A pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 in rat gastric mucosa

Phospholipid hydroperoxides are detoxified by phospholipase A2 and GSH peroxidase in rat gastric mucosa

The aim of this study was to determine the metabolic fate of phospholipid hydroperoxides (PLOOH) in rat gastric mucosa. Here we report evidence concerning the mechanism for PLOOH detoxification in gastric mucosa homogenate. Analysis by the TLC blot technique showed that the gastric mucosa has the highest potential to eliminate 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxides (PL-PtdChoOOH) compared with the intestinal mucosa and liver. Major products detected after incubation with gastric mucosa were the partially reduced linoleic acid hydroperoxides (LAOOH) and lysophosphatidylcholine, indicating the involvement of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in the elimination pathway. Using unilamellar vesicles, we demonstrated that gastric mucosal PLA2 does not distinguish between PLOOH and intact phospholipids. Although gastric mucosal PLA2 activity efficiently eliminated excess amounts of PLOOH, the complete reduction of LAOOH was dependent on the supply of exogenous GSH. In a separate experiment, administration of egg yolk PtdChoOOH to rats for 6 d significantly elevated GSH peroxidase (GPx) activity in the gastric mucosa. We concluded that excess amounts of PLOOH are efficiently eliminated through the hydrolysis by PLA2, and the subsequent reduction of FA hydroperoxide by GPx is the critical step for complete detoxification of oxidized phospholipids in the stomach.

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.

Increased intestinal phospholipase A(2) activity catalyzed by phospholipase B/lipase in WBN/Kob rats with pancreatic insufficiency

Male WBN/Kob rats derived from the Wistar strain spontaneously develop chronic pancreatitis as late as 3 months old. To assess the degree of disease severity, we compared the lipolytic enzyme levels in pancreas of 2-, 4-, and 6-month-old WBN/Kob rats fed isocaloric no fat (NF) and high fat (HF, 57% of total calories) diets and its pathology. Diet treatment did not significantly affect lipase and group Ib phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) levels in the pancreas at all ages. Development of chronic pancreatitis at the age of 4 and 6 months was consistent with the tendency of decreasing group Ib PLA(2) specific content determined by enzyme immunoassay and lipase activity, and the decreased number of group Ib PLA(2)-positive acinar cells. Pancreatic lipase and group Ib PLA(2) levels of 4-month-old WBN/Kob rats were significantly lower than those of control Wistar rats at age 4 months irrespective of diet. This allowed us to adopt 4-month-old WBN/Kob rats as a model of pancreatic insufficiency, which could be a useful tool to examine the role of gastrointestinal enzymes in lipid digestion. Ca(2+)-independent PLA(2) activity of brush border membrane-associated phospholipase B/lipase (PLB/LIP) in ileal mucosa increased significantly in 4-month-old WBN/Kob rats while its content and transcript levels remained constant, suggesting its activation at the enzyme level. In WBN/Kob rats fed the HF diet at age 4 months, PLA(2) activity catalyzed by PLB/LIP in the proximal ileal mucosa was four times the total PLA(2) activity in the intestinal lumen. These results indicate that PLB/LIP compensates for the depletion of pancreatic lipolytic enzymes in WBN/Kob rats with pancreas insufficiency.

Phospholipase A2: its usefulness in laboratory diagnostics

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids. This article reviews the source and structure of PLA2, the involvement of the enzyme in various biological and pathological phenomena, and the usefulness of PLA2 assays in laboratory diagnostics. Of particular importance is the role of PLA2 in the cellular production of mediators of inflammatory response to various stimuli. Assays for PLA2 activity and mass concentration are discussed, and the results of enzyme determinations in plasma from patients with different pathological conditions are presented. The determination of activity and mass concentration in plasma is particularly useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatitis, multiple organ failure, septic shock, and rheumatoid arthritis. A very important result is the demonstration that PLA2 is an acute phase protein, like CRP. Indeed, there is a close correlation between PLA2 mass concentration and CRP levels in several pathological conditions. Although the determination of C-reactive protein is much easier to perform and is routinely carried out in most clinical laboratories, the assessment of PLA2 activity or mass concentration has to be considered as a reliable approach to obtain a deeper understanding of some pathological conditions and may offer additional information concerning the prognosis of several disorders.

