Cell surface lipids and adhesion. I. The effects of lysophosphatidyl compounds, phospholipase A2 and...

Aggregation-inhibiting protein (AIP: Curtis & Greaves, 1965), which diminishes the adhesiveness of cells, particularly at low temperatures, is identified in the present paper as phospholipase A2 (EC. 3.1.1.4). Our reasons for this identification are because phospholipase activity parallels AIP activity on cell adhesion, and because various inhibitors and sera act in a parallel manner on adhesion in the presence of AIP or phospholipase. We suggest that the enzyme acts on adhesion by producing lysolecithin and other lysolipids in the plasmalemma. Addition of lysolipids diminishes cell adhesion in a manner similar to phospholipase A. Incubation of cells in Hanks' medium at 37 degrees C has a parallel effect. Conditions which would be expected to stimulate reacylation of lysolipids in the plasmalemma, i.e. incubation of cells in the external presence of CoA, ATP and a fatty acid, lead to a recovery or maintenance of adhesion after or during Hanks' incubation at 37 degrees C. All these results suggest that lipid components of the cell, probably in the plasmalemma, are of importance in adhesion. The results are discussed in relation to the long-standing controversy about the effects of low temperatures and trypsinization on cell adhesion, for phospholipase treatment of cells affects adhesion in a manner similar to trypsinization.