Glycerophosphorylcholine, a component of both Ascaris suum muscle and Caenorhabditis elegans

Studies of the muscle phospholipid metabolism of Ascaris suum suggest an effect of cholinergic drugs on the turnover of phosphatidylcholine and the generation of glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC). 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of helminths revealed the presence of a major peak that was assigned to GPC. The primary effect of the cholinergic drugs on the parasites' phosphate profile appeared to be on the level of GPC. In in vivo studies, decreases in internal GPC concentrations occurred prior to any decrease in the concentration of ATP. The importance of these studies relies on the correct identity of this major 31P-NMR resonance. More recently, the identity of this resonance as GPC was questioned by experimental data obtained from C. elegans dauer larvae using the NMR technique. Because studies from our laboratory suggested that phospholipid metabolism may be intimately connected with the parasite's responses to drugs, the identity of the assigned resonance in the 31P-NMR spectrum as GPC in Ascaris suum was reexamined and found to be correct. Similar studies with C. elegans indicate the presence of both GPC and GPE.