Stearidonic and γ-linolenic acids in echium oil improves glucose disposal in insulin resistant monkeys.

Echium oil (EO) contains stearidonic acid (18:4), a n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and gamma-linolenic acids (18:3), a n-6 PUFA that can be converted to long chain (LC)-PUFAs. We aimed to compare a safflower oil (SO)-enriched diet to EO- and fish oil (FO)-enriched diets on circulating and tissue PUFAs levels and glycemic, inflammatory, and cardiovascular health biomarkers in insulin resistant African green monkeys. In a Latin-square cross-over study, eight monkeys consumed matched diets for 6 weeks with 3-week washout periods. Monkeys consuming FO had significantly higher levels of n-3 LC-PUFAs and EO supplementation resulted in higher levels of circulating n-3 LC-PUFAs and a significant increase in dihomo-gamma linolenic acid (DGLA) in red blood cells and muscle. Glucose disposal was improved after EO consumption. These data suggest that PUFAs in EO supplementation have the capacity to alter circulating, RBC and muscle LC-PUFA levels and improve glucose tolerance in insulin-resistant monkeys.

Advanced age, but not anergy, is associated with altered serum polyunsaturated fatty acid levels.

Unknown factors present in the serum of older adults impair lymphocyte function and may be responsible for anergy (absence of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH)) present in many older adults. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and their metabolites are immunomodulatory and may play a role in clinical conditions of advanced age, including immune dysfunction. We hypothesized that PUFAs could be the factor(s) present in serum that contribute to impaired immune responses in older adults. Prior studies of serum PUFAs in older adults neither adequately control dietary PUFA intake, nor investigated the relationship of PUFAs and DTH responses. We determined serum PUFA concentrations in young adults with normal immune responses, and older adults with impaired (anergic elderly) or normal immunity (nonanergic elderly) before and after administering a standardized diet. After controlling for dietary intake, advancing age was associated with markedly higher serum concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA), dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid (DGLA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and a lower AA:EPA ratio. Other serum PUFAs and the AA:DGLA ratio were unaffected by age. However, there was no difference between older adults with or without anergy. These data suggest advanced age is associated with marked alterations of serum PUFAs that are only apparent after strictly controlling dietary intake. However, there was no association of serum PUFA concentrations with DTH status among older adults.

Enhancement of mast cell survival: a novel function of some secretory phospholipase A(2) isotypes.

This study tested the hypothesis that certain secretory phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2)) isotypes act in a cytokine-like fashion through cell surface receptors to influence mast cell survival. Initial experiments revealed that sPLA(2) activity and sPLA(2) receptor expression are increased, and mast cells lost their capacity to maintain membrane asymmetry upon cytokine depletion. Groups IB and III, but not group IIA PLA(2), prevented the loss of membrane asymmetry. Similarly, group IB prevented nucleosomal DNA fragmentation in mast cells. Providing putative products of sPLA(2) hydrolysis to cytokine-depleted mast cells did not influence survival. Furthermore, catalytic inactivation of sPLA(2) did not alter its capacity to prevent apoptosis. Inhibition of protein synthesis using cycloheximide or actinomycin reversed the antiapoptotic effect of sPLA(2). Additionally, both wild-type and catalytically inactive group IB PLA(2) induced IL-3 synthesis in mast cells. However, adding IL-3-neutralizing Ab did not change Annexin V(FITC) binding and only partially inhibited thymidine incorporation in sPLA(2)-supplemented mast cells. In contrast, IL-3-neutralizing Ab inhibited both Annexin V(FITC) binding and thymidine incorporation in mast cells maintained with IL-3. sPLA(2) enhanced phosphoinositide 3'-kinase activity, and a specific inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3'-kinase reversed the antiapoptotic effects of sPLA(2). Likewise, sPLA(2) increased the degradation of I-kappaBalpha, and specific inhibitors of nuclear factor kappa activation (NF-kappaB) reversed the antiapoptotic effects of sPLA(2). Together, these experiments reveal that certain isotypes of sPLA(2) enhance the survival of mast cells in a cytokine-like fashion by activating antiapoptotic signaling pathways independent of IL-3 and probably via sPLA(2) receptors rather than sPLA(2) catalytic products.

