Secretion of phospholipase A2 induced by interactions of human platelets with monocytes.

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity was found and measured in the cell-free supernatants of human mononuclear cells (monocytes and lymphocytes) cultured with platelets for 48 h at 37 degrees C. The relative molecular mass of purified, calcium-dependent PLA2 was 14 kD. The amount of PLA2 in the supernatants correlated positively with the number of monocytes and platelets in the cultures. Electron microscopically, direct cell-to-cell interactions of monocytes and platelets were observed. Cultivation of suspensions of human mononuclear cells with platelets in serum-free medium was found to be an efficient way to produce and purify human secretable PLA2. In the release of secretable PLA2 in peripheral blood, the interactions between platelets and monocytes may play a considerable role.