Group I phospholipase A2 mRNA expression in rat glandular stomach and pancreas. Ontogenic development and effects of cortisone acetate

Antioxidant and gastric cytoprotective prostaglandins properties of Cassia sieberiana roots bark extract as an anti-ulcerogenic agent

Background

Cassia sieberiana is a savannah tree with a wide phytotherapeutic application including the use of its roots in the management of various stomach disorders including gastric ulcer, stomach pains and indigestion. The aim of the study is to evaluate the antioxidant, gastric cytoprotective prostaglandins, secretory phospholipase A₂, phytochemical and acute toxicity properties of Cassia sieberiana roots bark extract in a bid to justify its phytotherapeutic applications in gastric ulcer.

Methods

Antioxidant and radical scavenging activities of the roots bark extract of Cassia sieberiana were assayed. Serum secretory phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂) concentration and activity and the formation of gastric mucosal prostaglandins E₂ (PGE₂) and I₂ (PGI₂) were also assessed. Comparisons between means were performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Students Standard Newman-Keuls post hoc analysis to determine statistical significance. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

The extract was found to possess significant ferric reducing antioxidant power and can scavenge hydroxyl radicals. The extract also possesses DPPH scavenging activity, can chelate ferrous ion and a dose-dependent protective effect against lipid peroxidation and free radical generation. Prostaglandin studies showed that the roots bark extract dose dependently increased gastric mucosal PGE₂ and PGI₂ levels and also decreased serum sPLA₂ activity. Phytochemical analyses suggest that the roots extract contains polyhydroxyl/phenolic substances. Acute toxicity test showed no sign of toxicity up to a dose level of 2000 mg/kg body weight p.o.

Conclusions

C. sieberiana roots extract possesses significant antioxidant and gastric cytoprotective prostaglandin properties as well as serum secretory phospholipase A₂ inhibitory activity which could be due to its content of polyhydroxy and/or phenolic substances. This may justify its use as an anti-ulcerogenic agent in traditional medicine in West Africa.

Bromophenacyl bromide, a phospholipase A2 inhibitor attenuates chemically induced gastroduodenal ulcers in rats

AIM: To study the effect of bromophenacyl bromide (BPB), a phospholipase A₂ inhibitor on gastric secretion and to protect chemically induced gastric and duodenal ulcers in rats.

METHODS: Acid secretion studies were undertaken in pylorus-ligated rats with BPB treatment (0, 5, 15 and 45 mg/kg). Gastric and duodenal lesions in the rats were induced by ethanol and cysteamine respectively. The levels of gastric wall mucus, nonprotein sulfhydryls (NP-SH) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were also measured in the glandular stomach of rats following ethanol induced gastric lesions.

RESULTS: BPB produced a dose-dependent inhibition of gastric acid secretion and acidity in rats. Pretreatment with BPB significantly attenuated the formation of ethanol induced gastric lesion. BPB also protected intestinal mucosa against cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcers. The antiulcer activity of BPB was associated with significant inhibition of ethanol-induced depletion of gastric wall mucus, NP-SH and MPO. These findings pointed towards the mediation of sulfhydryls in BPB induced gastrointestinal cytoprotection.

CONCLUSION: BPB possesses significant antiulcer and cytoprotective activity against experimentally induced gastroduodenal lesions.

Helicobacter infection and phospholipase A2 enzymes: effect of Helicobacter felis-infection on the expression and activity of sPLA2 enzymes in mouse stomach

The murine gastric mucosa possesses very high secretory type phospholipase A2 activity. Northern and Western blots indicated that the pancreatic-type, sPLA2-IB represents the predominant form of sPLA2 enzymes present in the gastric mucosa. Both sPLA2-IB mRNA and protein in the gastric mucosa exceeded levels found in the pancreas, and in contrast to the pancreatic enzyme it was present primarily in the active state. The sPLA2-IB gene is not expressed in the murine small intestine and colon. Infection by the gastritis-inducing bacteria, Helicobacterfelis (H. felis) dramatically and time dependently decreased the PLA2 activity in the glandular stomach of the mouse strain, C57BL/6, sensitive to the organism, which appeared to be related to a decrease in the percentage of sPLA2-IB present in the active form. This bacterial-induced reduction in PLA2 activity was not observed in BALB/c mice that fail to develop gastritis in response to H. felis infection. C57BL/6 mice do not, while BALB/c mice express, the PLA2-II enzyme. The H. felis-induced reduction in sPLA2-IB activity may weaken the gastric barrier by reducing the local concentration of arachidonic and linoleic acid, liberated from membrane phospholipids, the major precursors of 'cytoprotective' prostaglandins. Data presented here suggest that both sPLA2-IB and sPLA2-II enzymes may contribute to the gastric response to Helicobacter infection.

