Inhibitory effect of adenine nucleotides and anti-allergic drugs on phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol in rat mast cell granules.

Rat mast cell granules were obtained by sonication of highly purified rat mast cells and isolated in a Percoll gradient. Phosphorylation of endogenous phosphatidylinositol in rat mast cell granules, which is catalyzed by phosphatidylinositol kinase in the granules, was assayed by measuring the incorporation of 32P from [gamma 32P]ATP into phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate. Lipids were isolated with methanol/chloroform/HCl and were separated by thin-layer chromatography on oxalic acid impregnated silica gel plates. Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate areas were identified by staining with iodine, scraped and measured for 32P radioactivity. The phosphorylation reaction was inhibited by 50-500 microM adenosine, ADP and 500 microM AMP in a concentration-dependent manner. Among several anti-allergic drugs investigated. 100-1000 microM theophylline and 10-100 microM azelastine inhibited the phosphorylation reaction, but disodium cromoglycate and ketotifen had little effect.