Dynamics of Choline-Containing Phospholipids in Traumatic Brain Injury and Associated Comorbidities.

The incidences of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are increasing globally because of expanding population and increased dependencies on motorized vehicles and machines. This has resulted in increased socio-economic burden on the healthcare system, as TBIs are often associated with mental and physical morbidities with lifelong dependencies, and have severely limited therapeutic options. There is an emerging need to identify the molecular mechanisms orchestrating these injuries to life-long neurodegenerative disease and a therapeutic strategy to counter them. This review highlights the dynamics and role of choline-containing phospholipids during TBIs and how they can be used to evaluate the severity of injuries and later targeted to mitigate neuro-degradation, based on clinical and preclinical studies. Choline-based phospholipids are involved in maintaining the structural integrity of the neuronal/glial cell membranes and are simultaneously the essential component of various biochemical pathways, such as cholinergic neuronal transmission in the brain. Choline or its metabolite levels increase during acute and chronic phases of TBI because of excitotoxicity, ischemia and oxidative stress; this can serve as useful biomarker to predict the severity and prognosis of TBIs. Moreover, the effect of choline-replenishing agents as a post-TBI management strategy has been reviewed in clinical and preclinical studies. Overall, this review determines the theranostic potential of choline phospholipids and provides new insights in the management of TBI.

Plasma methionine metabolic profile is associated with longevity in mammals.

Methionine metabolism arises as a key target to elucidate the molecular adaptations underlying animal longevity due to the negative association between longevity and methionine content. The present study follows a comparative approach to analyse plasma methionine metabolic profile using a LC-MS/MS platform from 11 mammalian species with a longevity ranging from 3.5 to 120 years. Our findings demonstrate the existence of a species-specific plasma profile for methionine metabolism associated with longevity characterised by: i) reduced methionine, cystathionine and choline; ii) increased non-polar amino acids; iii) reduced succinate and malate; and iv) increased carnitine. Our results support the existence of plasma longevity features that might respond to an optimised energetic metabolism and intracellular structures found in long-lived species.

Role of Choline in Ocular Diseases.

Choline is essential for maintaining the structure and function of cells in humans. Choline plays an important role in eye health and disease. It is a precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system, and it is involved in the production and secretion of tears by the lacrimal glands. It also contributes to the stability of the cells and tears on the ocular surface and is involved in retinal development and differentiation. Choline deficiency is associated with retinal hemorrhage, glaucoma, and dry eye syndrome. Choline supplementation may be effective for treating these diseases.

Choline-Mediated Lipid Reprogramming as a Dominant Salt Tolerance Mechanism in Grass Species Lacking Glycine Betaine.

Choline, as a precursor of glycine betaine (GB) and phospholipids, is known to play roles in plant tolerance to salt stress, but the downstream metabolic pathways regulated by choline conferring salt tolerance are still unclear for non-GB-accumulating species. The objectives were to examine how choline affects salt tolerance in a non-GB-accumulating grass species and to determine major metabolic pathways of choline regulating salt tolerance involving GB or lipid metabolism. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) plants were subjected to salt stress (100 mM NaCl) with or without foliar application of choline chloride (1 mM) in a growth chamber. Choline or GB alone and the combined application increased leaf photochemical efficiency, relative water content and osmotic adjustment and reduced leaf electrolyte leakage. Choline application had no effects on the endogenous GB content and GB synthesis genes did not show responses to choline under nonstress and salt stress conditions. GB was not detected in Kentucky bluegrass leaves. Lipidomic analysis revealed an increase in the content of monogalactosyl diacylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine and a decrease in the phosphatidic acid content by choline application in plants exposed to salt stress. Choline-mediated lipid reprogramming could function as a dominant salt tolerance mechanism in non-GB-accumulating grass species.

[Importance of choline in cognitive function]. / Importancia de la colina en la función cognitiva.

