EFFECTS OF ACETYLCHOLINE ON THE INCORPORATION OF P32 INTO THE PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN SLICES OF SKIN FROM CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT CYSTIC FIBROSIS OF THE PANCREAS*

Abstract

Stimulation with acetylcholine of slices of skin from children with and without cystic fibrosis of the pancreas led to a twofold increase in the in- corporation of P32 into phosphatidic acid and phosphatidyl inositol after 2 hours of incubation in bicarbonate saline. Incorporation of P32 into phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine was increased to a smaller extent. There were no statistically significant differences in the phospholipid responses between control skins and skins from patients with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas. The percentage stimulation of the incorporation of inositol-2-H3 into the total lipid extract was the same as the percentage stimulation of P32 incorporation into phosphatidyl inositol. In one patient who did not sweat in response to iontophoresis of pilocarpine into the skin, there was no phospholipid effect in vitro in response to acetylcholine. There studies provide another example of the relationship between secretion and the metabolism of phosphatidic acid and phosphatidyl inositol.