after spaying/neutering, when fed a diet with recommended dietary choline content.

Results

From six female and six male cats PEMT activity was assayed directly in liver biopsies taken before and after spaying/neutering, and assessed indirectly by analyses of PEMT–specific hepatic phosphatidylcholine (PC) species and plasma choline levels. Hepatic PEMT activity did not differ between intact female and male cats and no changes upon spaying/neutering were observed. Likewise, no significant differences in liver PC content and PEMT-specific polyunsaturated PC species were found between the sexes and before or after spaying/neutering.

Conclusion

These results suggest that choline synthesis in cats differs from what is observed in humans, mice and rats. The lack of evident influence of sex hormones on the PEMT pathway makes it unlikely that spaying/neutering predisposes cats for HL by causing PC deficiency as suggested in other species.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Valtolina et al.

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