Hydrolysis of endogenous phospholipids by rat platelet phospholipase A2: ether or acyl bond and polar head group selectivity.

Substrate specificity of platelet phospholipase A2 was investigated following Ca2+-dependent hydrolysis by endogenous enzyme of linoleate- or arachidonate-labelled platelet phospholipids. Alkylacyl, alkenylacyl and diacyl classes of ethanolamine and choline glycerophospholipids (GPE and GPC) were separated after their diacylglycerol derivation, and molecular species of diacyl-GPE were analyzed by HPLC. Hydrolysis of platelet ethanolamine and choline glycerophospholipids was dependent on Ca2+ and was maximal at neutral pH. In the presence of 0.2 mM Ca2+ the hydrolysis rate for [14C]arachidonate-labelled phospholipids was in the order diacyl-GPE greater than alkylacyl-GPE = diacyl-GPC = alkenylacyl-GPE greater than alkylacyl-GPC. In addition to being the best substrate at high Ca2+ concentration, diacyl-GPE could be degraded with Ca2+ concentrations in the micromolar range, concentrations which are unable to induce any degradation of diacyl-GPC. As a function of Ca2+ concentration, the hydrolysis rate of [14C]linoleate- and [14C]arachidonate-labelled diacyl-GPE or diacyl-GPC was identical. The five main molecular species of diacyl-GPE labelled with arachidonate or with linoleate were hydrolyzed at the same rate in the presence of 50 microM Ca2+. This study shows that platelet phospholipase A2 is specific for endogenous diacyl-GPE and is independent of fatty chain composition. These results are discussed in relation to the Ca2+ concentration observed in stimulated platelets and in relation to the lysophospholipid-induced specific transfer of arachidonate. They suggest that diacyl-GPE hydrolysis by phospholipase A2 could play a key role in stimulated platelets.

Induction by lysophospholipids of CoA-dependent arachidonyl transfer between phospholipids in rat platelet homogenates.

Rat platelet homogenates are able to catalyze CoA-mediated, ATP-independent transfer of arachidonic acid from platelet phospholipids to added lysophospholipids. Homogenates of platelets prelabelled with radioactive arachidonic or oleic acid were incubated in the presence of CoA and various lysophospholipids. Transfer observed with arachidonic acid-labelled platelets was dependent on the lysophospholipid added. When 1-alkenyl- or 1-acyllysophosphatidylethanolamine was used, there was a more efficient arachidonyl transfer from phosphatidylcholine than from phosphatidylinositol to the phosphatidylethanolamine fraction. Lysophosphatidylserine also accepted arachidonyl from phosphatidylcholine. Addition of lysophosphatidylcholine resulted in a decrease in the labelling of phosphatidylinositol and to a lesser extent of phosphatidylethanolamine with concomitant transfer to phosphatidylcholine. Lysophosphatidylinositol and lysophosphatic acid did not act as substrate for this transfer reaction. Free, non-radioactive arachidonic acid did not compete for the labelled arachidonic acid transfer. This pathway may play a major role in the synthesis of arachidonyl species of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine and for the arachidonyl transfer to the phosphatidylethanolamine plasmologen in stimulated platelets.

Ca2+ effect on ATP-independent lysophospholipid transacylases is indissociable from Ca2+ effect on phospholipase A2 activity in rat platelet sonicates.

CoA-dependent transacylation and phospholipid hydrolysis were studied in parallel experiments using rat platelet sonicates. The decrease observed in palmitoyllyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (palmitoyllyso-GPC) transcylation as a function of Ca2+ concentration was found to be correlated with appearance of endogenous lysoderivatives. We also demonstrated that endogenously produced acyllyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (acyllyso-GPE) induced CoA-dependent arachidonate transfer from diacyl-GPC. These results further argue for a two-step arachidonate release from diacyl-GPC when platelets are stimulated with thrombin.

The activation of rat platelets increases the exposure of polyunsaturated fatty acid enriched phospholipids on the external leaflet of the plasma membrane.

