Specific stimulation of phospholipase activities with phosphatidylethanolamine in transformed cells.

Phospholipase A1, A2 and C activities with phosphatidylethanolamine were enhanced in C6 cells relative to primary astrocytic cultures. Enhancement was a function of cell density. Phospholipase activities with phosphatidylcholine were unchanged as a function of cell density, while phospholipase C activity with phosphatidylinositol was reduced. All acid phospholipase activities measured were low or essentially absent in the three transformed cell lines examined. These results suggest that arachidonate release upon confluency is mainly from phosphatidylethanolamine.