Increased group II phospholipase A2 in colonic mucosa of patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

The immunochemical protein content of group II phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and PLA2 enzymatic activity were measured for colonic mucosal biopsy samples obtained from patients with either Crohn's disease of the colon or ulcerative colitis, and control patients without inflammatory bowel disease. Immunoreactive group II PLA2 (IR-PLA2 II) content and PLA2 activity in actively inflamed colonic mucosa of Crohn's disease patients were significantly higher than those in inactively inflamed mucosa of Crohn's disease patients and the colonic mucosa of controls. IR-PLA2 II content and PLA2 activity in severely inflamed mucosa of ulcerative colitis patients were significantly higher than those in the colonic mucosa of the controls. Mucosal PLA2 enzymatic activity was closely correlated with mucosal IR-PLA2 II content in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. These results suggest that an increase in PLA2 enzymatic activity in inflamed colonic mucosa of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis was mainly attributed to increased protein content of group II PLA2, and that an increase in mucosal group II PLA2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Effect of anthracyclines on phospholipase A2 activity and prostaglandin E2 production in rat gastric mucosa

The purpose of this study was to investigate in rats the effects of three anthracyclines, pirarubicin, doxorubicin and epirubicin on gastric prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) metabolism and phospholipase A2 (PLA2, EC 3.1.1.4) activity. The level of the membrane precursor, arachidonic acid, and the stability of the membrane were investigated by analysis of the composition of fatty acids. Enzymatic activities involved in the turnover of membrane phospholipids such as lysophospholipase (LPase, EC 3.1.1.5) and acyl-CoA lysophosphatidylcholine: acyltransferase (ACLAT, EC 2.3.1.23), and in the detoxification of lipid hydroperoxides, selenium-dependent glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PX, EC 1.11.1.9) were measured after injection of the drugs for 4 consecutive days. Pirarubicin does not give rise to any changes in these activities but doxorubicin and epirubicin decreased PGE2 production and the activities of PLA2, LPase and ACLAT. GSH-PX activity was not changed by any of the drugs. The decrease in PLA2 activity does not seem to be related to variations in membrane lipid composition because the total phospholipids content was unchanged. The P/S (polyunsaturated/saturated) ratio increased in the doxorubicin group and decreased in the epirubicin group, and the unsaturation index was moderately modified. Arachidonic acid was increased only in the doxorubicin group. In vitro, PLA2 activity was not inhibited by the three drugs in the micromolar range. A marked inhibition was observed at 2.5 mM for pirarubicin and at 1.0 mM for doxorubicin and epirubicin. The Lineweaver-Burk representation showed that these inhibitions were of an uncompetitive type. Pirarubicin may therefore be considered to be an anthracycline without marked side-effects on gastric mucosa. However, the in vitro inhibition of PLA2 activity by anthracyclines does not fully explain the in vitro decrease in PLA2 specific activity observed after doxorubicin and epirubicin treatment, and in this context membrane structure modifications unconnected with the lipid composition can not be excluded. In vivo these phenomena may affect PGE2 synthesis, whose level was lower in the doxorubicin and epirubicin groups than in control group.

Purification and characterization of guinea pig gastric phospholipase A2 of the pancreatic type

Guinea pig gastric mucosa and juice contained exceptionally high phospholipase-A2 activity, whereas the activity in the pancreas was only minimal. Phospholipases A2 were purified to homogeneity from these three tissues. Structural evidence, including the sequence of the NH2-terminal 41 residues, the amino-acid composition and the molecular mass (13902 +/- 3 Da) determined accurately by mass spectrometry, showed that the gastric mucosa enzyme belongs to the pancreatic type. An unique feature of the sequence is the substitution of Phe for the hitherto invariant Tyr28 in the calcium-binding loop of pancreatic phospholipases A2. The affinity of the guinea pig enzyme for Ca2+ in the presence of substrate was, however, identical to that of the rat enzyme with Tyr28, suggesting the interaction of a phenolic hydroxyl group of the Tyr with its neighboring residues is not significantly linked to the binding of Ca2+. The NH2-terminal sequences and immunochemical properties of the enzymes purified from the gastric juice and pancreas were identical to those of the gastric mucosa enzyme. The distribution of cells immunoreactive with anti-(gastric PLA2) immunoglobulin in the stomach was quite similar to that of the chief cells. Unlike in pancreas of other animals, the prophospholipase A2 was not detectable in gastric mucosa or juice homogenates treated with diisopropyl fluorophosphate or in column effluents during purification under acidic conditions. An appreciable prophospholipase-A2-activating activity was not detectable in gastric mucosa extracts at low pH relevant to gastric juice, using rat prophospholipase A2 as substrate. This opposes the activation of secreted proenzyme in the gastric juice.

