Function of Calcium-Independent Phospholipase A₂ in Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in P388D₁ Macrophages

Abstract

It is widely recognized that phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) is the enzyme largely responsible for regulating arachidonic acid (AA) release and hence eicosanoid production in most cell types¹. Mammalian phospholipase A₂s include three major families: the Ca²⁺-depend-ent, low molecular mass enzymes (approximately 14 kDa), the structurally unrelated Ca²⁺-dependent, high molecular mass enzymes (85 kDa), and the recently described Ca²⁺-independent enzymes¹. All three families have been implicated in AA release in a variety of cells, their relative contribution being dependent on the agonist and cell type considered.