Early de novo gene expression is required for 15-deoxy-Delta 12,14-prostaglandin J2-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

Cyclopentenone prostaglandin derivatives of arachidonic acid are potent inducers of apoptosis in a variety of cancer cell types. Several investigators have shown that the terminal derivative of prostaglandin J(2) (PGJ(2)) metabolism, 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ(2) (15dPGJ(2)), induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells and is a potent activator of the nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), but 15dPGJ(2) effects can be mediated by PPARgamma-dependent and PPARgamma-independent mechanisms. Here we report that 15dPGJ(2) regulates early gene expression critical to apoptosis. Specifically, 15dPGJ(2) induces potent and irreversible S phase arrest that is correlated with expression of genes critical to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, including the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Waf1/Cip1) (p21). Inhibition of RNA or protein synthesis abrogates apoptosis induced by 15dPGJ(2) in breast cancer cells but potentiates apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha or CD95/Fas ligand. Additionally, 15dPGJ(2) induces caspase activation that is blocked by peptide caspase inhibitors. These data show that de novo gene transcription is necessary for 15dPGJ(2)-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Critical candidate genes are likely to be revealed through analysis of differential cDNA array expression.

Magnitude of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma activation is associated with important and seemingly opposite biological responses in breast cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) has become a potential target for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. However, recent in vitro and in vivo studies have raised the question of whether activation of PPARgamma leads to the promotion or reduction of tumor formation. Studies using several cancer cell lines, animal models, and a variety of PPARgamma agonists have shown discordant results, including changes in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of cancer cells and tumors. METHODS: We studied the effects of low-, moderate-, and high-dose treatment of the PPARgamma ligands 15-deoxy-delta1214 prostaglandin J2 (15dPGJ2) and troglitazone (TGZ) on parameters of cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in the epithelial breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. RESULTS: The biologic effects of these compounds depend largely on ligand concentration and the degree of PPARgamma activation. For example, low concentrations of 15dPGJ2 (<2.5 microM) and TGZ (<5 microM) increased cellular proliferation, but concentrations of 15dPGJ2 > or = 10 microM and of TGZ at 100 microM blocked cell growth. TGZ (100 microM) slowed cell cycle progression, and 15dPGJ2 (10 microM) caused an S-phase arrest in the cell cycle and induced morphological characteristics consistent with apoptosis. Expression of CD36, a marker of differentiation in these cells, was induced by 2.5 microM 15dPGJ2 or 5 to 100 microM TGZ. However, higher concentrations of 15dPGJ2 did not alter CD36 expression. Transcriptional activation studies demonstrated that 15dPGJ2 is a more potent PPARgamma ligand than TGZ. Regardless of the ligand used, though, low transcriptional activation correlated with an increased cellular proliferation, whereas higher levels of activation correlated with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: PPARgamma activation induces several important and seemingly opposite changes in neoplastic cells, depending on the magnitude of PPARgamma activation. These data may explain, at least in part, some of the discordant results previously reported.

Secretory phospholipase A2 receptor-mediated activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 in murine bone marrow-derived mast cells.

The current study examined the signal transduction steps involved in the selective release of arachidonic acid (AA) induced by the addition of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) isotypes to bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC). Overexpression of sPLA2 receptors caused a marked increase in AA and PGD2 release after stimulation of BMMC, implicating sPLA2 receptors in this process. The hypothesis that the release of AA by sPLA2 involved activation of cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2) was next tested. Addition of group IB PLA2 to BMMC caused a transient increase in cPLA2 activity and translocation of this activity to membrane fractions. Western analyses revealed that these changes in cPLA2 were accompanied by a time-dependent gel shift of cPLA2 induced by phosphorylation of cPLA2 at various sites. A noncatalytic ligand of the sPLA2 receptor, p-amino-phenyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside BSA, also induced an increase in cPLA2 activity in BMMC. sPLA2 receptor ligands induced the phosphorylation of p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Additionally, an inhibitor of p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (PD98059) significantly inhibited sPLA2-induced cPLA2 activation and AA release. sPLA2 receptor ligands also increased Ras activation while an inhibitor of tyrosine phosphorylation (herbimycin) inhibited the increase in cPLA2 activation and AA release. Addition of partially purified sPLA2 from BMMC enhanced cPLA2 activity and AA release. Similarly, overexpression of mouse groups IIA or V PLA2 in BMMC induced an increase in AA release. These data suggest that sPLA2 mediate the selective release of AA by binding to cell surface receptors and then inducing signal transduction events that lead to cPLA2 activation.