Cloning and expression of phospholipase A2 from guinea pig gastric mucosa, its induction by carbachol and secretion in vivo

A cDNA encoding phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was cloned from guinea pig gastric mucosa using a rat pancreatic-PLA2-cDNA fragment as a probe. The cDNA contains an open reading frame sufficient to encode the entire amino-acid sequence of a PLA2-precursor protein consisting of 146 amino acids, including a putative 16-residue signal peptide and a 6-residue activation peptide at the NH2-terminus. Its nucleotide sequence exhibits 70% similarity to that of rat pancreatic PLA2 cDNA. The deduced amino-acid sequence has all the typical pancreatic PLA2 characteristics, with the exception of the substitution of Phe for Tyr at position 28 in the calcium-binding loop of the mature enzyme. When an expression vector containing the PLA2 cDNA was transfected into COS-7 cells, a major portion of the proenzyme was secreted into the culture medium. Northern-blot analysis showed the mRNA was present in guinea pig lung and pancreas at much lower levels than in the stomach. The effect of carbachol, a muscarinic acetylcholine agonist, on the secretion of gastric PLA2 and on its mRNA level in the gastric mucosa were examined. PLA2 secretion into the gastric juice was maximal 30 min after the subcutaneous administration of carbachol (0.4 mg/kg). It also increased the PLA2-mRNA level in the tissue, the maximal mRNA level being delayed about 15 min compared with that in PLA2 secretion. These results suggest that vagal stimuli may contribute to PLA2 secretion and its compensatory synthesis, and that the secreted PLA2 may participate in the digestion of dietary and biliary phospholipids in the small intestine of guinea pig.

Characterization of recombinant human and rat pancreatic phospholipases A2 secreted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: difference in proteolytic processing

An expression plasmid for human pancreatic phospholipase A2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was constructed by insertion of cDNA encoding its preprophospholipase A2 into a yeast expression vector pAM82. The resulting product secreted in the yeast culture medium was mainly prophospholipase A2, which was the same as the natural proenzyme in all aspects examined, including the higher order structure. However, when the rat preprophospholipase A2 cDNA was manipulated in the same manner, the active phospholipase A2 of the intact mature form was secreted with the proenzyme being hardly detected in the medium. This unexpected favorable result would occur due to cleavage of rat phospholipase A2 pro-peptide by a trypsin-like proteinase in S. cerevisiae. Based on this finding, we constructed a plasmid carrying the sequence coding for the prepro-peptide of rat pancreatic phospholipase A2 behind the PHO5 promoter in the pAM82 vector, which leads to the secretion of heterologous proteins as their mature form. The use of this plasmid led to secretion of biologically active human pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor and a glutamic acid-specific endopeptidase from Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12600, which are eukaryote and prokaryote proteins, respectively, in the culture medium of S. cerevisiae.

Proliferative effect of phospholipase A2 in rat chondrocyte via its specific binding sites

We studied the presence of specific binding sites for pancreatic-type group I phospholipase A2 (PLA2-I), EC 3.1.1.4, and a PLA2-I action on the DNA synthesis of rat chondrocytes. Rat chondrocytes, derived from the xiphisternum of adult rats, had a single class of PLA2-I binding site with an equilibrium binding constant value of 0.9 nM and a maximum binding capacity of 53.9 fmol/10(6) cells. PLA2-I alone did not show any proliferative effect, however, PLA2-I dose-dependently stimulated thymidine incorporation in DNA in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The mammalian mature type of PLA2s-I specifically recognized the binding sites in these cells and had a synergistic effect on DNA synthesis with bFGF, whereas its inactive zymogen and group II PLA2 showed much lesser activities. The type-specific action of PLA2s implicated the involvement of PLA2-I specific binding sites in this activation process.

