Alterations in lipid metabolism and cellular morphology in the liver of female rats treated with ethmozine

Alterations in lipid metabolism and cellular morphology in the liver were examined in female rats treated with 100 mg Ethmozine/kg/day for 7 days. The incorporation of either 3H]acetate with methyl-14C]choline, or methyl-14C]methionine was used to monitor the effect of the drug on neutral and phospholipid syntheses. Ethmozine (ETH) reduced the incorporation of choline into phosphatidylcholine (PC) by 50%, but the transmethylation of phosphatidylethanolamine to form PC was unaffected. The formation of lyso-PC was reduced by one-half irrespective of the donor radiolabel. An accumulation of both micro- and macrovesicles (fat) was found in the centri- and midlobular zones of the liver, which is likely the result of increased synthesis and decreased secretion of triacylglycerol (TAG). Incorporation of acetate into TAG was increased fivefold by ETH treatment, and to a lesser degree into cholesterol and cholesterylester/squalene.