Rat Brain Membrane-Bound Phospholipase D

Phosphocholine as a biomarker of breast cancer: Molecular and biochemical studies

The discovery of metabolic and molecular markers that help improving the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer is an important goal to be achieved. A high composite-choline signal in magnetic resonance spectra of breast lesions has been demonstrated to improve the accuracy of breast cancer diagnosis. In the present study we revealed the principal molecular and biochemical steps associated with the induction of choline metabolism and phosphocholine accumulation in human breast cancer cell-lines in comparison with normal human mammary epithelial cells. We found upregulation of the expression levels of specific choline transporters: organic cation transporter-2 and choline high affinity transporter-1, as well as of the enzyme choline kinase alpha in the cancerous cells in comparison with that in the normal mammary epithelial cells. The expression levels of choline transporter like-1, organic cation transporter-1 and choline kinase beta were similar in normal and cancerous cells. We further showed that choline transport rates and choline kinase activity indeed increased by several fold in the cancer cells leading to the elevation of phosphocholine. The results strongly suggest that phosphocholine can serve as a biomarker of breast cancer reflecting upregulation of specific choline transporters and choline kinase genes.

Angiotensin II-stimulated cortisol secretion is mediated by phospholipase D

Angiotensin II (Ang-II) regulates a variety of cellular functions including cortisol secretion. In the present report, we demonstrate that Ang-II activates phospholipase D (PLD) in zona fasciculata (ZF) cells of bovine adrenal glands, and that this effect is associated to the stimulation of cortisol secretion by this hormone. PLD activation was dependent upon extracellular Ca2+, and was blocked by inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC). Using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique, we demonstrated that ZF cells express both PLD-1 and PLD-2 isozymes. Primary alcohols, which attenuate the formation of phosphatidate (the product of PLD), and cell-permeable ceramides, which inhibit PLD potently, blocked Ang-II-stimulated cortisol secretion. Furthermore, propranolol or chlorpromazine, which are potent inhibitors of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (PAP) (the enzyme that produces diacylglycerol from phosphatidate), also blocked cortisol secretion. These data suggest that the PLD/PAP pathway plays an important role in the regulation of cortisol secretion by Ang-II in ZF cells.

Characterization and regulation of yeast Ca2+-dependent phosphatidylethanolamine-phospholipase D activity

An unconventional phospholipase D (PLD) activity was identified recently in Saccharomyces cerevisiae which is Ca2+-dependent, preferentially hydrolyses phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) and phosphatidylserine and does not catalyse a transphosphatidylation with primary short-chain alcohols. We have characterized the cytosolic and membrane-bound forms of the yeast PtdEtn-PLD and examined the regulation of its activity under certain growth, nutritional and stress conditions. Both forms of PtdEtn-PLD activity were similarly activated by Ca2+ ions in a biphasic manner. Likewise, other divalent cations affected both cytosolic and membrane-bound forms to the same extent. The yeast PtdEtn-PLD activity was found to interact with immobilized PtdEtn in a Ca2+-dependent manner. The partially purified cytosolic form and the salt-extracted membrane-bound form of yeast PtdEtn-PLD exhibited a similar elution pattern on size-exclusion chromatography, coeluting as low apparent molecular weight peaks. PtdEtn-PLD activity was stimulated, along with Spo14p/Pld1p activity, upon dilution of stationary phase cultures in glucose, acetate and galactose media, but PtdEtn-PLD activation was less pronounced. Interestingly, PtdEtn-PLD activity was found to be elevated by approximately 40% in sec14ts mutants at the restrictive temperature, whereas in other sec mutants it remained unaffected. The activity of PtdEtn-PLD was reduced by 30-40% upon addition to the medium of inositol (75 micro m) in either wild-type yeast or spo14Delta mutants and this effect was seen regardless of the presence of choline, suggesting that transcription of the PtdEtn-PLD gene is down-regulated by inositol. Finally, exposure of yeast cells to H2O2 resulted in a transient increase in PtdEtn-PLD activity followed by a profound, nearly 90% decrease in activity. In conclusion, our results indicate that yeast PtdEtn-PLD activity is highly regulated: the enzyme is acutely activated upon entry into the cell cycle and following inactivation of sec14ts, and is inhibited under oxidative stress conditions. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Changes in phospholipase D isoform activity and expression in multidrug-resistant human cancer cells

