Phosphatidylethanol

Phosphatidylethanols (PEth) are a group of phospholipids formed only in the presence of ethanol via the action of phospholipase D (PLD).

[3] Chemically, phosphatidylethanols are phospholipids carrying two fatty acid chains, which are variable in structure, and one phosphate ethyl ester.

Normally PLD incorporates water to generate phosphatidic acid (PA); the process is termed transphosphatidylation.

[8] The Society of PEth Research[9] published a harmonization document (2022 Consensus of Basel) for the interpretation of phosphatidylethanol concentrations in the clinical and forensic setting.

The consensus defined the target measurand (PEth 16:0/18:1 in whole blood), cutoff concentrations (20 ng/mL and 200 ng/mL), and minimal requirements for the applied analytical method (accuracy and precision within 15%).

General chemical structures of phosphotidylethanol, where R 1 and R 2 are fatty acid chains
PEth synthesis by PLD ; a) cartoon comparing PLD transphosphatidylation with water (top/red) to ethanol (bottom blue). b) chemical structures of substrate phosphatidylcholine (PC) and products phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylethanol (PEth)