Table 2.
Plasma choline levels and hepatic indicators of phosphatidylcholine (PC) metabolism (mean ± SD) in male and female cats before and after spaying/neutering
| Group 1 (male intact) (n = 6) | Group 2 (male neutered) (n = 6) | Group 3 (female intact) (n = 6) | Group 4 (female spayed) (n = 6) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| plasma choline (μM) | 1.9 ± 0.8 | 1.8 ± 0.7 | 1.5 ± 0.3 | 2.0 ± 0.5 |
| liver PEMTa activity (nmol/mg protein/h) | 0.24 ± 0.18 | 0.19 ± 0.11 | 0.15 ± 0.09 | 0.21 ± 0.16 |
| liver PC content (nmol/mg protein) | 24.2 ± 3.8 | 24.1 ± 3.2 | 27.5 ± 3.1 | 24.1 ± 2.3 |
| liver PC 38:6b (% of total PC) | 3.3 ± 1.1 | 3.7 ± 1.6 | 4.2 ± 0.4 | 3.8 ± 0.5 |
| liver PC 40:6b (% of total PC) | 3.3 ± 1.3 | 4.2 ± 2.3 | 4.1 ± 0.6 | 3.7 ± 0.6 |
| liver PC/PEc ratio | 3.4 ± 0.4 | 3.1 ± 0.3 | 4.0 ± 1.4 | 4.0 ± 1.5 |
a PEMT phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase
bPC species implicated in PEMT activity i.e. PC containing long highly unsaturated acyl chains
c PE phosphatidylethanolamine