| Abstract: | Phospholipase A2 catalyzes the hydrolysis of membrane glycerophospholipids leading to the production of metabolites observable by both 1H and 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The signal of choline-containing compounds (Cho) observed by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy is constituted of metabolites of phosphatidylcholine, especially phosphocholine (PCho) and glycerophosphocholine (GPCho). The phosphomonoester (PME) and phosphodiester (PDE) signals observed by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy are, respectively, precursors and catabolites of phospholipids. A large number of brain diseases have been reported to cause variations in the intensity of the Cho, PME and PDE signals. Changes in the activity of phospholipase A2 have been measured in many brain diseases. In this review, the relationships between the results of 1H and 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy and the phospholipase A2 assays are analyzed. In many brain diseases, the variation in the Cho signal intensity can be correlated with a stimulation or inhibition of the phospholipase A2 activity. |
