Gorini A, Ghigini B, Villa R F
Institute of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, University of Pavia, Italy.
Dementia. 1996 May-Jun;7(3):147-54. doi: 10.1159/000106870.
A physiopathological role for acetylcholine (ACh) was hypothesized during ageing and related neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. dementia. This research was aimed to study acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity during development and ageing of the frontal cerebral cortex of 4-, 8-, 12-, 16-, 20- and 24-month-old rats. This study was performed on synaptic plasma membranes, the specific subcellular compartment where the enzyme is located in vivo both in control animals and after in vivo acute treatment with L-acetylcarnitine. Maximum AChE activity was unaffected by age, and L-acetylcarnitine treatment increased enzyme activity in synaptic plasma membranes of 8-month-old rats. A comprehensive analysis of these results suggests: (a) the observed alterations in protein can substantially affect neurochemical data if results are presented as specific activities per unit protein; (b) energy metabolism plays the major role in the disturbed ACh metabolism during ageing and (c) the understanding of the mode of action of L-acetylcarnitine in treatment of dementia.
乙酰胆碱（ACh）在衰老及相关神经退行性疾病（如痴呆症）中被推测具有生理病理作用。本研究旨在研究4、8、12、16、20和24月龄大鼠额叶大脑皮质发育和衰老过程中的乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）活性。本研究在突触质膜上进行，该特定亚细胞区室是该酶在对照动物体内以及经L-乙酰肉碱体内急性处理后在体内的定位部位。最大AChE活性不受年龄影响，L-乙酰肉碱处理可增加8月龄大鼠突触质膜中的酶活性。对这些结果的综合分析表明：（a）如果结果以每单位蛋白质的比活性表示，观察到的蛋白质变化会显著影响神经化学数据；（b）能量代谢在衰老过程中ACh代谢紊乱中起主要作用；（c）有助于理解L-乙酰肉碱治疗痴呆症的作用方式。
