[en] The heart sarcolemmal phosphatidylethanolamine N-methylation in UM-X7.1 strain of cardiomyopathic hamsters was examined by using 0.055, 10 and 150 microM S-adenosyl-L-(methyl-³H) methionine as methyl donor for sites I, II and III, respectively. In comparison with control values, methylation activities at site I was increased in 40, 120 and 250 days old cardiomyopathic hamsters. On the other hand, methylation activities at sites II and III in 120 and 250 days old cardiomyopathic animals were depressed without any change in the 40 days old group. The alterations in N-methylation activities were associated with kinetic changes in apparent Vmax values without any changes in the apparent Km. These results indicate a defect in the phospholipid N-methylation process in heart sarcolemma during the development of genetically determined cardiomyopathy