Increase of GPC levels in cultured mammalian cells during acidosis. A 31P MR spectroscopy study using a continuous bioreactor system.

The purpose of this study was to study the metabolic events during a slow acidosis in three different cell lines by combining 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy and hollow fiber bioreactor technology. The rate of change in intracellular pH, glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC), phophorylcholine (PCho), and nucleoside-triphosphate (NTP) levels were measured during 8 h of acidosis and 16 h of recovery in EPO, EAT, and RN1a cells, three cultured mammalians cell lines. Our results show a significant increase in GPC levels to 330 +/- 21.540 +/- 25, and 220 +/- 21% of their initial value correlated to a decrease of PCho levels to 57 +/- 14.58 +/- 17 and 45 +/- 15% of their initial value in EAT, RN1a, and EPO cells, respectively. These changes are discussed in terms of perturbation of energetic metabolism in cells undergoing a slow acidosis.