Alan G. Singer

Interfacial Kinetic and Binding Properties of the Complete Set of Human and Mouse Groups I, II, V, X, and XII Secreted Phospholipases A2

Expression of the full set of human and mouse groups I, II, V, X, and XII secreted phospholipases A2 (sPLA2s) in Escherichia coli and insect cells has provided pure recombinant enzymes for detailed comparative interfacial kinetic and binding studies. The set of mammalian sPLA2s display dramatically different sensitivity to dithiothreitol. The specific activity for the hydrolysis of vesicles of differing phospholipid composition by these enzymes varies by up to 4 orders of magnitude, and yet all enzymes display similar catalytic site specificity toward phospholipids with different polar head groups. Discrimination between sn-2 polyunsaturated versus saturated fatty acyl chains is <6-fold. These enzymes display apparent dissociation constants for activation by calcium in the 1–225 μm range, depending on the phospholipid substrate. Analysis of the inhibition by a set of 12 active site-directed, competitive inhibitors reveals a large variation in the potency among the mammalian sPLA2s, with Me-Indoxam being the most generally potent sPLA2 inhibitor. A dramatic correlation exists between the ability of the sPLA2s to hydrolyze phosphatidylcholine-rich vesicles efficiently in vitro and the ability to release arachidonic acid when added exogenously to mammalian cells; the group V and X sPLA2s are uniquely efficient in this regard.

Groups IV, V, and X Phospholipases A2s in Human Neutrophils ROLE IN EICOSANOID PRODUCTION AND GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIAL PHOSPHOLIPID HYDROLYSIS

The bacterial tripeptide formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP) induces the secretion of enzyme(s) with phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity from human neutrophils. We show that circulating human neutrophils express groups V and X sPLA2 (GV and GX sPLA2) mRNA and contain GV and GX sPLA2 proteins, whereas GIB, GIIA, GIID, GIIE, GIIF, GIII, and GXII sPLA2s are undetectable. GV sPLA2 is a component of both azurophilic and specific granules, whereas GX sPLA2 is confined to azurophilic granules. Exposure to fMLP or opsonized zymosan results in the release of GV but not GX sPLA2 and most, if not all, of the PLA2 activity in the extracellular fluid of fMLP-stimulated neutrophils is due to GV sPLA2. GV sPLA2 does not contribute to fMLP-stimulated leukotriene B4 production but may support the anti-bacterial properties of the neutrophil, because 10–100 ng per ml concentrations of this enzyme lead to Gram-negative bacterial membrane phospholipid hydrolysis in the presence of human serum. By use of a recently described and specific inhibitor of cytosolic PLA2-α (group IV PLA2α), we show that this enzyme produces virtually all of the arachidonic acid used for the biosynthesis of leukotriene B4 in fMLP- and opsonized zymosan-stimulated neutrophils, the major eicosanoid produced by these pro-inflammatory cells.

Importance of group X–secreted phospholipase A2 in allergen-induced airway inflammation and remodeling in a mouse asthma model

Arachidonic acid metabolites, the eicosanoids, are key mediators of allergen-induced airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma. The availability of free arachidonate in cells for subsequent eicosanoid biosynthesis is controlled by phospholipase A2s (PLA2s), most notably cytosolic PLA2-α. 10 secreted PLA2s (sPLA2s) have also been identified, but their function in eicosanoid generation is poorly understood. We investigated the role of group X sPLA2 (sPLA2-X), the sPLA2 with the highest in vitro cellular phospholipolysis activity, in acute and chronic mouse asthma models in vivo. The lungs of sPLA2-X−/− mice, compared with those of sPLA2-X+/+ littermates, had significant reduction in ovalbumin-induced infiltration by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and eosinophils, goblet cell metaplasia, smooth muscle cell layer thickening, subepithelial fibrosis, and levels of T helper type 2 cell cytokines and eicosanoids. These data direct attention to sPLA2-X as a novel therapeutic target for asthma.

On the Binding Preference of Human Groups IIA and X Phospholipases A2 for Membranes with Anionic Phospholipids

Mammals contain 9–10 secreted phospholipases A2 (sPLA2s) that display widely different affinities for membranes, depending on the phospholipid composition. The much higher enzymatic activity of human group X sPLA2(hGX) compared with human group IIA sPLA2 (hGIIA) on phosphatidylcholine (PC)-rich vesicles is due in large part to the higher affinity of the former enzyme for such vesicles; this result also holds when vesicles contain cholesterol and sphingomyelin. The inclusion of anionic phosphatidylserine in PC vesicles dramatically enhances interfacial binding and catalysis of hGIIA but not of hGX. This is the result of the large number of lysine and arginine residues scattered over the entire surface of hGIIA, which cause the enzyme to form a supramolecular aggregate with multiple vesicles. Thus, high affinity binding of hGIIA to anionic vesicles is a complex process and cannot be attributed to a few basic residues on its interfacial binding surface, as is also evident from mutagenesis studies. The main reason hGIIA binds poorly to PC-rich vesicles is that it lacks a tryptophan residue on its interfacial binding surface, a residue that contributes to the high affinity binding of hGX to PC-rich vesicles. Results show that the lag in the onset of hydrolysis of PC vesicles by hGIIA is due in part to the poor affinity of this enzyme for these vesicles. Binding affinity of hGIIA, hGX, and their mutants to PC-rich vesicles is well correlated to the ability of these enzymes to act on the PC-rich outer plasma membrane of mammalian cells.

Crystal Structure of Human Group X Secreted Phospholipase A2 ELECTROSTATICALLY NEUTRAL INTERFACIAL BINDING SURFACE TARGETS ZWITTERIONIC MEMBRANES

The crystal structure of human group X (hGX) secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) has been solved to a resolution of 1.97 Å. As expected the protein fold is similar to previously reported sPLA2 structures. The active site architecture, including the positions of the catalytic residues and the first and second shell water around the Ca2+ cofactor, are highly conserved and remarkably similar to the group IB and group IIA enzymes. Differences are seen in the structures following the (1–12)-N-terminal helix and at the C terminus. These regions are proposed to interact with the substrate membrane surface. The opening to the active site slot is considerably larger in hGX than in human group IIA sPLA2. Furthermore, the electrostatic surface potential of the hGX interfacial-binding surface does not resemble that of the human group IIA sPLA2; the former is highly neutral, whereas the latter is highly cationic. The cationic residues on this face of group IB and IIA enzymes have been implicated in membrane binding and ink cat * allostery. In contrast, hGX does not show activation by the anionic charge at the lipid interface when acting on phospholipid vesicles or short-chain phospholipid micelles. Together, the crystal structure and kinetic results of hGX supports the conclusion that it is as active on zwitterionic as on anionic interfaces, and thus it is predicted to target the zwitterionic membrane surfaces of mammalian cells.