Addition of eicosapentaenoic acid to gamma-linolenic acid-supplemented diets prevents serum arachidonic acid accumulation in humans.

Previous studies reveal that supplementation of human diets with gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) reduces the generation of lipid mediators of inflammation and attenuates clinical symptoms of chronic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. However, we have shown that supplementation with this same fatty acid also causes a marked increase in serum arachidonate (AA) levels, a potentially harmful side effect. The objective of this study was to design a supplementation strategy that maintained the capacity of GLA to reduce lipid mediators without causing elevations in serum AA levels. Initial in vitro studies utilizing HEP-G2 liver cells revealed that addition of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) blocked Delta-5-desaturase activity, the terminal enzymatic step in AA synthesis. To test the in vivo effects of a GLA and EPA combination in humans, adult volunteers consuming controlled diets supplemented these diets with 3.0 g/d of GLA and EPA. This supplementation strategy significantly increased serum levels of EPA, but did not increase AA levels. EPA and the elongation product of GLA, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) levels in neutrophil glycerolipids increased significantly during the 3-wk supplementation period. Neutrophils isolated from volunteers fed diets supplemented with GLA and EPA released similar quantities of AA, but synthesized significantly lower quantities of leukotrienes compared with their neutrophils before supplementation. This study revealed that a GLA and EPA supplement combination may be utilized to reduce the synthesis of proinflammatory AA metabolites, and importantly, not induce potentially harmful increases in serum AA levels.

Influence of J series prostaglandins on apoptosis and tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells.

This study was undertaken to investigate the influence of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonists on the proliferation, apoptosis and tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells. PPARgamma investigation has been largely restricted to adipose tissue, where it plays a key role in differentiation, but recent data reveal that PPARgamma is expressed in several transformed cells. However, the function of PPARgamma activation in neoplastic cells is unclear. Activation of PPARgamma with the known prostanoid agonist 15-deoxy-Delta12,14-prostaglandin J(2) (15dPGJ(2)) or the thiazolidinedione (TZD) agonist troglitazone (TGZ) attenuated cellular proliferation of the estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, as well as the estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell line MCF-7. This was marked by a decrease in total cell number and by an inhibition of cell cycle progression. Addition of 15dPGJ(2) was not associated with an increase in cellular differentiation, as has been seen in other neoplastic cells, but rather induction of cellular events associated with programmed cell death, apoptosis. Video time-lapse microscopy revealed that 15dPGJ(2) induced morphological changes associated with apoptosis, including cellular rounding, blebbing, the production of echinoid spikes, blistering and cell lysis. In contrast, TGZ caused only a modest induction of apoptosis. These results were verified by histochemistry using the specific DNA stain DAPI to observe nuclear condensation, a marker of apoptosis. Finally, a brief exposure of MDA-MB-231 cells to 15dPGJ(2) initiated an irreversible apoptotic pathway that inhibited the growth of tumors in a nude mouse model. These findings illustrate that induction of apoptosis may be the primary biological response resulting from PPARgamma activation in some breast cancer cells and further suggests a potential role for PPARgamma ligands for the treatment of breast cancer.

Role of arachidonyl triglycerides within lipid bodies in eicosanoid formation by human polymorphonuclear cells.