Rat platelets have been hydrogenated in the presence of colloidal palladium adsorbed on the surface of the non water-soluble polymer polyvinylpolypyrrolidone. This non-permeating catalyst restricts hydrogenation of the fatty acyl double bonds of phospholipids only in the outer half of the plasma membrane. The pattern of hydrogenation of the molecular species present on the external side of the membrane is determined using desorption-chemical soft ionization-mass spectrometry (DCI-MS) before and after cell activation by the calcium ionophore A23187. The accessibility to the catalyst of the polyunsatured molecular species within each phospholipid class is compared for resting and activated cells. The abundance of polyunsaturated species of phosphatidyl-ethanolamine and -serine in the inner half of the resting biomembrane is confirmed in rat platelets. Phosphatidylcholine is especially rich in disaturated species in this membrane. The induced exposure of the polyunsaturated species of diacyl- and ether-phosphatidylethanolamine, and of phosphatidylserine on the external side of the membrane appears after activation by the calcium ionophore. A detailed quantitative analysis within a phospholipid class shows an unequal scrambling for diacyl-, alkyl-, alkenyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, and a variable involvement in the transmembrane redistribution following cell activation of the various molecular species as a function of the acyl moities.

Differential methylation patterns in molecular species of phosphatidylethanolamine derivatives in rat liver membranes.

The appearance of individual molecular species of phospholipids in the complete sequence of the transmethylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was examined in rat liver microsomes incubated with S-adenosyl-L-[methyl-14C]methionine. Reverse-phase HPLC analysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidyl-N,N-dimethylethanolamine (dimethyl-PE), or phosphatidyl-N-monomethylethanolamine (monomethyl-PE) showed that radioactivity was present in the same six principal molecules; a first group is constituted by 16:0/22:6, 16:0/20:4 and 16:0/18:2 and a second one by the homologous molecules with 18:0 instead of 16:0 at the sn-1 position of glycerol. In PC, 16:0/22:6 (23% of total radioactivity) was preponderant, and 18:0/20:4 was the lowest. The ratios cpm in PC/nmol in PE were in the order: 16:0/22:6 greater than 16:0/18:2 greater than 16:0/20:4 followed by the corresponding 18:0 molecules. On the other hand, in intermediate phospholipids, incorporation of methyl groups was most marked in 18:0/20:4 (24-27% of total). 16:0/22:6 and 16:0/18:2 were low in comparison to their relative values in PC. The ratio (18:0/20:4)/(16:0/22:6) was 4.5-5.6-times higher in monomethyl-PE and dimethyl-PE than in PC. These differences were found consistently, regardless of incubation time of microsomes (2.5-60 min) and of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) concentration (3 or 100 microM). In liver membranes, it would therefore seem that there is a different selectivity in methyl group transfer, depending upon whether the first two steps or the third step of the reaction are considered. Side reactions, such as deacylation/reacylation, are unlikely to account for this difference, which could rather be related to the enzyme itself.

Acylation of endogenous phospholipids and added lysoderivatives by rat liver plasma membranes.

Phospholipid acyltransferase activities of plasma membranes have been investigated with various acyl-CoA thioesters (palmitoyl, stearoyl, oleoyl, linoleoyl and arachidonoyl) with and without added lysoderivatives. Different patterns of incorporation were observed for each acyl-CoA into endogenous phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The turnover rates calculated with tracer amounts of 10 microM acyl-CoA thioesters were five times faster for the polyunsaturated than for the saturated acyl moieties of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. Arachidonoyl-CoA was the best acyl donor at low concentrations and the maximal turnover rate was observed at about 25 microM. No saturation appeared at up to 100 microM linoleoyl-CoA. Linoleoyl-CoA transacylase acylated the lyso-compounds in the following order: lysophosphatidylcholine greater than lysophosphatidylserine and lysophosphatidylinositol, while lysophosphatidylethanolamine inhibited linoleate incorporation into the phosphatidylethanolamine itself. Linoleoyl-CoA transacylation was not affected by the fatty acyl moiety at the 1-position of the lysophosphatidylcholine. The results support the view that the plasma membrane acyltransferase activity might contribute to the formation of bile phosphatidylcholines.

Changes induced by PAF-acether in diacyl and ether phospholipids from guinea-pig alveolar macrophages.