INTRODUCTION: Choline is a critical nutrient for cognitive development, metabolism and liver function, and regulation of homocysteine metabolism. It is necessary for the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, the synthesis of betaine and that of phosphatidylcholine. In the perinatal stage, the contribution of choline is essential to guarantee optimal cognitive development and prevent neural tube defects. In adults and the elderly, choline intake has been associated with better performance in some cognitive functions and a lower incidence of dementia. Despite their important role in health, most groups of the population do not reach their adequate intake of choline, and even some groups, such as pregnant women or childbearing women, have a higher risk of having suboptimal intakes. The main dietary sources of choline are eggs, dairy and meats, so reducing or limiting the consumption of these foods negatively impacts on the intake of this nutrient. Given the need to improve the intake of this vitamin, it is necessary to increase the knowledge that the population has about this nutrient, raising awareness about the importance of choline for health, and its main food sources.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La colina es un nutriente crítico para el desarrollo cognitivo, el metabolismo y la función hepática y la regulación del metabolismo de la homocisteína. Es necesaria para la síntesis del neurotransmisor acetilcolina, la síntesis de betaína y la de fosfatidilcolina. En la etapa perinatal el aporte de colina es fundamental para garantizar el desarrollo cognitivo y prevenir defectos del tubo neural. En adultos mayores y ancianos la ingesta de colina se ha asociado a mejor rendimiento en algunas funciones cognitivas y menor incidencia de demencia. A pesar de su importante papel en la salud, la mayoría de los colectivos no alcanza sus ingestas adecuadas (IA) de colina, aunque algunos colectivos, como gestantes o mujeres en edad fértil, tienen un mayor riesgo de tener ingestas subóptimas. Las principales fuentes dietéticas de esta vitamina son los huevos, lácteos y carnes, y disminuir o limitar el consumo de estos alimentos impacta negativamente en la ingesta de este nutriente. Dada la necesidad de mejorar la ingesta de esta vitamina, es necesario mejorar el conocimiento que tiene la población sobre este nutriente, concienciándola sobre la importancia de la colina para la salud y sus principales fuentes alimentarias.

Sphingomyelin synthase 2 loss suppresses steatosis but exacerbates fibrosis in the liver of mice fed with choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet.

Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2) regulates sphingomyelin synthesis and contributes to obesity and hepatic steatosis. Here, we investigated the effect of SMS2 deficiency on liver fibrosis in mice fed with choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) or injected with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), respectively. SMS2 deficiency suppressed hepatic steatosis, but exacerbated fibrosis induced by CDAHFD feeding. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), which is a key lipid mediator induces fibrosis in various organs, was increased in the liver of mice fed with CDAHFD. The increase of S1P became prominent by SMS2 deficiency. Meanwhile, SMS2 deficiency had no impact on CCl4-induced liver injury, fibrosis and S1P levels. Our findings demonstrated that SMS2 deficiency suppresses steatosis but worsens fibrosis in the liver in a specific condition with CDAHFD feeding.

Choline: An Essential Nutrient for Skeletal Muscle.

BACKGROUND: Choline is an essential micronutrient with a pivotal role in several metabolic pathways contributing to liver, neurological, and hematological homeostasis. Although choline is commonly administered to improve physical performance, its effects on muscle are still unclear. The aim of this scoping review is to analyze the role of choline on skeletal muscle in terms of biological effects and clinical implications. METHODS: A technical expert panel (TEP) of 6 medical specialists with expertise in muscle physiology and skeletal muscle disorders performed the review following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) model. The TEP planned a research on PubMed selecting "choline" as MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) term adding to PubMed Search Builder the terms "skeletal muscle" and "muscle striated". TEP considered for eligibility articles published in the last 30 years, including original researches, particularly in vitro studies, and animal and clinical studies in the English language. RESULTS: From the 1239 studies identified, TEP included 14 studies, 3 in vitro, 9 animal, and 2 clinical studies. CONCLUSIONS: Our scoping review elucidates and summarizes the crucial role of choline in modulating muscle fat metabolism, muscle proteins homeostasis, and the modulation of inflammation and autophagy.

Choline: Exploring the Growing Science on Its Benefits for Moms and Babies.

The importance of ensuring adequate choline intakes during pregnancy is increasingly recognized. Choline is critical for a number of physiological processes during the prenatal period with roles in membrane biosynthesis and tissue expansion, neurotransmission and brain development, and methyl group donation and gene expression. Studies in animals and humans have shown that supplementing the maternal diet with additional choline improves several pregnancy outcomes and protects against certain neural and metabolic insults. Most pregnant women in the U.S. are not achieving choline intake recommendations of 450 mg/day and would likely benefit from boosting their choline intakes through dietary and/or supplemental approaches.

Cholinergic nervous system and glaucoma: From basic science to clinical applications.

The cholinergic system has a crucial role to play in visual function. Although cholinergic drugs have been a focus of attention as glaucoma medications for reducing eye pressure, little is known about the potential modality for neuronal survival and/or enhancement in visual impairments. Citicoline, a naturally occurring compound and FDA approved dietary supplement, is a nootropic agent that is recently demonstrated to be effective in ameliorating ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular diseases, memory disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in both humans and animal models. The mechanisms of its action appear to be multifarious including (i) preservation of cardiolipin, sphingomyelin, and arachidonic acid contents of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, (ii) restoration of phosphatidylcholine, (iii) stimulation of glutathione synthesis, (iv) lowering glutamate concentrations and preventing glutamate excitotoxicity, (v) rescuing mitochondrial function thereby preventing oxidative damage and onset of neuronal apoptosis, (vi) synthesis of myelin leading to improvement in neuronal membrane integrity, (vii) improving acetylcholine synthesis and thereby reducing the effects of mental stress and (viii) preventing endothelial dysfunction. Such effects have vouched for citicoline as a neuroprotective, neurorestorative and neuroregenerative agent. Retinal ganglion cells are neurons with long myelinated axons which provide a strong rationale for citicoline use in visual pathway disorders. Since glaucoma is a form of neurodegeneration involving retinal ganglion cells, citicoline may help ameliorate glaucomatous damages in multiple facets. Additionally, trans-synaptic degeneration has been identified in humans and experimental models of glaucoma suggesting the cholinergic system as a new brain target for glaucoma management and therapy.