Increasing evidence suggests that the subcellular and glycerolipid localization of esterified arachidonic acid (AA) is a key factor in regulating its availability to lipases. The goal of the current study was to determine the potential of AA stored in triglycerides (TG) to serve as a substrate for lipases and 5-lipoxygenase during neutrophil (polymorphonuclear leukocytes, PMN) activation. PMN containing high concentrations of AA in TG were generated by culturing PMN in vitro with high concentrations of exogenous AA (eAA) for 12 h. Cellular AA increased 2- and 4-fold in PMNs incubated with 5 and 20 microM AA, respectively, and this increase was almost exclusively observed in neutral lipids (NL). Further analysis revealed that 88% of the AA in the NL fraction was associated with TG. Subsequent experiments were designed to determine whether this AA in TG could be mobilized and metabolized to eicosanoids during cell activation. TG pools of AA were increased as previously described and then PMN were stimulated with ionophore, A23187. In contrast to the 43-fold increase in TG AA after eAA loading (20 microM), free AA increased by only 1.9-fold after cell stimulation. Similarly, leukotriene (LT)B(4) production increased only 2-fold after loading TG with large quantities of AA. The magnitude of increase in free AA released and in LTB(4) formation was similar to the magnitude of increase in AA mass in phospholipase (PL), suggesting that PL, and not TG, served as the source of released AA and subsequent product generation. To confirm that AA in TG did not serve as a source for eicosanoid production, cellular pools of AA were differentially labeled with [(14)C]AA and [(3)H]AA, and the [(3)H]AA-to-[(14)C]AA ratio of LTB(4) and 20-hydroxyl LTB(4) produced during cell stimulation was measured. The [(3)H]AA/[(14)C]AA ratios of LTs were markedly different from the ratios in TG, thus providing further evidence that AA pools in TG are not a major source of AA for LT generation.

Perturbations in the control of cellular arachidonic acid levels block cell growth and induce apoptosis in HL-60 cells.

Our previous studies demonstrated that inhibitors of arachidonate-phospholipid remodeling [i.e. the enzyme CoA-independent transacylase (CoA-IT)] decrease cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in neoplastic cells. The goal of the current study was to elucidate the molecular events associated with arachidonate-phospholipid remodeling that influence cell proliferation and survival. Initial experiments revealed the essential nature of cellular arachidonate to the signaling process by demonstrating that HL-60 cells depleted of arachidonate were more resistant to apoptosis induced by CoA-IT inhibition. In cells treated with CoA-IT inhibitors a marked increase in free arachidonic acid and AA-containing triglycerides were measured. TG enrichment was likely due to acylation of arachidonic acid into diglycerides and triglycerides via de novo glycerolipid biosynthesis. To determine the potential of free fatty acids to affect cell proliferation, HL-60 cells were incubated with varying concentrations of free fatty acids; exogenously provided 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids caused a dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation, whereas oleic acid was without effect. Blocking 5-lipoxygenase or cyclooxygenases had no effect on the inhibition of cell proliferation induced by arachidonic acid or CoA-IT inhibitors. An increase in cell-associated ceramides (mainly in the 16:0-ceramide fraction) was measured in cells exposed to free arachidonic acid or to CoA-IT inhibitors. This study, in conjunction with other recent studies, suggests that perturbations in the control of cellular arachidonic acid levels affect cell proliferation and survival.

Influence of coenzyme A-independent transacylase and cyclooxygenase inhibitors on the proliferation of breast cancer cells.

