The role of phosphatidylinositol turnover in initiation of prostaglandin biosynthesis in concanavalin A-induced activation of rat peritoneal macrophages.

When macrophages were stimulated by concanavalin A (50 micrograms/ml) in the presence of 32Pi and 3H-arachidonic acid (AA), rapid incorporation of these radiolabeled substances into phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidic acid (PA) were induced within 10 min. The pool of PI and PA incorporating 3H-AA was the same as that of PI and PA which incorporated 32P. However, significant increase in incorporation of 32P and 3H-AA did not occur in phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylserine within this time interval as compared with control levels. These results indicate that PI turnover might play a role in the initiation of prostaglandin biosynthesis in the early stages of macrophage activation induced by concanavalin A.