Role of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase-Mediated Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Activation in Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Human Eosinophils

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The objective of this investigation was to determine the role of secretory and cytosolic isoforms of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in the induction of arachidonic acid (AA) and leukotriene synthesis in human eosinophils and the mechanism of PLA2 activation by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) isoforms in this process. Pharmacological activation of eosinophils with fMLP caused increased AA release in a concentration (EC50 = 8.5 nM)- and time-dependent (t1/2 = 3.5 min) manner. Both fMLP-induced AA release and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) secretion were inhibited concentration dependently by arachidonic trifluoromethyl ketone, a cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2) inhibitor; however, inhibition of neither the 14-kDa secretory phospholipase A2 by 3-(3-acetamide-1-benzyl-2-ethylindolyl-5-oxy)propanephosphonic acid nor cytosolic Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 inhibition by bromoenol lactone blocked hydrolysis of AA or subsequent leukotriene synthesis. Pretreatment of eosinophils with a mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) kinase inhibitor, U0126, or a p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, suppressed both AA production and LTC4 release. fMLP induced phosphorylation of MAPK isoforms, ERK1/2 and p38, which were evident after 30 s, maximal at 1–5 min, and declined thereafter. fMLP stimulation also increased cPLA2 activity in eosinophils, which was inhibited completely by 30 μM arachidonic trifluoromethyl ketone. Preincubation of eosinophils with U0126 or SB203580 blocked fMLP-enhanced cPLA2 activity. Furthermore, inhibition of Ras, an upstream GTP-binding protein of ERK, also suppressed fMLP-stimulated AA release. These findings demonstrate that cPLA2 activation causes AA hydrolysis and LTC4 secretion. We also find that cPLA2 activation caused by fMLP occurs subsequent to and is dependent upon ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK activation. Other PLA2 isoforms native to human eosinophils possess no significant activity in the stimulated production of AA or LTC4.</jats:p>