ISOLATION OF A SOLUBLE PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 FROM HUMAN PLATELETS ACTIVE AGAINST 1-ACYL-2-ARACHIDONOYL GLYCEROPHOSPHOCHOLINE

Abstract

Previously, we have shown that 1-acyl-2-arachidonoyl glycero-phosphocholine (GPC) is the main source of arachidonic acid in thrombin-stimulated (5 U/ml) human platelets. Thus 1-acyl-2-3H-arachidonoyl GPC was dispersed in Tris buffer, 0.01 M, pH 7.5, 0.01 M CaCl2 for use a substrate for the assay of phospholipase A2 activity in human platelets. The released 3H-arachidonate(AA) was isolated by thin layer chromatography following Bligh and Dyer extraction of the enzyme-substrate incubate. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) specific for this phospholipid was thought to be membrane bound and of low activity when solubilized, however, we have found, that provided resting platelets are gently sonicated while suspended in tyrode's buffer in the presence of suitable concentrations of protease inhibitors and metal chelators (EGTA, EDTA), a large amount of soluble PLA2 activity can be isolated following centrifugation to remove membranes. The enzyme required calcium for activity and was inactive in the presence of EGTA. No activity was found in the secretate from thrombin-stimulated cells, indicating that the PLA2 assayed at pH 7.5 was not lysosomal. PLA2 was further purified by DEAE cellulose chromatography where a 5 times increase in specific activity was achieved. It is known that OAG (1-oleoyl-2-acetyle-glycerol) augments deacylation of 1,2 diradyl GPC in platelets stimulated with suboptimal levels of ionophore A23187. Thus the effect of OAG stimulation of platelets on the distribution of soluble PLA2 was studied. Platelets (109 cells/ml) suspended in tyrode's buffer and stimulated with 100 ug/ml OAG or 5 U/ml thrombin (10 min, 37°C., 10 min, without stirring), showed a considerable decrease in soluble PLA2 activity suggesting a partitioning of soluble PLA2 into the membrane bilayer. Thus a model for PLA2 action is suggested in which binding of the cytosolic enzyme to its site of hydrolysis is induced by diglyceride-perturbation of the membrane, phospholipid, bilayer phase.