Inositol lipid phosphorylation in the cell nucleus

Abstract Inositol lipid metabolism has been analyzed in isolated rat liver nuclei and nuclear fractions, in order to determine the subcellular distribution of the sites of lipid phosphorylation and breakdown. Lipid kinases and phosphoesterases appear to be tightly bound nuclear components, and can utilize exogenous substrates administered to membrane-depleted structures. The possible involvement of specific carrier protein in the nuclear metabolism of inositol lipids has also been analysed by studying the uptake and processing of phosphatidylinositol transferred to the isolated nuclei by phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (PI-TP). PI-TP greatly stimulates the incorporation of phosphatidylinositol from microsomal membranes and synthetic vesicles, and the lipid taken up is available for phosphorylation and breakdown by enzymes associated to the nucleus. The results obtained support previous data on the metabolic and structural role of nuclear lipids, and suggest that the cell nucleus is a site of lipid phosphorylation, not necessarily involving enzymes and substrates located on the nuclear membrane. They also indicate that an integrated signalling pathway can exist at the nuclear level utilizing inositol lipid-derived second messengers and PKC to control replication and transcription.