Human and rat alveolar macrophages express multiple EDG receptors

Endothelial differentiation gene (EDG) receptors are a new family of eight G protein-coupled receptors for the lysophospholipids lysophosphatitic acid and sphingosine-1-phosphate. In the present experiments, the expression of EDG receptors in rat and human alveolar macrophages was studied by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In alveolar macrophages of both species, mRNA for multiple EDG receptors could be detected, but the pattern of expression was different in both species. In human alveolar macrophages, mRNA for EDG1, EDG2, EDG4, EDG7 receptors and, to a lesser extent, for the EDG7 receptor was detected, whereas in rat macrophages, mRNA for EDG2, EDG5 receptors and, to a lesser extent, for the EDG6 receptor was found. In functional experiments, it was observed that lysophosphatitic acid and sphingosine-1-phosphate can stimulate O(2)(-) generation in rat and human alveolar macrophages suggesting that lysophosphatitic acid and sphingosine-1-phosphate possibly acting via EDG receptors may play a role in controlling the activation of macrophages.