In vivo functional neurochemistry of human cortical cholinergic function during visuospatial attention.

Cortical acetylcholine is involved in key cognitive processes such as visuospatial attention. Dysfunction in the cholinergic system has been described in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders. Levels of brain acetylcholine can be pharmacologically manipulated, but it is not possible to directly measure it in vivo in humans. However, key parts of its biochemical cascade in neural tissue, such as choline, can be measured using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). There is evidence that levels of choline may be an indirect but proportional measure of acetylcholine availability in brain tissue. In this study, we measured relative choline levels in the parietal cortex using functional (event-related) MRS (fMRS) during performance of a visuospatial attention task, with a modelling approach verified using simulated data. We describe a task-driven interaction effect on choline concentration, specifically driven by contralateral attention shifts. Our results suggest that choline MRS has the potential to serve as a proxy of brain acetylcholine function in humans.

Choline deficiency impairs intestinal lipid metabolism in the lactating rat.

Choline is a precursor to phosphatidylcholine (PC), a structural molecule in cellular membranes that is crucial for cell growth and function. PC is also required for the secretion of lipoprotein particles from liver and intestine. Choline requirements are increased during lactation when maternal choline is supplied to the offspring through breast milk. To investigate the effect of dietary choline on intestinal lipid metabolism during lactation, choline-supplemented (CS), phosphatidylcholine-supplemented (PCS) or choline-deficient (CD) diets were fed to dams during the suckling period. CD dams had lower plasma triacylglycerol, cholesterol and apoB in the fasted state and following a fat-challenge (P < .05). There was a higher content of neutral lipids and lower content of PC in the intestine of CD dams, compared with CS and PCS fed animals (P < .05). In addition, there was lower (P < .05) villus height in CD dams, which indicated a reduced absorptive surface area in the intestine. Choline is critical for the absorption of fat in lactating rats and choline deficiency alters intestinal morphology and impairs chylomicron secretion by limiting the supply of PC.

Choline-mediated modulation of hippocampal sharp wave-ripple complexes in vitro.

The cholinergic system is critically involved in the modulation of cognitive functions, including learning and memory. Acetylcholine acts through muscarinic (mAChRs) and nicotinic receptors (nAChRs), which are both abundantly expressed in the hippocampus. Previous evidence indicates that choline, the precursor and degradation product of Acetylcholine, can itself activate nAChRs and thereby affects intrinsic and synaptic neuronal functions. Here, we asked whether the cellular actions of choline directly affect hippocampal network activity. Using mouse hippocampal slices we found that choline efficiently suppresses spontaneously occurring sharp wave-ripple complexes (SPW-R) and can induce gamma oscillations. In addition, choline reduces synaptic transmission between hippocampal subfields CA3 and CA1. Surprisingly, these effects are mediated by activation of both mAChRs and α7-containing nAChRs. Most nicotinic effects became only apparent after local, fast application of choline, indicating rapid desensitization kinetics of nAChRs. Effects were still present following block of choline uptake and are, therefore, likely because of direct actions of choline at the respective receptors. Together, choline turns out to be a potent regulator of patterned network activity within the hippocampus. These actions may be of importance for understanding state transitions in normal and pathologically altered neuronal networks. In this study we asked whether choline, the precursor and degradation product of acetylcholine, directly affects hippocampal network activity. Using mouse hippocampal slices we found that choline efficiently suppresses spontaneously occurring sharp wave-ripple complexes (SPW-R). In addition, choline reduces synaptic transmission between hippocampal subfields. These effects are mediated by direct activation of muscarinic as well as nicotinic cholinergic pathways. Together, choline turns out to be a potent regulator of patterned activity within hippocampal networks.

The neural and genetic basis of executive function: attention, cognitive flexibility, and response inhibition.

