Phospholipid changes in synaptic membranes by lipolytic enzymes and subsequent restoration of opiate binding with phosphatidylserine.

A study has been made of the role of phosphatidylserine in stereospecific opiate binding to neural membranes, utilizing specific lipolytic enzymes to attack the lipid. At very low concentrations phospholipase A2 from bee venom will preferentially hydrolyze C22:6-fatty acid; and even after a few percent of the total phosphatidylserine is hydrolyzed, opiate binding is greatly inhibited. The addition of brain phosphatidylserine will restore opiate binding; however, when the inhibition approaches 50% restoration is only partial. Exposure of membranes to phosphatidylserine decarboxylase will partially inhibit opiate binding; and the binding returns to the control level after the addition of phosphatidylserine. The partial inhibition of opiate binding by low concentrations of Triton X-100, which presumably remove lipids, can be partially reversed by phosphatidylserine. The binding of 3H-naloxone, an opiate antagonist, is similar to agonists in its behavior towards phospholipases and phosphatidylserine; however, binding of naltrexone, also an antagonist, is far less responsive. It is concluded that the phosphatidylserine associated with the opiate receptor is the C18:0, 22:6-diacyl form, which is closely associated with protein.