Recent studies have demonstrated that arachidonic acid (AA) may serve as an important signal that blocks cell proliferation of certain neoplastic cells. The current study was conducted to determine whether disruption of AA homeostasis influences breast cancer cell proliferation and death. Initial experiments revealed that inhibition of AA remodeling through membrane phospholipids by inhibitors of the enzyme, coenzyme A-independent transacylase (CoA-IT), attenuates the proliferation of the estrogen receptor-negative, MDA-MB-231, and estrogen receptor-positive, MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. This growth inhibition was accompanied by a marked accumulation of AA in both free fatty acid and triglyceride forms, a marker of intracellular AA stress within mammalian cells. Cell cycle synchronization experiments revealed that the CoA-IT inhibitor, SB-98625, blocked MDA-MB-231 cell replication in early to mid G1 phase. Time-lapse video microscopy, used to observe the changes in cell morphology associated with apoptosis, indicated that SB-98625 treatment induced early rounding and occasional blebbing but not late apoptotic events, blistering, and lysis. The cyclooxygenase inhibitors, NS-398 and indomethacin, were found to be less potent blockers of cell proliferation and poor inducers of cellular AA accumulation than CoA-IT inhibitors in these breast cancer cell lines. Finally, AA provided exogenously blocked the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, and this effect could be attenuated in MCF-7 cells overexpressing the glutathione peroxidase gene, GSHPx-1. Taken together, these experiments suggest that disruption of AA remodeling in a manner that increases intracellular AA may represent a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce cancer cell proliferation and that an oxidized AA metabolite is likely to mediate this effect.

Mechanisms that account for the selective release of arachidonic acid from intact cells by secretory phospholipase A2.

The current study examined mechanisms that account for the selective release of arachidonic acid (AA) from cells by secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2). Initial studies demonstrated that low concentrations of group I and group III PLA2 isotypes and an sPLA2-enriched extract from bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) selectively released AA from mast cells. Much higher concentrations of group II PLA2 were required to release comparable quantities of AA. Group I PLA2 also selectively released AA from another mast cell line (CFTL-15) and a monocytic cell line (THP-1). In contrast, high concentrations of group I PLA2 were required to release fatty acids from a promyelocytic cell line (HL-60) and this release was not selective for AA. Binding studies revealed that cell types (BMMC, CFTL-15 and THP-1) which selectively released AA also had the capacity to specifically bind group I PLA2. However, group II PLA2, which did not selectively release AA from cells, also did not specifically bind to these same cell types. Additional studies revealed that sPLA2 binding to the mast cell receptor was attenuated after stimulation with antigen or ionophore A23187. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analyses indicated the presence of mRNA for the sPLA2 receptor in BMMC, CFTL-15 and THP-1 and the absence of this mRNA in HL-60. Final studies demonstrated that p-aminophenyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside BSA, a known ligand of the sPLA2 receptor, also selectively released AA from mast cells but not from HL-60 cells. These experiments indicated that receptor occupancy alone (without PLA2 activity) is sufficient to induce the release of AA from mast cells. Together, these data reveal that specific isotypes of sPLA2 have the capacity to selectively release AA from certain cells by their capacity to bind to sPLA2 receptors on the cell surface.

The distribution and metabolism of arachidonate-containing phospholipids in cellular nuclei.

The cell nucleus has been identified as a location to which several arachidonic acid-metabolizing enzymes are located in stimulated cells. However, little information exists describing the distribution of arachidonate-containing phospholipids associated with the nucleus or the control of their composition. In this study, nuclei isolated from human monocyte-like THP-1 cells were found to have a distribution of arachidonyl-phospholipids which is markedly different from that of other cellular membranes. THP-1 nuclei which contained 22% of total cellular arachidonate, showed a near equal distribution of arachidonate in 1-acyl-2-arachidonoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 1-acyl-2-arachidonyl-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, 1-acyl-2-arachidonoyl-glycero-3-phosphoinositol and 1-alk-1-enyl-2-arachidonoyl-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine molecular species. In contrast in non-nuclear membranes, arachidonate was located primarily in 1-alk-1-enyl-2-arachidonoyl-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine molecular species which accounted for approximately half of the arachidonate in all non-nuclear phospholipids. Isolated nuclei were incapable of initially acylating arachidonic acid into their phospholipids in the absence of cellular cytosol. However, they were capable of efficiently remodelling existing arachidonate between phospholipid classes and subclasses. Isolated nuclei contained 25-30% of the cellular activity of CoA-independent transacylase, the key enzyme responsible for arachidonate-phospholipid remodelling. This enzyme is also critical in the control of arachidonate availability following cell stimulation. Given that the cellular distribution of arachidonate is such that nuclei are enriched in donor substrates for the CoA-independent transacylase reaction, that non-nuclear membranes are enriched in acceptor substrates and that nuclei have the enzymatic machinery to remodel arachidonate efficiently, these results suggest that CoA-independent transacylase may be responsible for the remodelling of arachidonate not only between different phospholipid species within the same organelles but also between different sub-cellular compartments.

