Cloning and recombinant expression of a novel mouse-secreted phospholipase A2

Secreted phospholipases A2 (sPLA2s) form a class of structurally related enzymes that are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological effects including inflammation and associated diseases, cell proliferation, cell adhesion, and cancer, and are now known to bind to specific membrane receptors. Here, we report the cloning and expression of a novel sPLA2 isolated from mouse thymus. Based on its structural features, this sPLA2 is most similar to the previously cloned mouse group IIA sPLA2 (mGIIA sPLA2). As for mGIIA sPLA2, the novel sPLA2 is made up of 125 amino acids with 14 cysteines, is basic (pI = 8.71) and its gene has been mapped to mouse chromosome 4. However, the novel sPLA2 has only 48% identity with mGIIA and displays similar levels of identity with the other mouse group IIC and V sPLA2s, indicating that the novel sPLA2 is not an isoform of mGIIA sPLA2. This novel sPLA2 has thus been called mouse group IID (mGIID) sPLA2. In further contrast with mGIIA, which is found mainly in intestine, transcripts coding for mGIID sPLA2 are found in several tissues including pancreas, spleen, thymus, skin, lung, and ovary, suggesting distinct functions for the two enzymes. Recombinant expression of mGIID sPLA2 in Escherichia coli indicates that the cloned sPLA2 is an active enzyme that has much lower specific activity than mGIIA and displays a distinct specificity for binding to various phospholipid vesicles. Finally, recombinant mGIID sPLA2 did not bind to the mouse M-type sPLA2 receptor, while mGIIA was previously found to bind to this receptor with high affinity.