R. Neal Pinckard

Physical and chemical properties of platelet-activating factor obtained from human neutrophils and monocytes and rabbit neutrophils and basophils

Platelet-activating factor secreted by stimulated human neutrophils and monocytes and rabbit neutrophils and basophils was isolated, purified and chemically and physically characterized. All four preparations had identical thin layer chromatographic behavior in a variety of solvent systems, identical solubility behavior in various organic and aqueous solvents and responded comparably to a variety of chemical and physical agents designed to reveal the presence functional groups. These findings indicate that human neutrophil and monocyte, and rabbit neutrophil and basophil derived platelet-activating factor preparations are indistinguishable, and support the conclusion that platelet-activating factor is a neutral, polar lipid molecule whose functional activity is dependent upon the presence of a carboxylic acid ester.

Agonist-dependent failure of neutrophil function in diabetes correlates with extent of hyperglycemia.

Inexplicable controversies with regard to possible functional defects of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in diabetes persist. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the relative effectiveness of several PMN agonists in stimulating lysosomal‐enzyme secretion and leukotriene (LT) B4 production by PMNs isolated from diabetic subjects. Formyl‐methionyl‐leucyl‐phenylalanine (fMLP) and platelet‐activating factor (PAF) induced significantly less lysosomal‐enzyme secretion and LTB4 production in diabetic‐subject PMNs than in normal‐subject PMNs. It is surprising that PMNs from these same diabetic subjects responded normally after stimulation with A23187, serum‐opsonized zymosan, or phorbol myristate acetate. The in vitro responsiveness of PMNs stimulated with fMLP or PAF was inversely correlated with indices of in vivo glycemic control (fasting plasma glucose and glycated‐hemoglobin levels). In combination, these results indicate that hyperglycemia is associated with sustained decreases in PMN function but only in response to agonists that initiate stimulus‐response coupling via G‐protein‐coupled receptors. This agonist‐selective reduction in PMN responsiveness may contribute to the compromised host defense associated with sustained hyperglycemia in diabetes.

Potent platelet stimulating activity of enantiomers of acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine and its methoxy analogues

Surprisingly, the sn-1 configuration of 1-0-hexadecyl-2-acetyl-glycerylphosphorylcholine showed significant activity, 3.22 × 10−9 M, when compared to the sn-3 enantiomer, 2.92 × 10−10 M and a racemic mixture with a value of 7.2 × 10−10 M. A methoxy substitution at the C-1 or C-2 position of octadecyl glycerylphosphorylcholine gave a derivative with high biological activity for stimulating serotonin release from rabbit platelets. A 1-0-dodecyl-2-methoxy analogue showed very low activity; also, a comparable series of 0-benzyl derivatives were inactive. Examination of 1-0-hexadecyl, 1-0-octadecyl- or 1-0-dodecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glyceryl-3-phosphorylcholine showed that the hexadecyl compound had three times the biological activity of the octadecyl and five times that of the dodecyl.

Molecular heterogeneity of platelet-activating factor produced by stimulated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

The molecular heterogeneity of platelet-activating factor (PAF) produced by stimulated human neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was assessed by both normal and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As detected by rabbit platelet stimulation, at least 5 PAF molecules were separated by HPLC. Fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry revealed one of these PAFs was acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (AGEPC) with a C16:0 alkyl chain in the sn-1 position. Although the structures of the remaining PAFs are unknown, two of the peaks of PAF activity had the same retention times on reverse phase HPLC as the C15- and C18-saturated alkyl chain AGEPC homologues. These studies indicate that the human PMN produces multiple molecular species of PAF.

Influence of alkyl ether chain length of acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine and its ethanolamine analog on biological activity toward rabbit platelets.

Abstract The preparation of the potent new lipid chemical mediator, 1- O -alkyl-2-acetyl- sn -glyceryl-3-phosphorylcholine (AGEPC), through a facile semisynthetic procedure utilizing the vinyl ether-containing lecithins (plasmalogens) of bovine heart muscle as the starting material results in a derivative with mixed chain alkyl residues. In order to focus more closely on the importance of the various components of AGEPC relative to its biological activity, it was of importance to develop a method for isolation of molecules rich in a specific chain length of the alkyl residue. In the current study it was found that a simple thin-layer chromatographic technique, using a solvent system of methanol water (2:1, v v ), afforded an excellent separation of semisynthetic AGEPC into two species, one containing over 95 mol% 16:0 and the other 95 mol% 18:0 alkyl chain species. The same procedure allowed a comparable separation of the species of 1- O -alkyl-2-acetyl- sn -glyceryl-3-phosphorylethanolamine (AGEPE) prepared from AGEPC by phospholipase D action. On the basis of their effectiveness in releasing serotonin from washed rabbit platelets, the 16:0-rich derivatives of AGEPC and AGEPE exhibited significantly higher specific activities, from three to six-fold, on a molar basis, respectively, than the corresponding 18:0-rich derivatives. These findings are discussed in relation to the importance of the chain length of the alkyl ether group in expression of the biological activity of AGEPC.

Fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometric identification of molecular species of platelet-activating factor produced by stimulated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry was used to identify molecular species of platelet-activating factor (PAF) produced by stimulated human neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Normal and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography were employed to separate the individual regions with PAF activity prior to mass spectrometric analysis. The following alkyl chain homologs of acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (AGEPC) were found: C16:0, C17:0, C18:0 and C18:1. There was also evidence for the presence of the C15:0 homolog, as well as other species which have not yet been identified.

Molecular heterogeneity of PAF in normal human mixed saliva: quantitative mass spectral analysis after direct derivatization of PAF with pentafluorobenzoic anhydride

Platelet-activating factor (PAF), a family of phospholipid autacoids with potent pro-inflammatory activities, is present in saliva. The current study has quantitated various species of PAF isolated from normal human mixed saliva. Choline-containing, sn-2 acetylated phospholipids with sn-1 ether- or ester-linked fatty alcohol/acid moieties (alkyl-PAF or acyl-PAF, respectively) were evaluated after direct derivatization with pentafluorobenzoic (PFB) anhydride. Individual species of PFB-derivatized PAF were separated by gas chromatography prior to mass spectral analysis; quantitative estimates of six different species of PAF in saliva were made by comparison to corresponding authentic, synthetic PAF standards. In each saliva sample, all six species of PAF were readily detected by this facile procedure. The predominant PAF was 1-O-hexadecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine or 16:0-alkyl-PAF (0.75 +/- 0.09 pmol/ml saliva; mean +/- S.E.; n = 5) which represented only 30.4 +/- 1.5% of the total PAF. Substantial amounts of 18:1- and 18:0-alkyl-PAF and 16:0-acyl-PAF were also identified (0.52 +/- 0.07, 0.35 +/- 0.06, and 0.35 +/- 0.02 pmol/ml saliva, respectively). In summary, mass spectrometric analysis of PAF after direct derivatization with PFB anhydride has revealed that at least six different species of PAF are present in normal human mixed saliva. This structural diversity may represent an important aspect of homeostasis in the healthy oral cavity.

Mass spectrometric analysis of platelet-activating factor after isolation by solid-phase extraction and direct derivatization with pentafluorobenzoic anhydride

Platelet-activating factor is the term used to denote a class of extremely potent lipid mediators that consist predominantly of 1-O-alkyl- and 1-O-acyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholines. A method has been devised for rapid isolation of these acetylated phospholipids by solid-phase extraction prior to direct derivatization with pentafluorobenzoic anhydride and analysis by gas chromatography (GC)/electron-capture mass spectrometry. Recovery through the entire method (lipid isolation, derivatization, and purification) typically ranged from 70% to 85%. Using the direct derivatization procedure described here, the practical limit of detection for each of the standard alkyl- and acyl-platelet-activating factor homologs was 1 fmol injected into the GC. Results from the application of the method to the analysis of alkyl and acyl homologs of platelet-activating factor isolated from stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells are presented, exhibiting excellent accuracy and precision for a wide range of tissue levels of this class of potent autacoids.

Thromboxane B2 (TxB2) release following acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (AGEPC) infusion in the rabbit.

Intravenous infusion of acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (AGEPC) into rabbits resulted in an AGEPC dose-dependent elevation of plasma thromboxane B2 (TxB2) levels within 30 seconds. In contrast to AGEPC, the deacetylated derivative, lyso-GEPC (36.8 micrograms), did not increase intravascular TxB2 levels when similarly infused into rabbits. Intravascular TxB2 levels were maximal at 60 seconds after the infusion of 0.61 micrograms AGEPC whereas at higher doses of AGEPC (1.21-2.4 micrograms), plasma TxB2 levels were maximally elevated within 30 seconds after initiation of AGEPC infusion. These acute increases in the intravascular levels of TxB2 were accompanied by the development of thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and basopenia which occurred concomitantly with AGEPC dose-dependent elevations in the plasma levels of platelet factor 4. Elevations in the plasma TxB2 levels returned to pre-infusion levels within 10-20 minutes after the initiation of AGEPC infusion. Thus, in vivo, one potent phospholipid, AGEPC, stimulates the production of another class of potent lipid mediators, the thromboxanes.

Alkyl chain homologs of platelet-activating factor and their effects on the mammalian heart

Platelet-activating factor (PAF; AGEPC) is a potent negative inotropic and coronary-vasoconstricting agent. Minor structural alterations in the PAF molecule are known to greatly affect its biological activity; thus, we have investigated the effects of selected synthetic saturated and unsaturated alkyl chain PAF homologs on the isolated guinea pig heart. The rank order of potency for the negative inotropic effect was C16:0- greater than C18:1- greater than beef-heart AGEPC greater than C15:0- greater than C18:0- greater than C14:0-AGEPC; the rank order for the coronary-vasoconstricting effect was C16:0- approximately C18:1- approximately beef-heart AGEPC greater than C15:0- greater than C18:0- approximately C14:0-AGEPC. With the exception of C16:0- and C18:1-AGEPC, the relative potencies for the cardiac and coronary effects of the alkyl chain AGEPC homologs did not correlate well with their relative potencies in stimulating rabbit platelets and human neutrophils. The differences in the rank order of potency for these AGEPC homologs suggest the presence of species and/or target cell PAF receptor heterogeneity.