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Variations of hepatic dolichols during rat development
M Marino1, A M Girelli, S Leoni
1Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo, Universita' La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
|November 12, 1990
Summary
Perinatal rat liver development shows increasing dolichol content. A correlation exists between dolichol, dolichyl phosphate, and dolichyl-phosphate phosphatase activity during liver growth.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Dolichol and dolichyl phosphate are essential lipid-soluble isoprenoid alcohols involved in protein glycosylation.
- Their role and regulation during perinatal liver development are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the content and distribution of dolichol and dolichyl phosphate homologues in perinatal rat livers.
- To explore the relationship between these lipids and the activity of dolichyl-phosphate phosphatase during liver development.
Main Methods:
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to quantify dolichol and dolichyl phosphate homologues.
- Enzyme activity assays were performed for dolichyl-phosphate phosphatase.
Main Results:
- Short dolichol chains were detected in fetal rat livers, with no detectable dolichyl phosphate.
- Dolichol content progressively increased during liver development.
- A strong correlation was observed between the levels of dolichol, dolichyl phosphate, and the activity of dolichyl-phosphate phosphatase.
Conclusions:
- Dolichol synthesis and accumulation are significant during perinatal rat liver development.
- The activity of dolichyl-phosphate phosphatase appears to be a key regulatory factor in dolichol and dolichyl phosphate metabolism during this period.