Cytidine diphosphate choline administration activates brain cytidine triphosphate: phosphocholine cytidylytransferase in aged rats.

Beneficial effects of cytidine (5') diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) administration on several diseases including brain aging, ischemia and stroke are based on an increase in membrane phospholipid turnover. We have studied the possible involvement of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) in this mechanism by measuring its gene expression and enzyme activity in the brains of young and aged rats treated with 500 mg/kg per day of CDP-choline. Older animals showed higher (57%) of total CT activity in particulate (active) fraction than younger animals (46%). Treatment of aged animals for 8, 16, or 60 days had no effect on the CT gene expression but increased activation of the CT by translocation to membranes. The particulate fraction rose from 57% of total activity to more than 65% after 2 months of treatment. This may explain the long-term repairing effects of CDP-choline on damaged membranes of aged animals.