Accumulation of Lysolecithin in Rat Brain on Incubation in vitro

Abstract

THE cytolytic and solubilizing actions of lysolecithin added to nervous tissue have been examined fairly extensively in this laboratory during the past eight years. The results of this work were comprehensively reviewed recently by Thompson¹, and discussed with regard to their possible relevance to demyelinating processes. It is now established that small amounts of lysolecithin are normally present in fresh nervous tissue^2–5. Moreover, both phospholipase A and B and a lysolecithin-acylating system requiring coenzyme A and ATP are also known to be present in brain^1,6. It seemed important therefore to determine next whether any derangement of these enzyme systems, such as might occur in brain tissue exposed to anoxia, would lead to the accumulation of lysolecithin, which in turn could cause further damage to membrane structures in the tissue.