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major cause of failure of cancer chemotherapy and is often associated with elevated expression of drug transporters such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the cancer cells. MDR is, however, accompanied by additional biochemical changes including modifications of membrane composition and properties. We have shown that MDR is associated with a massive up-regulation of caveolin expression and an elevated surface density of caveolae. We report that phospholipase D (PLD), a constituent enzyme of caveolae and detergent-insoluble glycolipid-rich membranes (DIGs), is up-regulated in human MDR cancer cells. Lysates of HT-29-MDR human colon adenocarcinoma cells, MCF-7 AdrR human breast adenocarcinoma cells and the corresponding parental drug-sensitive cells, were fractionated on discontinuous sucrose density gradients. PLD activity was found to be enriched in low density fractions that contain DIGs and caveolar membranes, and the activity in these fractions was 4- to 6-fold higher in the MDR cells compared with the parental drug- sensitive cells. Utilizing specific antibodies to PLD1 and PLD2, the distribution of PLD isoforms along the gradient was determined and the PLD localized in DIGs and caveolar membranes has been identified as PLD2. Northern blot analysis of PLD1 and PLD2 mRNA levels has indicated that PLD2 mRNA is elevated in both HT-29-MDR and MCF-7 AdrR cells. PLD1 mRNA levels were either unchanged or reduced in the MDR cells. Finally, in vivo experiments have confirmed previous results showing that activation of PLD by phorbol esters is markedly potentiated in the MDR cells. We conclude that MDR is accompanied by an increase in PLD2 activity in DIGs and caveolar membranes.

Localization and possible functions of phospholipase D isozymes

The activation of PLD is believed to play an important role in the regulation of cell function and cell fate by extracellular signal molecules. Multiple PLD activities have been characterized in mammalian cells and, more recently, several PLD genes have been cloned. Current evidence indicates that diverse PLD activities are localized in most, if not all, cellular organelles, where they are likely to subserve different functions in signal transduction, membrane vesicle trafficking and cytoskeletal dynamics.

Developmental changes in phospholipase D activity and mRNA levels in rat brain

Phospholipase D (PLD) activity and PLD1 mRNA levels were determined in rat brain at ages ranging from embryonic day (E) 19 to postnatal day (P) 49. Basal, oleate-, and phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate-stimulated PLD activity increased between E19 and P24 by approximately 3-fold and remained unaltered thereafter. A similar developmental pattern of mRNA levels of PLD1 isoform was found by Northern blotting. The development of PLD correlates with synaptogenesis and myelination suggesting that the enzyme might have an important function in these processes.

Identification and characterization of a gene encoding phospholipase D activity in yeast

We have identified an open reading frame on chromosome XI of the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as encoding a protein with phospholipase D (PLD) activity. We have named this open reading frame, PLD1, and show that yeast bearing a disruption in this gene are unable to catalyze the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine. PLD1 encodes a hypothetical protein of 1683 amino acids and has a predicted molecular mass of 195 kDa. Yeast bearing disruptions at the PLD1 locus are morphologically normal and grow vegetatively like wild-type cells. In contrast, homozygous delta pld1 diploid cells are unable to sporulate and do not produce asci under conditions that induce meiosis and sporulation in wild-type cells. Thus, PLD1 is likely to be essential for the meiotic cycle in yeast cells. This is the first identification of a eukaryotic, nonplant, phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D gene. Because the biological role of PLD is not well understood, we expect that delta pld1 yeast will become a useful tool for the characterization of PLD functions as well as for the identification of mammalian PLD homologs.