The release and the mobilization of arachidonic acid from guinea-pig alveolar macrophages labeled with [1-14C]arachidonic acid for short (1 h) and long (18 h) periods and stimulated with PAF-acether (1-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) was studied. After short labeling periods arachidonic acid was primarily incorporated into alkylacyl- and diacylglycerophosphocholine (alkylacylGPC, diacylGPC) and glycerophosphoinositol (GPI), whereas after long labeling periods arachidonic acid was mainly incorporated into alkenylacylglycerophosphoethanolamine (alkenylacylGPE). In macrophages labeled for 1 h, PAF-acether (1 microM) induced a significant decrease in the amount of arachidonic acid esterified into diacyl- and alkylacylGPC and GPI, as well as a significant increase of arachidonate transferred into alkenylacylGPE. No significant decrease in arachidonate esterified in GPC fractions and in GPI was induced by PAF-acether in macrophages labeled for 18 h, whereas the increased transfer of the fatty acid into alkenylacylGPE was still measurable. This study shows that PAF-acether induces the release and the mobilization of newly incorporated arachidonic acid in alveolar macrophages. When cells are labeled for long periods and the majority of arachidonic acid is retained in ether-linked phospholipids, no PAF-acether-induced release of arachidonate was obtained, whereas its transfer was maintained.

Heterogeneity of arachidonate and paf-acether precursor pools in mast cells.

In mammalian cells, arachidonate release and paf-acether formation are frequently associated. The alkyl-acyl-GPC has been proposed as an important source for released arachidonic acid and arachidonate-containing alkylacyl-GPC species as unique precursor for paf-acether. However, the specificity of precursor pools either concerning arachidonic acid or paf-acether is still a matter of controversy. We studied the relationship between the precursor pools for both autacoids in antigenically-stimulated cultured mast cells. We took advantage of the particular arachidonate turnover rate in each phospholipid to investigate the role of alkyl-arachidonyl-GPC in the supply of arachidonic acid by using newly and previously [14C]arachidonate-labeled cells. The specific activity of the released arachidonate was reduced 2-fold following overnight cell incubation, whereas labeling in alkyl-arachidonoyl-GPC was only slightly modified and never corresponded to that of released arachidonate when newly or previously labeled cells were triggered with the antigen. These results are not in favor of a major role for alkyl-arachidonoyl-GPC in supplying arachidonate. In contrast, by using previously labeled cells, we demonstrated that all arachidonate-containing phospholipids were involved in the release of arachidonic acid. The pattern of alkyl chains in alkyl-arachidonoyl-GPC, as well as in total alkylacyl-GPC, is unique since it consists mainly of 18:1 (more than 55%), whereas the 16:0 represents only about 30% of total alkyl chains. Therefore, we analyzed paf-acether molecular composition in order to compare it to the alkyl composition of the precursor pools. The content in 18:1 species of paf-acether, as measured by bioassay (aggregation of rabbit platelets), was always lower than that of 16:0 species and then did not correspond to the alkyl composition of the precursor. These data suggest that the enzymes involved in paf synthesis might be specific for 16:0 alkyl chains of precursor pool.

Biosynthesis of paf-acether. XVII. Regulation by the CoA-independent transacylase in human neutrophils.

Treatment of intact human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) with low concentrations of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 1-10 ng/ml) induced paf-acether (paf) and lyso paf formation, arachidonate release, and simultaneous inhibition of CoA-independent lyso paf: transacylase as assayed in a cell-free system. Inhibition of [3H]lyso paf reacylation was also observed when it was exogenously added to the PMA-treated intact PMN. When higher concentrations of PMA (40-100 ng/ml) were used, paf biosynthesis was severely impaired and the level of the CoA-independent transacylase activity returned to basal level. Since lyso paf appears to be the substrate for PMA-activated paf formation (remodeling pathway), we showed that [14C]acetate was incorporated into the paf molecule. By contrast, labeling with [3H]choline was not appropriate in this model. The presented results are against the involvement of a de novo route in paf synthesis initiated by PMA and open a new possibility of an important role for the CoA-independent transacylase in controlling the level of lyso paf availability for paf formation.

