Characterization of several phospholipase activities and diacylglycerol/2-monoacylglycerol lipases in rat alveolar macrophages.

We measured phospholipase activities in both the microsomal and the cytosolic enriched fractions of rat alveolar macrophages by using exogenous arachidonic acid-labeled phospholipids. The microsomal fractions contain a neutral calcium-independent phospholipase A2 (PLA2) which acts on substrates phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylinositol (PI), a calcium-independent PLA2 acting on phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and a neutral calcium-dependent PI-specific PLC. The cytosolic fractions contain calcium-dependent phospholipase: PLA2 that hydrolyses PC at alkaline pH, and a neutral PI-specific phospholipase C (PLC). The largest release of arachidonic acid from PI occurred with the cytosolic fractions at pH 6 in the presence of calcium. That hydrolysis involved a PLA2, and a PLC followed by the action of a diacyglycerol and 2-monoacylglycerol lipases. The cytosol also contains a calcium-independent PLA2 acting on PE. Our investigation shows that rat alveolar macrophages possess a number of phospholipases, as well as diacylglycerol and 2-monoacylglycerol lipases. The above enzymes could play an essential role in the remodeling of membrane phospholipids in resting cells, and the generation of physiologically active lipids in activated cells.