Lipogenesis from lactate in rat neurons and astrocytes in primary culture

The rate of synthesis of phospholipid and sterol species from L-lactate in neurons and astrocytes in primary culture was studied. Both types of cells actively utilized lactate as lipid precursor, although the rate of lipogenesis was about 2-fold greater in astrocytes than in neurons. The incorporation of lactate into phospholipids was significantly higher than that into sterols in both types of cells, but the ratio of phospholipid/sterol synthesis was much higher in astrocytes than in neurons. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) was the main phospholipid synthesized in both types of cells, followed by phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol. No detectable synthesis of sphingomyelins was observed. The ratio of PC/PE synthesis was about 2-fold higher in astrocytes than in neurons. The main sterol synthesized in neurons was lanosterol, followed by desmosterol. However, the main sterol synthesized in astrocytes was desmosterol, followed by lanosterol and cholesterol. The different ratios of phospholipid/sterol and PC/PE synthesis found in neurons and astrocytes may result in different membrane fluidity being higher in astrocytes than in neurons. This may be associated with differences in the functionality of both types of cells.