Beta-lactams SB 212047 and SB 216754 are irreversible, time-dependent inhibitors of coenzyme A-independent transacylase.

The enzyme coenzyme A-independent transacylase (CoA-IT) has been demonstrated to be the key mediator of arachidonate remodeling, a process that moves arachidonate into 1-ether-containing phospholipids. Blockade of CoA-IT by reversible inhibitors has been shown to block the release of arachidonate in stimulated neutrophils and inhibit the production of eicosanoids and platelet-activating factor. We describe novel inhibitors of CoA-IT activity that contain a beta-lactam nucleus. beta-Lactams were investigated as potential mechanism-based inhibitors of CoA-IT on the basis of the expected formation of an acyl-enzyme intermediate complex. Two beta-lactams, SB 212047 and SB 216754, were shown to be specific, time-dependent inhibitors of CoA-IT activity (IC50 = 6 and 20 microM, respectively, with a 10-min pretreatment time). Extensive washing and dilution could not remove the inhibition, suggesting it was irreversible. In stimulated human monocytes, SB 216754 decreased the production of eicosanoids in a time-dependent manner. In an in vivo model of phorbol ester-induced ear inflammation, SB 216754 was able to inhibit indices of both edema and cell infiltration. Taken together, the results support two hypotheses: 1) CoA-IT activity is important for the production of inflammatory lipid mediators in stimulated cells and in vivo and 2) the mechanism by which CoA-IT acts to transfer arachidonate is through an acyl-enzyme intermediate.

Secretory and cytosolic phospholipases A2 are activated during TNF priming of human neutrophils.

Cytokines alter neutrophil (PMN) function during inflammation, and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) in vitro primes PMN such that receptor-mediated stimulation causes markedly enhanced release of arachidonic acid. We hypothesized that two Ca(2+)-dependent PLA2's in PMN might be activated during priming of the cell, thus affecting arachidonate release. A low molecular weight, secretory PLA2 was identified by enzymatic activity in the cell free supernates of primed or stimulated PMN, and in PMN disrupted by nitrogen cavitation. The enzymatic activity was calcium-dependent, acid stable, destroyed by dithiothreitol, and blocked by anti-sPLA2 antibodies. TNF caused secretion of sPLA2 and also caused an increase in cell-associated sPLA2 enzymatic activity. Activation and release were maximal with fMLP stimulation of TNF-primed PMN. Neutrophils also contained a cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2) characterized by enzymatic activity which was calcium dependent, enhanced by dithiothreitol, and blocked by anti-cPLA2 antibody. TNF caused a doubling of cPLA2 enzymatic activity which was associated with phosphorylation of the enzyme as judged by a migration shift on Western blots. Thus, TNF priming of human PMN caused marked increase in fMLP stimulated AA release in parallel to enhanced activity of two different PLA2's.

Dietary supplementation with gamma-linolenic acid alters fatty acid content and eicosanoid production in healthy humans.

