Incorporation of arachidonic acid (AA) into phosphatidylcholine molecular species of the human neutrophil (PMN)

Recently the authors proposed that the initial incorporation of AA into 1,2 diacylphosphatidylcholine (PC) was mediated by AA-CoA transferase(s) while the subsequent transfer of AA from 1,2-diacyl- into alkyl, acyl-PC was mediated by a CoA-independent transacylase. Studies here provide further evidence for such a two-step mechanism. PMNs were pulse labeled for 5 min with 3H-AA (.07μM) which was rapidly incorporated into 1,2-diacyl-PC. However, incorporation of AA into 1,2-diacyl-PC was inhibited by incubation with high levels of AA (30 μM). Similarly PMNs were pulsed labeled with 3H-AA for 5 min followed by a 120 min incubation. In these cells, 3H-AA was rapidly transferred from 1,2-diacyl-PC into alkyl, acyl-PC. In the presence of 30 μM AA redistribution of 3H-AA from diacyl to alkyl, acyl-PC was observed. This result implied that the initial incorporation of 3H-AA proceeds via a free acid intermediate while the transfer of 3H-AA from diacyl to alkyl, acyl-PC does not. Using a cell free system, 14C-AACoA was incubated for 5 min and found to be incorporated into 1,2-diacyl-PC containing 16:0, 18:0, and 18:1 at the sn-1 position. Furthermore 14C-AACoA and various 1-radyl, 2-lyso-PC were added to a PMN membrane preparation. The arachidonyl-transferase(s) preferred the 1-acyl, 2-lyso-PC substrate to 1-alkyl, 2-lyso-PC. Thus these studies provide further evidence that AA is initially incorporated into 1,2-diacyl-PC through arachidonyl-CoA transferases