1-Acyl-lysolecithin acyltransferase and synthesis of biliary lecithins in rat liver.

The role of lysolecithin acyltransferase activities in biliary lecithin formation was investigated, using livers perfused in the presence of labeled palmitoyl-lysolecithin and albumin, overloaded or not with linoleic acid. At the end of liver perfusion, the lecithins extracted from microsomes, mitochondria and plasma membranes displayed the same specific activity. Double-labeled lysolecithin was used to prove that labeled lecithins were synthesized by lysolecithin acylation. In the absence or presence of a linoleic acid overload, the level of lysolecithin incorporation into linoleyl and arachidonyl containing lecithin was identical. Hence fatty acids did not influence phosphatidylcholine synthesis by the acylation pathway. In vitro the rate of linoleyl lecithin synthesis was the same in plasma membranes, mitochondria and microsomes provided the linoleyl-CoA concentration was lower than 30 microM. Taurocholate was essential to the excretion of lecithin synthesized from lysolecithin and stimulated its synthesis. The specific activities of the two lecithin molecular species excreted in bile (linoleyl and arachidonyl) were not significantly different. These results enabled us to evaluate the contribution of the lysolecithin pathway to the synthesis of lecithin in liver and bile: this contribution in bile was less than 2% under the perfusion conditions used.

Characterization and partial purification of 'renocortins': two polypeptides formed in renal cells causing the anti-phospholipase-like action of glucocorticoids.

1 Anti-inflammatory steroids reduce prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis in rat renomedullary interstitial cells in culture by inhibiting the release of arachidonic acid from membranous phospholipid stores, exhibiting antiphospholipase-like properties. 2 After treatment of the cells with dexamethasone 10(-6)M, these cells release a protein in the supernatant. 3 This supernatant is able to inhibit PGE2 secretion in untreated cells and to inhibit phospholipase A2 activity in an in vitro system. 4 Using chromatofocusing separation, we showed that two distinct proteins exist with isoelectric points of 5.8 and 8.3. 5 Using gel permeation separation, we showed that two proteins exist with apparent molecular weights of 15,000 and 30,000 daltons. 6 We conclude that, in renal cells in culture, anti-inflammatory steroids induce the synthesis and the release of two polypeptides which we have named 'Renocortins' (induced by corticoids in renal cells) causing the antiphospholipase-like action of glucocorticoids. 7 Our results are in good agreement with others, but as renal cells are not directly involved in the inflammatory process, we suggest that this steroid-induced phenomenon is not solely involved in the inflammatory reaction but is of more general physiological relevance.

Phospholipase A2-dependent and -independent pathways of arachidonate release from vascular smooth muscle cells.

[Arg8]vasopressin (AVP), through its V1 receptor coupled to GTP-binding proteins, and aluminum fluoride (AlF4-), which directly activates GTP-binding proteins, induced the release of [3H]arachidonate from prelabeled A7r5 vascular smooth muscle-like cells. Using fura-2-loaded cells, we observed that the release induced by AVP occurred concurrently with calcium (Ca2+) mobilization from internal stores and entry of external Ca2+, whereas AlF4(-)-dependent arachidonate release was much slower and was not accompanied by intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. Arachidonate transfer from phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine was an early event for both agonists, but phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis was an early event for AVP-stimulated cells and a late event for cells triggered with AlF4-. In addition, phospholipase inhibitors had no effect on arachidonate release induced by AlF4-. We investigated the enzymatic pathways involved in the releases of arachidonate, which occur in such different ways. Phospholipase A2 activities were assayed in a cell-free system with various substrates, which made it possible to differentiate between cytosolic, secretory and Ca2(+)-independent phospholipases A2. The specific activities were in the order alkenyl-AA-GPE > acyl-AA-GPE > acyl-AA-GPC in the presence of Ca2+. No significant activity was observed in the presence of Ca2+ chelators and when dipalmitoyl-glycerophosphocholine was used as a substrate. Phospholipase A2 activities did not change in homogenates from stimulated cells related to control cells. However, phospholipase A2 activity increased in membrane fractions from AVP-stimulated cells. Imunodetected phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) also clearly increased in the membrane fractions of AVP-stimulated cells, and only the unphosphorylated form of cPLA2 was present in AlF4(-)-triggered cells. We conclude that phospholipase C and translocation of cPLA2 can account for arachidonate release with AVP stimulation, whereas neither phospholipase C nor any phospholipase A2 activity appears to be implicated in AlF4(-)-dependent arachidonate release.