Raised serum activity of phospholipase A2 immunochemically related to group II enzyme in inflammatory bowel disease: its correlation with disease activity of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

Calcium dependent phospholipase A2 activity in the mixed micelles of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol and cholate was measured in sera of 39 patients with Crohn's disease, 40 patients with ulcerative colitis, and 40 healthy controls. The phospholipase A2 activity was significantly raised in those sera of the patients with active Crohn's disease and those with moderate and severe ulcerative colitis. The major phospholipase A2 activity derived from the sera was separated into two peaks by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The phospholipase A2 active fractions were immunochemically characterised using specific antibody directed against human group II phospholipase A2 purified from rheumatoid synovial fluid. The results suggest that raised serum phospholipase A2 activity in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis was mainly attributed to the two forms of phospholipase A2 immunochemically related to group II enzyme. In patients with Crohn's disease, serum phospholipase A2 activity decreased in parallel with clinical improvement, and correlated with serum C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The results suggest that serum phospholipase A2 activity may serve as an additional indicator of disease activity. Serum phospholipase A2 activity in patients with ulcerative colitis tends to increase in relation with endoscopic severity, and may be a more sensitive laboratory index than serum C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate to evaluate disease activity.

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

The postnatal development of group I phospholipase A2 (group I PLA2) in the glandular stomach and pancreas of neonatal rats was investigated. The amounts of group I PLA2 mRNA (and also the PLA2 enzymatic activity) in the glandular stomach mucosa increased with age in 3-60-day-old animals. This postnatal development of rat stomach group I PLA2 mRNA agreed with that of group I PLA2 mRNA of the rat pancreas, and thus seems to follow the general development of the gastrointestinal tract during the neonatal period. The latter was further supported by the finding that maturation of group I PLA2 in both the stomach and pancreas was induced precociously in rats treated with cortisone acetate. It is suggested that the stomach group I PLA2 is involved in mucosal eicosanoid production.

Detection of human pancreatic pro-phospholipase A2 activation using an immunoassay for the free activation peptide DSGISPR

There are several forms of the enzyme phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in human tissues. In the pancreas the enzyme is produced as a zymogen, pro-phospholipase A2 (pro-PLA2). The active form is generated upon proteolytic cleavage of the N-terminal prophospholipase A2 activation peptide (PLAP), with the sequence Asp-Ser-Gly-Ile-Ser-Pro-Arg (DSGISPR). Antisera specific for free PLAP were produced by immunization with the synthetic peptide, N-terminally conjugated to bovine thyroglobin. Affinity purified antibodies were used to develop a radioimmunoassay with a detection limit of 5 nmol/L. Competitive inhibition studies with amino-terminally truncated sequences showed that, at least, the C-terminal pentapeptide (GISPR) was required for significant inhibition. Anti-PLAP antibodies did not react with native human pancreatic homogenate (a source of pro-PLA2). A large immunoreactive signal was generated upon trypsinization, which coeluted with synthetic PLAP when chromatographed on Sephadex-G25. Likewise, Sephadex-G50 chromatograph fractions of the untrypsinized homogenate reacted with the antibodies only after trypsinization. The immunoreactive signal appeared at a molecular weight of 14,500 which corresponds to the reported molecular weight of pancreatic pro-PLA2. This demonstrates that the assay is specific for the free peptide and reports pro-PLA2 activation. PLAP assay may therefore contribute to the study of the role of the PLA2 activation event in disease states such as pancreatitis.

Phospholipid requirement of progesterone 5 alpha-reductase from gastric mucosa microsomes of guinea pig

Progesterone 5 alpha-reductase partially purified from gastric mucosa microsomes was stimulated by short-chain synthetic phosphatidylcholines (PC), such as dilauroyl PC, but not by various PC from biological sources. Phosphatidylserine (PS) activated the gastric 5 alpha-reductase to a limited extent compared to the liver 5 alpha-reductase described previously [Ichihara, K., and Tanaka, C. (1987) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 149, 482-487]. In search of more effective phospholipid activators, we tested the effects of various lysophospholipids on 5 alpha-reductase activity. Strongly stimulatory effects were observed when lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (lysoPE) were used instead of PC and phosphatidylethanolamine. Examination of synthetic lysoPC and lysoPE differing in acyl chain lengths showed that fatty chains of 12 to 16 carbons were effective in stimulating the 5 alpha-reductase. By contrast, other lysophospholipids such as lysophosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylglycerol or lysophosphatidylserine (lysoPS) greatly inhibited 5 alpha-reductase activity. These findings suggest that gastric 5 alpha-reductase may be under dual regulation; lysoPC and lysoPE may play important roles as positive effectors, whereas lysophosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylglycerol and lysoPS act as negative effectors in progesterone 5 alpha-reductase regulation.

