Changes in phospholipid metabolism induced by quinine, 4-aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium in the monocytic cell line THP1.

Quinine, 4-aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium, three compounds generally used as effectors of K+ channels, strongly modify phospholipid metabolism. In the human monocytic cell line THP1, the three drugs enhanced the incorporation of [3H]serine into phosphatidylserine and that of [3H]inositol into phosphatidylinositol in the absence of significant changes in the uptake of the 3H labels. On the contrary, the biosynthesis of both phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine was strongly inhibited. This inhibition appeared to be mainly due to the inhibition of both [3H]choline and [3H]ethanolamine uptake by the cells, by impairment of choline transport in a competitive mode.