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Cytidine (5') diphosphocholine-induced decrease in cerebral platelet activating factor is due to inactivation of its
1Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Avenida Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
Neuroscience Letters
|February 13, 2001
Summary
Aging in rats decreases cerebral platelet-activating factor (PAF) by increasing PAF acetylhydrolase. Cytidine diphosphocholine treatment also lowers PAF by reducing its synthesizing enzyme.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Aging Research
Background:
- Cerebral platelet-activating factor (PAF) levels are regulated by synthesizing and degrading enzymes.
- Age-related changes in these enzymes can impact brain function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of aging and cytidine diphosphocholine treatment on cerebral PAF metabolism in rats.
- To identify the specific enzymes involved in altered PAF levels during aging and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of enzyme activities (PAF acetylhydrolase, DTT-insensitive cholinephosphotransferase) and PAF levels in young and aged rats.
- Analysis of enzyme activities and PAF levels in aged rats following cytidine diphosphocholine administration.
Main Results:
- Aged rats exhibited higher PAF acetylhydrolase activity and lower cerebral PAF levels compared to young rats.
- Cytidine diphosphocholine treatment in aged rats led to decreased DTT-insensitive cholinephosphotransferase activity and lower PAF levels.
- PAF acetylhydrolase levels remained unaltered in aged rats treated with cytidine diphosphocholine.
Conclusions:
- Cerebral PAF reduction in aging is linked to increased PAF acetylhydrolase activity.
- Cytidine diphosphocholine treatment appears to decrease cerebral PAF by inactivating its synthesizing enzyme, DTT-insensitive cholinephosphotransferase.