Maturational changes in rabbit renal cortical phospholipase A2 activity

Several studies have demonstrated that the neonatal kidney has a markedly attenuated response to parathyroid hormone (PTH); however, the cause for this blunted response is unknown. PTH stimulated cAMP production by 215 +/- 18% in neonatal proximal tubule suspensions compared to a 35 +/- 7% increase in adult proximal tubules. Thus, neonatal proximal tubules have functioning PTH receptors and a greater adenylate cyclase response than the adult segment. In adult proximal tubules, PTH stimulates phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity and the inhibition of Na,K-ATPase activity by PTH is blocked by inhibitors of PLA2. We examined whether maturational changes in renal cortical activity could play a role in the attenuated response to PTH in the neonatal proximal tubule. Compared to adults, neonates had a lower renal cortical cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2) activity, assessed as the release of 14C-arachidonic acid (AA) from labeled phosphatidyl choline (0.44 +/- 0.10 vs. 0.74 +/- 0.06% 14C-AA released/min/mg protein, P < 0.05) and microsomal PLA2 activity (0.32 +/- 0.03 vs. 1.20 +/- 0.13% 14C-AA released/min/mg protein, P < 0.001). The protein abundance of cPLA2 was not different between the neonatal and adult renal cortex as assessed by immunoblot assay. Thus, the difference in activities must be due to a difference in regulation of cPLA2. Annexin 1 (lipocortin 1) has been shown to inhibit PLA2 activity by binding to phospholipid substrate. Annexin 1 protein abundance was higher in neonatal than in adult renal cortex (P < 0.001). Thus, the lower activity of PLA2 in the neonatal tubules may be due in part to higher expression of annexin 1. PLA2 activation by PTH, -8-bromo-cAMP and PMA was assessed as 3H-AA release from prelabeled suspensions of neonatal and adult proximal tubules. PTH (10(-7) M), 8-bromo-cAMP (10(-4) M) and PMA (5 x 10(-8) M) significantly increased 3H-AA release from adult tubules (P < 0.05) but had no effect on neonatal tubules (P = NS). Thus, PTH, 8-bromo-cAMP and PMA stimulated PLA2 in adult but not neonatal proximal tubules. In conclusion, the maturational changes in renal cortical PLA2 activity may be a factor in the blunted response of neonatal proximal tubules to PTH.

Effects of endotoxin and dexamethasone on group I and II phospholipase A2 in rat ileum and stomach

Phospholipase A2 (EC 3.1.1.4) is a key enzyme in inflammation and is thought to play an important part in inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. To investigate the nature and regulation of phospholipase A2 activity in the gastrointestinal mucosa, the distribution of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for group II phospholipase A2 in various parts of the rat gastrointestinal tract was studied, as well as the influence of endotoxin or dexamethasone, or both, on the group I and II phospholipase A2 mRNA expression and activity in the rat glandular stomach and distal ileum. The results show that (a) group II phospholipase A2 is present along the whole gastrointestinal tract, but in particularly large amounts in the distal ileum, (b) endotoxin increases group II, but not group I, phospholipase A2 mRNA expression in the glandular stomach and distal ileum, and (c) dexamethasone reduces the endotoxin induced increases in group II phospholipase mRNA expression and activity in the gastrointestinal mucosa. These findings suggest that phospholipase A2 of type II is a mediator of endotoxin effects in the gastrointestinal mucosa and that its expression at the mRNA level can be inhibited by corticosteroids.

Enhancing factor protein from mouse small intestines belongs to the phospholipase A2 family

Enhancing factor (EF), a growth regulatory molecule, isolated from mouse small intestines, has been well characterized in this laboratory. It increases the binding of epidermal growth factor in a unique manner via its own receptor. In the first 20 N-terminal amino acids sequenced, EF showed 50% homology to human Group II phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Here we propose that EF is yet another, unidentified isoform of PLA2 which regulates cell proliferation via modulation of EGF binding. To our knowledge, this is the first report implicating PLA2-II-like molecules in growth regulation.