To understand the in vivo metabolism of dietary gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), we supplemented the diets of 29 volunteers with GLA in doses of 1.5-6.0 g/d. Twenty-four subjects ate controlled eucaloric diets consisting of 25% fat; the remaining subjects maintained their typical Western diets. GLA and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) increased in serum lipids of subjects supplemented with 3.0 and 6.0 g/d; serum arachidonic acid increased in all subjects. GLA supplementation with 3.0 and 6.0 g/d also resulted in an enrichment of DGLA in neutrophil phospholipids but no change in GLA or AA levels. Before supplementation, DGLA was associated primarily with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) of neutrophil glycerolipids, and DGLA increased significantly in PE and neutral lipids after GLA supplementation. Extending the supplementation to 12 wk did not consistently change the magnitude of increase in either serum or neutrophil lipids in subjects receiving 3.0 g/d. After GLA supplementation, A23187-stimulated neutrophils released significantly more DGLA, but AA release did not change. Neutrophils obtained from subjects after 3 wk of supplementation with 3.0 g/d GLA synthesized less leukotriene B4 (P < 0.05) and platelet-activating factor. Together, these data reveal that DGLA, the elongase product of GLA, but not AA accumulates in neutrophil glycerolipids after GLA supplementation. The increase in DGLA relative to AA within inflammatory cells such as the neutrophil may attenuate the biosynthesis of AA metabolites and may represent a mechanism by which dietary GLA exerts an anti-inflammatory effect.

Inhibitors of coenzyme A-independent transacylase induce apoptosis in human HL-60 cells.

ET-18-O-CH3 (1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) is an antiproliferative agent, blocking the growth of cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. However, there is controversy regarding the mechanism leading to its antiproliferative effects. CoA-independent transacylase (CoA-IT) is an enzyme that remodels arachidonate between specific phospholipid donor and acceptor molecules in a variety of mammalian cells. ET-18-O-CH3 was found to be a potent inhibitor of CoA-IT (IC50, 0.5 microM), and kinetic analysis revealed that its inhibition was competitive with the lyso-phospholipid substrate. The goal of the current study was to explore the connection between inhibition of CoA-IT and antiproliferative effects using several structurally distinct inhibitors of CoA-IT. ET-18-O-CH3 and other inhibitors of CoA-IT were found to inhibit cell proliferation and thymidine incorporation into the DNA, as well as to induce apoptosis in human HL-60 monocytic leukemia cells. The mechanism of apoptosis induced by ET-18-O-CH3 appeared to be different from that induced by tumor necrosis factor; the former failed to activate NF-kappa B, whereas tumor necrosis factor did. Closer examination of the pharmacology of apoptosis in this model revealed that compounds that were structurally related to CoA-IT inhibitors, but lacked CoA-IT inhibitory activity, also failed to induce apoptosis. In addition, compounds that inhibited other enzymes that participate in arachidonic acid metabolism, cyclooxygenase, 5-lipoxygenase and phospholipase A2, did not induce apoptosis. Taken together, these results demonstrate that inhibition of CoA-IT can be linked to blockade of proliferation and the induction of apoptosis in HL-60 cells.

Mechanisms of prostanoid synthesis in human synovial cells: cytokine-peptide synergism.

Bradykinin (BK)2 and interleukin-1 (IL-1) interact synergistically to stimulate prostaglandin synthesis in human synovial fibroblast-like cells. The effect of BK is rapid and correlates with its capacity to elevate cytosolic levels of calcium ([Ca2+]i), while IL-1's effect is slow and s dependent upon de novo protein synthesis. The mechanism of this synergistic interaction was investigated. In the basal state, high levels of arachidonic acid (AA) were spontaneously released from synovial cells but near absent levels of cyclooxygenase activity prevented metabolism of AA to prostanoid. BK was a potent stimulus for elevating AA, but not prostaglandins, above basal levels. IL-1, in contrast, increased prostaglandins but not AA, above basal levels. IL-1 treatment was not associated with a loss or redistribution of AA among phospholipid classes. These results are consistent with high basal phospholipase activity in synovial cells and demonstrate the ability of BK, presumably via its ability to raise [Ca2+]i, to further elevate this activity(ies). Metabolism of AA to prostanoid is minimal in resting and BK-stimulated synovial cells, however, without the concomitant induction of cyclooxygenase activity by IL-1. These studies clarify the different, but synergistic, mechanisms of action of a peptide and cytokine in stimulating prostanoid synthesis in synovial cells. In addition, these data extend the results of previous investigations in demonstrating that basal phospholipase activity provides sufficient AA substrate for IL-1 induced prostanoid synthesis without invoking the concomitant induction of phospholipase activity by IL-1.