Protein kinase C-mediated phospholipase D activity is increased by linolenic acid supplementation in NG 108-15 cells

A comparison of the molecular specificities of whole cell and endonuclear phosphatidylcholine synthesis

Deuterated choline-d(9) labelling of IMR-32 cells enabled comparison of the molecular specificities of whole cell and endonuclear phosphatidylcholine synthesis after 96 h polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation. Surprisingly, while cell phosphatidylcholine synthesis and remodelling reflected a pattern of polyunsaturated fatty acid accretion, the saturated endonuclear phosphatidylcholine pool was only transiently labelled with polyunsaturates. Periodic endonuclear accumulations of the lipid second messenger diacylglycerol, mobilised from unsaturated phosphatidylinositol or saturated phosphatidylcholine, accompany cell proliferation. Non-specific incorporation into endonuclear phosphatidylcholine and selective removal or remodelling of unsaturated molecular species may form part of a single 'off switch' recycling all endonuclear diacylglycerol accumulations.

Dietary fat and prostate cancer: current status

Efforts to elucidate the causes of prostate cancer have met with little success to date. All that is known with certainty is that the incidence increases exponentially with age, varies by geography and by race or ethnicity, and is higher among men whose father or brother had the disease. Because the incidence changes in migrants and their offspring, exogenous factors certainly contribute to the risk of prostate cancer. Early epidemiologic studies implicated dietary fat as a likely causal factor for this cancer. However, scientific support for such an association has diminished in recent years as more epidemiologic evidence has accrued. Accordingly, we reviewed the relevant English language literature on this topic, including epidemiologic and animal studies, as well as current concepts regarding the involvement of fat in carcinogenesis to re-examine the fat-prostate cancer hypothesis. We conclude that dietary fat may indeed be related to prostate cancer risk, although the specific fat components that are responsible are not yet clear. Given the diverse effects of fatty acids on cellular biology and chemistry, it seems likely that the relationship is complex, involving the interplay of fat with other dietary factors, such as antioxidant vitamins and minerals, or with genetic factors that influence susceptibility. Some suggestions for further research are offered.

Effect of 3-amino-1-propanol on the phosphatidylinositol (PI) and glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) systems of Tetrahymena

3-Amino-1-propanol (AP), a substance replacing ethanolamine in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) significantly reduced 32P incorporation to phosphatidylinositol (PI) and glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) in the unicellular organism Tetrahymena pyriformis. At 10 mM, AP completely inhibited the incorporation of 32P into PI. 3H-arachidonate incorporation into PI was also inhibited, while that into diacylglycerol (DAG) was high. The experiments indicate the presence and metabolism of inositol phospholipids and GPI in T. pyriformis.

Phospholipase D hydrolysis of plasmalogen and diacyl ethanolamine phosphoglycerides by protein kinase C dependent and independent mechanisms

Ethanolamine phosphoglycerides (EPG) are potential sources of lipid second messengers in signal transduction pathways. We investigated EPG turnover, including both 1-alkenyl-2-acyl- (plasmalogen) and diacyl-classes, in response to stimulation of protein kinase C (PKC) by phorbol ester (4 beta-12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)) in cultured C6 rat glioma cells. Release of ethanolamine to the medium from EPG prelabeled with [14C]ethanolamine indicated that initial (< 60 min) TPA-stimulated hydrolysis of EPG was predominantly by phospholipase D (PLD). Effects of TPA on PLD activity specifically with EPG was confirmed using trans-phosphatidylation by incubating cells prelabeled with [14C]eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) with 100 nM TPA and 1% butanol. Analysis of acid-labile phosphatidylbutanol and remaining EPG showed utilization of both plasmalogen and non-plasmalogen EPG. Staurosporine (STS) inhibited PKC at 200-500 nM but stimulated PLD activity 2-fold at > or = 1 microM. However, STS did not eliminate all TPA-stimulated PLD activity, even when PKC was > 98% inhibited. Bis-indolylmaleimide (BIM) fully inhibited PKC activity but had no independent effects on PLD and did not completely inhibit TPA- or bryostatin-stimulated PLD activity. Down-regulation of PKC by chronic exposure to TPA eliminated stimulation of PLD by TPA but not by STS. Thus, PLD hydrolysis of both plasmalogen and diacyl-EPG is a source of potential lipid second messengers in C6 glioma cells. PLD is stimulated by activation of PKC and by PKC-independent action of STS. Further, the possibility that TPA may also elicit responses through a mechanism independent of PKC activity is suggested.