Interaction of eicosanoids and macrophages during inflammatory responses

Alpha 2 macroglobulin-proteinase complexes stimulate prostaglandin E2 synthesis by peritoneal macrophages

alpha 2-Macroglobulin is a proteinase inhibitor which is converted from its native form into an electrophoretically "fast" form by reaction with a proteinase or methylamine. All alpha 2M "fast" forms bind to a specific high-affinity receptor on macrophages. alpha 2M "fast" forms inhibit the interferon-gamma (IFN)-induced increase in macrophage Ia expression. This study examined whether alpha 2M-proteinase complexes alter prostaglandin (PG) E2 synthesis, and whether PGE2 mediates alpha 2M "fast" forms effects on macrophage Ia expression. Culture with alpha 2M "fast" forms increased PGE2 accumulation in the medium over control values in a dose-dependent manner. Culture with IFN alone did not increase PGE2 levels, but potentiated the effect of alpha 2M-proteinase complexes on PGE2 levels. Inhibition of PGE2 synthesis did not alter the inhibitory effect of alpha 2M-proteinase complexes on IFN-induced Ia expression. However, exogenous PGE2 did suppress IFN-induced Ia expression. Thus, alpha 2M-proteinase complexes increase macrophage PGE2 synthesis, but increased synthesis of PGE2 or other cyclooxygenase products is not the mediator of antagonism of IFN-induced Ia expression by alpha 2M-proteinase complexes.

[Eicosanoids and phospholipases]

Prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes have been implicated to play an important role in physiology as well as in a growing list of pathophysiologic conditions. These oxidation products of 8.11.14-eicosatrienoic-, 5.8.11.14.-eicosatetraenoic-, and 5.8.11.14.17.-pentaenoic acids have been collectively designated eicosanoids. Many clinically important diseases are associated with altered eicosanoid biosynthesis. Furthermore, a series of hormones are known to induce acutely formation of eicosanoids, suggesting a crucial role in a multitude of tissue responses including phenomena such as secretion, platelet aggregation, chemotaxis, and smooth muscle contraction. The major precursor for the eicosanoids seems to be 5.8.11.14.-eicosatetraenoic acid or arachidonic acid. Virtually all of arachidonic acid however is present in esterified form in complex glycerolipids. Since cyclooxygenase and the lipoxygenases utilize arachidonic acid in its free form, a set of acylhydrolases is required to liberate arachidonic acid from membrane lipids before eicosanoid formation can occur. It became only recently apparent that a minor acidic phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol, comprising only 5%-10% of the phospholipid mass in mammalian cells, plays an important role in arachidonic acid metabolism. Phosphatidylinositol--after phosphorylation to phosphatidylinositolphosphate and phosphatidylinositolbisphosphate--appears to be hydrolyzed by specific phospholipases C generating 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-diglyceride. Diglyceride serves as substrate for diglyceride lipase to form monoglyceride and free fatty acid. Alternatively diglyceride is phosphorylated by diglyceride kinase yielding phosphatidic acid, which is believed to be reincorporated into phosphatidylinositol. In addition to phosphatidylinositol phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidic acid may contribute to arachidonic acid release. These phospholipids are substrates for phospholipases A2 generating free arachidonic acid and the respective lysophospholipid. Understanding of the biochemistry of arachidonic acid liberation may be critical in developing strategies of pharmacological intervention in a variety of pathological conditions.