Lysophospholipase and the metabolism of lysophosphatidylcholine in isolated bovine rod outer segments.

Incubation of bovine rod outer segments (ROS) with radiolabeled palmitic acid (16:0) and lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC) radiolabeled in either the fatty acid or the choline group indicated the presence of a lysophospholipase activity that is unaffected by Ca2+. In the presence of ATP, Mg2+ and CoA and acyl CoA:lysophospholipid acytransferase activity is evident, and free fatty acids, including those released by lysophospholipase activity, are esterified to membrane phospholipids. At low concentrations of lysoPC, 68% of it is acylated to form phosphatidylcholine (PC) and 24% is converted to glycerophosphocholine (GPC) and fatty acid per hour. As the concentration of lysoPC increases lysophospholipase activity increases, acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferase activity decreases, and the proportion of lysoPC converted to PC decreases. The rate of production of lysophospholipids in vitro under phospholipase A-stimulatory conditions exceeds the rate at which it can be removed by 5-10-fold. This suggests the possibility that an early step in light, anoxia- or hypoxia-induced damage to photoreceptor cells may be activation of the phospholipase A endogenous to ROS.