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. 1999 Apr;90(4):419–424. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1999.tb00764.x

Increased Choline Kinase Activity and Elevated Phosphocholine Levels in Human Colon Cancer†

Katsunao Nakagami 1, Tsutomu Uchida 2, Susumu Ohwada 1,✉, Yukio Koibuchi 1, Yasuo Suda 3, Takeshi Sekine 3, Yasuo Morishita 1
PMCID: PMC5926083  PMID: 10363580

Abstract

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has detected elevated phosphocholine levels in human tumor tissues and cells, and in cells that were transformed with the activated Ha‐ras gene and stimulated in vitro with growth‐promoting factors such as platelet‐derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and phorbol ester. However, the mechanism of the elevation and the function of the increased phosphocholine levels have not been clearly demonstrated. We studied phosphocholine levels enzymatically and analyzed the activity of choline kinase, which catalyzes the phosphorylation of choline to produce phosphocholine, in human colon cancer and adenoma. Both choline kinase activity and phosphocholine levels were increased in colon cancer and adenoma tissue. The activation of choline kinase and the increased levels of choline kinase α were partly responsible for the elevated phosphocholine levels. This study suggests that choline kinase might play a role in growth promotion or signal transduction in carcinogenesis.

Keywords: Choline kinase, Phosphocholine, Human colon cancer

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†

Choline kinase α and β were previously designated as choline kinase R and P, respectively.

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