Mobilization of arachidonic acid from diacyl and ether-linked phospholipids in FMLP stimulated alveolar macrophages.

Exposure of [1 14C]AA labeled guinea-pig alveolar macrophages to FMLP for 15 min induced an extensive mobilization of AA from phospholipids. PC and PI mainly contributed to the AA release, and labeled PE remained unchanged. Analysis of ether-linked phospholipids showed a significant breakdown of labeled diacyl and alkyl-acyl PC and an increase in labeled alkenyl-acyl PE.

A unique pool of free arachidonate serves as substrate for both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase in platelets.

Stimulation of platelets induces a rapid release of arachidonate from specific phospholipids and subsequent remodeling of arachidonate-containing phospholipids. This process is accompanied by transformation of released arachidonate by cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes. We addressed the question of whether the cyclooxygenase and the lipoxygenase products originated from the same arachidonate-containing phospholipids. [14C]Arachidonate prelabeled platelets were stimulated by thrombin or by ionophore A 23187. We monitored the cyclooxygenase pathway by following 12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid [12(S)-HHT] formation and the lipoxygenase pathway by following 12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid [12(S)-HETE] formation and compared specific activities. The data showed that the same pool of released arachidonate can be utilized by either cyclooxygenase or by lipoxygenase. Indeed, the specific activity of both products was identical when both enzymes were acting. Since cyclooxygenase was rapidly deactivated while lipoxygenase continued to be active, the specific activity of 12(S)-HETE became lower than the specific activity of 12(S)-HHT when large amounts of 12(S)-HETE were synthesized. Based on comparison of specific activity between phospholipids and oxygenated products, the pools of arachidonate-containing phospholipids involved in the synthesis of oxygenated products are dependent on the amount of arachidonate released.

Phospholipases of plasmic membranes of adipose tissue. Possible intermediaries for insulin action.

In the present investigation we have shown that cytoplasmic membranes of adipocytes contain A1 and A2 phospholipase activities which are optimal in a buffer with 5 mM Ca2+ (pH 8.5). Insulin enhances these activities within phosphatidylethanolamine. Insulin increases also the amount of free fatty acids in membranes. Rodbell and Blecher have already shown an insulin-like action of phospholipases towards the uptake of glucose and amino-acids by adipocytes. Shier and Asakawa have recently described that lysolecithin and unsaturated fatty acids can change nucleotide-cyclase activities of cytoplasmic membranes towards GTP and ATP; lysolecithins and Triton X 100 seem to react in an identical way. Results from these studies give new suggestions on insulin action; phospholipase activation changes membrane physiochemical properties inducing an increase of glucose carrier mobility and leading the membrane cyclase enzyme (s) towards GMP cyclic synthesis.

[Arachidonic acid distribution and release in human and rat blood platelets: importance of transacylases]. / Distribution et libération de l'acide arachidonique dans les plaquettes humaines et de Rat: importance des transacylases.

Human platelets release about 5 fold more arachidonate than rat platelets when they ar triggered with a high dose of thrombin. Total arachidonate content of the phospholipids was not significantly different between the two species. In contrast, phosphatidylcholine (PC) from human platelets exhibited twice more arachidonate than PC from rat platelet and opposite arachidonate contents were found in phosphatidylethanolamine. Moreover, rat platelet PC was very rich in disaturated species, primarily dipalmitoyl whereas high levels of oleate and linoleate were present in human platelets PC. The differences in the fatty acids content of the two species are the result of CoA-independent and CoA-dependent transacylase activities which are more efficient in rat than in human platelets and could account for the low level of arachidonate released from rat platelets.

