Abstract

cPLA2gamma was identified as an ortholog of cPLA2alpha, which is a key enzyme in eicosanoid production. cPLA2gamma was reported to be located in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria and to have lysophospholipase activity beside phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. However, subcellular localization, mechanism of membrane binding, regulation and physiological function have not been fully established. In the present study, we examined the subcellular localization and enzymatic properties of cPLA2gamma with C-terminal FLAG-tag. We found that cPLA2gamma was located not only in ER but also mitochondria even in the absence of the prenylation. Purified recombinant cPLA2gamma catalyzed an acyltransferase reaction from one molecule of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) to another, forming phosphatidylcholine (PC). LPC or lysophosphatidylethanolamine acted as acyl donor and acceptor, but lysophosphatidylserine, lysophosphatidylinositol and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) did not. PC and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) also acted as weak acyl donors. Reaction conditions changed the balance of lysophospholipase and transacylation activities, with addition of LPA/PA, pH>8, and elevated temperature markedly increasing transacylation activity; this suggests that lysophospholipase/transacylation activities of cPLA2gamma may be regulated by various factors. As lysophospholipids are known to accumulate in ischemia heart and to induce arryhthmia, the cPLA2gamma that is abundant in heart may have a protective role through clearance of lysophospholipids by its transacylation activity.