NEUROPATHY TARGET ESTERASE; ITS ROLE IN PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE REGULATION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PATHO-PHYSIOLOGY

Abstract

Eukaryotic cells control the levels of their major membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC), by balancing synthesis with degradation via deacylation to glycerophosphocholine(GPC). Neuropathy target esterase (NTE) was originally identified as the target site for those organophosphates that caused a paralyzing delayed neuropathy with degeneration of long nerve axons. In adult animals NTE is present in the nervous system and a variety of non neural tissues. NTE mediated production of Glycerophosphocholine is also an abundant renal medullary organic osmolyte that protects renal medullary cells from the high interstitial concentrations of NaCl and urea to which they are normally exposed. This review article discusses the importance of NTE in metabolism and pathophysiology.

Key words: Phosphatidylcholine, Neuropathy, Glycerophosphocholine, osmotic, renal