Protein kinase C promotes arachidonate mobilization through enhancement of CoA-independent transacylase activity in platelets.

A role for protein kinase C in arachidonate mobilization was demonstrated. Treatment of rat platelets with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or the diacylglycerol 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol increased the transfer rate of arachidonate (AA) from phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine and stimulated AA release. The transfer dose-dependently induced by PMA was inhibited by staurosporine. Ether phospholipids were the acceptors of AA in these stimulated transfer reactions. Membrane-bound protein kinase C activity was enhanced by PMA, and this increase was inhibited by staurosporine. AA transfer between phospholipids is due to the action of polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-specific transacylases. For this purpose, transacylase activities were assayed in cell-free systems from PMA-treated platelets. We observed that the CoA-independent transacylase activity was modulated in parallel to AA transfer as a function of PMA concentration. Taken together, the data show that protein kinase C activation might promote the mobilization of AA in platelets through the enhancement of CoA-independent transacylase activity.

Very high proportion of disaturated molecular species in rat platelet diacyl-glycerophosphocholine: involvement of CoA-dependent transacylation reactions.

The molecular species composition of rat platelet diacyl-glycerophosphocholine (GPC) was investigated by reverse-phase HPLC and by mass spectrometry. The two methods gave the same very high proportion of fully saturated phospholipids, the 16:0-16:0 and 16:0-18:0 species representing together about 40% of the overall molecular species. [14C]Palmitoyllyso-GPC was found to be acylated by resting platelets in equal amounts into 16:0-16:0 and into 16:0-20:4 species. The acylation rate of this lysophospholipid was increased by 3-fold and 14-fold when platelets were stimulated for 10 min with thrombin and the ionophore A23187, respectively. Essentially the same two molecular species were synthesized upon stimulation but with a higher preference for arachidonate than for palmitate. We investigated the mechanisms responsible for the incorporation of palmitate and arachidonate by examining the enzymatic acylation of [14C]palmitoyllyso-GPC by platelet homogenates. The percentage of the various molecular species formed when CoA, ATP, and Mg2+ were added excludes the CoA, ATP-dependent pathway as being involved in the acylation reactions previously observed. In the absence of ATP, CoA-independent transacylations appear to play a crucial role in the synthesis of the 16:0-20:4 species whereas the addition of CoA greatly favored dipalmitoyl-GPC synthesis. The involvement of CoA-dependent mechanisms in the synthesis of dipalmitoyl-GPC was demonstrated as follows: (i) the labeling in the sn-2 position of the dipalmitoyl-GPC synthesized in the presence of CoA was not modified when free unlabeled palmitic acid was added to the incubation medium and (ii) platelet homogenates were unable to esterify lysolecithin with added labeled palmitic acid in the presence of CoA only.

Arachidonate mobilization in diacyl, alkylacyl and alkenylacyl phospholipids on stimulation of rat platelets by thrombin and the Ca2+ ionophore A23187.

Platelet stimulation by thrombin or Ca2+ ionophore induces mobilization of arachidonate from lipid stores. We have previously shown that, in [14C]arachidonic acid-prelabelled resting platelets, [14C]arachidonate was transferred from diacyl-sn-glycerophosphocholine to ethanolamine and choline-containing ether phospholipids. This transfer reached an equilibrium after 5 h incubation [Colard, Breton & Bereziat (1984a) Biochem. J. 222, 657-662]. [14C]Arachidonate-prelabelled platelets having reached this transfer equilibrium were used to study the mobilization of arachidonate in etheracyl and diacyl phospholipids. Upon thrombin stimulation, arachidonate decreased in diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoinositol, in alkylacyl- and diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and increased in alkenylacyl- and diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine. Upon challenge with Ca2+ ionophore A23187, arachidonate decreased in diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, in diacyl- and alkylacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and increased in alkenylacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine. We also compared arachidonate mobilization in platelets stimulated immediately after [14C]arachidonic acid chase with platelets stimulated after 5 h reincubation. We observed that the arachidonate newly incorporated into diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and triacylglycerols was rapidly released upon stimulation. This suggests the presence in these two lipids of a rapidly-turning-over arachidonate pool.