O-Phosphorylethanolamine, also known as O-phosphoethanolamine, is an endogenous phospholipid metabolite. O-Phosphorylethanolamine serves as a precursor in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine which is the most abundant lipid on the cytoplasmic layer of cellular membranes, with significant roles in a variety of cellular processes such as membrane fusion, cell cycle, autophagy, and apoptosis. In postmortem brain samples from patients with Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease, it can be observed that levels of O-phosphorylethanolamine are significantly reduced, which is accompanied by increased neuronal death. In addition, lower levels of O-phosphorylethanolamine have also been found in the midbrain and the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
References:
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