Executive function is a collection of cognitive processes essential for higher order mental function. Processes involved in executive function include, but are not limited to, working memory, attention, cognitive flexibility, and impulse control. These complex behaviors are largely mediated by prefrontal cortical function but are modulated by dopaminergic, noradrenergic, serotonergic, and cholinergic input. The ability of these neurotransmitter systems to modulate executive function allows for adaptation in cognitive behavior in response to changes in the environment. Because of the important role these neurotransmitter systems play in regulating executive function, changes in these systems can also have a grave impact on executive function. In addition, polymorphisms in genes associated with these neurotransmitters are associated with phenotypic differences in executive function. Understanding how these naturally occurring polymorphisms contribute to different executive function phenotypes will advance basic knowledge of cognition and potentially further understanding and treatment of mental illness that involve changes in executive function. In this review, we will examine the influence of dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine on the following measures of executive function: attention, cognitive flexibility, and impulse control. We will also review the effects of polymorphisms in genes associated with these neurotransmitter systems on these measures of executive function.

The role of folic acid fortification in neural tube defects: a review.

The worldwide prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) has fallen noticeably during the past 30 years, but the specific etiology and causative mechanism of NTDs remain unknown. Since introduction of mandatory fortification of grains with folic acid, a further decrease in NTD prevalence has been reported in North America and other countries with large variations among ethnic subgroups. However, a significant portion of NTDs still persists. Population data suggest that women of childbearing age may not yet be adequately targeted, while the general population may be overfortified with folic acid. While an excessive folate intake may be associated with adverse effects, there remains uncertainty about the minimum effective folate intake and status required for NTD prevention, and the safe upper folate level. Besides folate, several other lifestyle and environmental factors as well as genetic variations may influence NTD development, possibly by affecting one-carbon metabolism and thus epigenetic events. In conclusion, mandatory folic acid fortification plays a significant part in the reduction of NTD prevalence, but possibly at a cost and with a portion of NTDs remaining. More effective preventive strategies require better understanding of the etiology of this group of birth defects.

Perinatal choline effects on neonatal pathophysiology related to later schizophrenia risk.

OBJECTIVE: Deficient cerebral inhibition is a pathophysiological brain deficit related to poor sensory gating and attention in schizophrenia and other disorders. Cerebral inhibition develops perinatally, influenced by genetic and in utero factors. Amniotic choline activates fetal α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and facilitates development of cerebral inhibition. Increasing this activation may protect infants from future illness by promoting normal brain development. The authors investigated the effects of perinatal choline supplementation on the development of cerebral inhibition in human infants. METHOD: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of dietary phosphatidylcholine supplementation was conducted with 100 healthy pregnant women, starting in the second trimester. Supplementation to twice normal dietary levels for mother or newborn continued through the third postnatal month. All women received dietary advice regardless of treatment. Infants' electrophysiological recordings of inhibition of the P50 component of the cerebral evoked response to paired sounds were analyzed. The criterion for inhibition was suppression of the amplitude of the second P50 response by at least half, compared with the first response. RESULTS: No adverse effects of choline were observed in maternal health and delivery, birth, or infant development. At the fifth postnatal week, the P50 response was suppressed in more choline-treated infants (76%) compared with placebo-treated infants (43%) (effect size=0.7). There was no difference at the 13th week. A CHRNA7 genotype associated with schizophrenia was correlated with diminished P50 inhibition in the placebo-treated infants, but not in the choline-treated infants. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal developmental delay in inhibition is associated with attentional problems as the child matures. Perinatal choline activates timely development of cerebral inhibition, even in the presence of gene mutations that otherwise delay it.

The nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics of the dietary requirement for choline.

Advances in nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics have been instrumental in demonstrating that nutrient requirements vary among individuals. This is exemplified by studies of the nutrient choline, in which gender, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, estrogen status, and gut microbiome composition have been shown to influence its optimal intake level. Choline is an essential nutrient with a wide range of biological functions, and current studies are aimed at refining our understanding of its requirements and, importantly, on defining the molecular mechanisms that mediate its effects in instances of suboptimal dietary intake. This chapter introduces the reader to challenges in developing individual nutrition recommendations, the biological function of choline, current and future research paradigms to fully understand the consequences of inadequate choline nutrition, and some forward thinking about the potential for individualized nutrition recommendations to become a tangible application for improved health.

An introduction to the nutrition and metabolism of choline.

Choline is a ubiquitous water soluble nutrient, often associated with the B vitamins; however, not yet officially defined as a B vitamin. It is important in the synthesis of phospholipid components of cell membranes, and plasma lipoproteins, providing structural integrity as well as being important in cell signaling; it is also important in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and the oxidized form of choline, glycine betaine, serves as an important methyl donor in the methionine cycle. It is present in a wide variety of foods, and is endogenously synthesized in humans through the sequential methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine. The present article represents an introduction to the nutrition, metabolism, and physiological functions of choline and choline derivatives in humans. The association of choline and choline derivatives in risk of chronic disease, including: neural tube defects, coronary artery disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and memory, and cystic fibrosis is reviewed.