Preferential distribution of group-II-like phospholipase A2 in mononuclear phagocytic cells in rat spleen and liver

The localization of calcium-dependent phospholipase A2, (PLA2) immunochemically closely related to the enzyme of the viperid and crotalid type (group II), in cells isolated from rat spleen and liver was examined using a polyclonal antibody directed against rat spleen group II, PLA2 (PLA2M). In isolated spleen cells, the monocyte/macrophage fraction had the highest PLA2 activity (1.28 +/- 0.35.min-1.10(6) cells-1) which was almost completely inhibited by the anti-PLA2M antibody. An immunoblot analysis confirmed the presence of the enzyme in this fraction. An immunocytochemical study revealed that the PLA2 was present in spleen macrophages. In the isolated liver cells, Kupffer cells (0.92 +/- 0.22 nmol.min-1.10(6) cells-1) contained higher anti-PLA2M-antibody-inhibitable PLA2 activity than parenchymal cells (0.26 +/- 0.06.min-1.10(6) cells-1). The immunocytochemical study showed that cells immunopositive with anti PLA2M antibody were Kupffer cells. These results suggest that the mononuclear phagocytic cells in rat spleen and liver have relatively high activity of group-II-like PLA2. Subcellular distribution patterns of the anti-PLA2M-antibody-inhibitable phospholipase A2 activity in different cell populations from spleen and liver were compared. A mode of the distribution of the enzyme in the spleen macrophages was essentially similar to that in the spleen lymphocytes. The distribution in Kupffer cells was similar to that in parenchymal cells.

Subcellular localization of rat gastric phospholipase A2

In the present study, we have performed experiments to gain some insight into the subcellular localization and biochemical properties of gastric mucosal phospholipase A2. After classical subcellular fractionation of whole glandular stomach mucosa, we found that gastric phospholipase A2 was essentially enriched in the 105,000 x g pellet that contains microsomes and plasma membranes. Except for the cytosol, all the subcellular fractions exhibited similar phospholipase A2 activity (i.e., optimum of pH, calcium dependence, apparent Km and positional specificity). The high-speed pellet was further characterized by ultracentrifugation on a sucrose gradient. Data showed that the sedimentation profile of phospholipase A2 was quite similar to those of plasma membrane markers and more specifically to an apical membrane marker. These results, taken together, showed that a gastric phospholipase A2 is distributed among the various subcellular fractions (as a result of cross-contamination) together with the membrane fraction on which it is associated. It is proposed that this fraction is the apical plasma membrane which would be the main site of phospholipase A2 action for arachidonic acid release. Lysophospholipase showed the same sedimentation profile as phospholipase A2, whereas acyl CoA-lysophosphatidylcholine: acyltransferase mainly sedimented with heavy microsomes. The substrate specificity of the enzyme was assessed by endogenous hydrolysis of gastric mucosal phospholipids. We were able to show that the enzyme acts at nearly the same rate on two major gastric membrane phospholipids, namely phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine.

Purification and characterization of phospholipase A2 from rat stomach

Phospholipase A2, which is localized in the mucosal part of the corpus of rat stomach (Hirohara et al. (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 919, 231-238), was purified 990-fold from the supernatant of a tissue homogenate by heat treatment at acidic pH, ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion-exchange chromatography, gel-filtration and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (reverse-phase HPLC). The purified enzyme gave a single protein band on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a molecular mass of approx. 17 kDa. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 8.0 and hydrolyzed the 2-arachidonoyl residue of phosphatidylcholine preferentially to the 2-oleoyl residue, the Vmax and Km values for the two being 227 and 29 mumol/min per mg protein and 0.037 and 0.019 mM, respectively. The activity was calcium-dependent and was markedly increased by SDS and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The enzyme showed typical product inhibition. Free unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids), which are supposedly the main enzymatic products in vivo, inhibited the activity. Arachidonic acid caused noncompetitive inhibition and its concentration for its maximal inhibition (50% inhibition) was 5 x 10(-5) M. Lysophosphatidylcholine, free saturated fatty acids (palmitic and stearic acids) and arachidonic acid metabolites (leukotrienes and prostaglandins) had no effect on the activity.

