Eicosanoid/thromboxane A2-independent and -dependent generation of lysoplasmenylethanolamine via phospholipase A2 in collagen-stimulated human platelets

Abstract

Collagen-induced human platelet stimulation is dependent on the release of arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane phospholipid and the formation of thromboxane A2 (TxA2) for TxA2-induced platelet activation. Since plasmenylethanolamine represents the single major phospholipid reservoir of AA in resting human platelets, we assessed its hydrolysis via phospholipase A2 upon platelet stimulation with low levels of collagen by determining the generation of [3H]lysoplasmenylethanolamine via eicosanoid/TxA2-independent and -dependent processes. Ethanolamine phospholipids in platelets were prelabelled with [3H]ethanolamine before stimulation with either collagen or the TxA2 mimetic U46619, in the presence or absence of BW755C, a dual inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase/lipoxygenase activities, or GR32191B, a TxA2-receptor antagonist. Collagen stimulation promoted a marked generation of [3H]lysoplasmenylethanolamine, which was only moderately decreased when TxA2 synthesis or TxA2 receptors were blocked by BW755C or GR32191B respectively. The moderate rise in [3H]lysoplasmenylethanolamine formation with U46619 as the agonist was only slightly affected by BW755C and blocked by GR32191B. Evidence for eicosanoid/TxA2-independent and -dependent generation of [3H]lysophosphatidylethanolamine was also obtained. A significant quantitative loss of AA from plasmenylethanolamine was also demonstrated in collagen-stimulated platelets. The present findings indicate the activation of plasmenylethanolamine cleavage via phospholipase A2 in collagen-stimulated human platelets, which, to a considerable extent, does not depend on eicosanoid/TxA2 synthesis. This may represent an important source of releasable AA for TxA2 generation and the promotion of further liberation of AA and phospholipid-mediated signalling pathways.