Immobilized Phospholipase A1-Catalyzed Preparation of l-α-Glycerylphosphorylcholine from Phosphatidylcholine

Unlocking the potential of l-α-glycerylphosphorylcholine in the food industry: From safety approvals to market prospects

With the exacerbation of global population aging, age-related neurodegenerative disorders have been posing an increasing public health concern. l-α-Glycerylphosphorylcholine (l-α-GPC) has demonstrated significant therapeutic potential for mental health-related disorders and possesses promising market prospects. Recently, l-α-GPC has been successively approved as a new food resource in Canada (2023) and in China (2024). These policies pointed out the recognized safety and utility of l-α-GPC. The utilization of l-α-GPC in dietary supplements and health foods could be a convenient option for early intervention strategies to potentially delay or mitigate the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Additionally, other unique nutritional benefits of l-α-GPC have been highlighted, further expanding its application in food industry. Encouraged by the policy incentives, there is likely to be a new upsurge in the research interest surrounding l-α-GPC. To fully capitalize on these emerging opportunities, we present a comprehensive review of l-α-GPC. The chemical properties, pharmacological characteristics, safety assessments, and preparation methods of l-α-GPC were summarized. A brief outlook on the future perspectives and unsolved challenges was also proposed.

The Nutritional Supplement L-Alpha Glycerylphosphorylcholine Promotes Atherosclerosis

L-alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine (GPC), a nutritional supplement, has been demonstrated to improve neurological function. However, a new study suggests that GPC supplementation increases incident stroke risk thus its potential adverse effects warrant further investigation. Here we show that GPC promotes atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic Apoe-/- mice. GPC can be metabolized to trimethylamine N-oxide, a pro-atherogenic agent, suggesting a potential molecular mechanism underlying the observed atherosclerosis progression. GPC supplementation shifted the gut microbial community structure, characterized by increased abundance of Parabacteroides, Ruminococcus, and Bacteroides and decreased abundance of Akkermansia, Lactobacillus, and Roseburia, as determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These data are consistent with a reduction in fecal and cecal short chain fatty acids in GPC-fed mice. Additionally, we found that GPC supplementation led to an increased relative abundance of choline trimethylamine lyase (cutC)-encoding bacteria via qPCR. Interrogation of host inflammatory signaling showed that GPC supplementation increased expression of the proinflammatory effectors CXCL13 and TIMP-1 and activated NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in human coronary artery endothelial cells. Finally, targeted and untargeted metabolomic analysis of murine plasma revealed additional metabolites associated with GPC supplementation and atherosclerosis. In summary, our results show GPC promotes atherosclerosis through multiple mechanisms and that caution should be applied when using GPC as a nutritional supplement.