Immunocytochemical studies on the localization of pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 in rat stomach and pancreas, with special reference to the stomach cells

Using a specific polyclonal antibody raised against rat pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2), we investigated the localization of the enzyme in the rat pancreas and stomach by light and electron microscopy. In the pancreas, the enzyme was localized in the acinar cells, whereas the pancreatic islets showed no immunoreaction. In the stomach, the PLA2 reactive with the anti-pancreatic PLA2 antibody was distributed exclusively in the gastric glands, but not in the gastric pits or the pyloric glands. On the section of the stomach subjected to immuno- and PAS-staining, immunopositive cells were not the PAS-positive cells located in the gastric pit and the neck region of the gastric gland. Immunopositive cells were present from the neck to the bottom of the gastric gland. Immunoelectron microscopic observation revealed that the immunogold-labeled cell had a highly-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum in the basal cytoplasm and characteristic zymogen granules in the apical cytoplasm. Taking into account the cell position in the gastric gland, the immunopositive cell could therefore be identified as a chief cell. Since no double stainability with PLA2 and PAS was observed in the same cell, it is suggested that PLA2 could be used cytochemically as a marker enzyme of the chief cell in the gastric gland at the light-microscopic level. From the immunoelectron microscopic findings, we believe that the PLA2 in the stomach is released into the lumen of the stomach by exocytosis and could function as a digestive enzyme in the alimentary tract, like the PLA2 secreted from the pancreas. Other possible roles of the PLA2 in the stomach are discussed.

Phospholipases, enzymes that share a substrate class

Considerable work has gone into the study of PLs since the first suggestions of their existence nearly a century ago. This work has intensified enormously since the mid-1970s when their role in signal-coupling mechanisms and in pathophysiology was recognized. While much has been done to understand this diverse group of enzymes at the molecular and mechanistic levels, the discovery of new PLs has far outstripped our capacity to study them in sufficient detail to appreciate what makes each unique while perhaps having some common mechanisms of action and regulation. One would almost plead: No new PLs - Let us study those at hand! That is not the case in our field and the discovery of new PLs will continue. It is important, however, that an understanding be gained of these enzymes at the molecular level, how they interact with their substrates, and how regulatory factors can target the function of PLs in situ.

Localization and evolution of two human phospholipase A2 genes and two related genetic elements

Mammals are now known to contain at least two distinct classes of phospholipases A2, the progenitors of which can be seen in the venoms of snakes. Mammalian "Type I" PLA2, synthesized primarily by the pancreas, is also present in smaller amounts in other tissues including lung, spleen, and kidney. Recently, a mammalian "Type II" PLA2 has been sequenced, and shown to occur in platelets, synovial cells and fluid, cells of inflammatory peritoneal exudate, liver, intestine, kidney, and placenta. This form, referred to here as Type IIA PLA2, could play a key role in arachidonate release in both normal and pathologic inflammation. The genes encoding both forms have also been recently cloned. Here, the sites of synthesis and respective roles of the two known enzymes are discussed, along with an analysis of the evolutionary conservation of Type IIA PLA2 gene sequence. In addition, two related genetic elements containing sequences homologous to a portion of Type II PLA2 are described, which map to the same chromosome as the Type IIA PLA2 gene (chromosome 1). Either or both of these could also encode a portion of additional mammalian PLA2s.

cDNA cloning and sequence determination of rat membrane-associated phospholipase A2

Based on the partial amino acid sequences of membrane-associated phospholipase A2 (PLA2M), belonging to group II, purified from rat spleen, the cDNA encoding PLA2M was cloned by a new cloning strategy utilizing enzymatic cDNA amplification. At the N-terminus of the coded 146 residues, which were deduced from the cDNA sequence, the putative signal peptide was found despite the tight adherence of this enzyme to the membrane. The sequence of rat PLA2M exhibits 75% homology with that of human group II PLA2 in the protein-coding region. The result of RNA blot analysis showed that rat ileal mucosa contains the largest amount of the PLA2 transcript among the tissues examined.

Presence of pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 mRNA in rat gastric mucosa and lung

The content of mRNA for a pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 present in rat gastric mucosa was much greater than that in pancreas. In lung the mRNA for this pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 was also detected, but less than in pancreas. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that these pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 cDNAs derived from rat gastric mucosa and lung were completely identical to that from rat pancreas (Ohara et al. (1986) J. Biochem. 99, 733-739). This demonstrates that the pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 present in gastric mucosa and lung does not originate from pancreas.