Group IVA phospholipase A2 participates in the progression of hepatic fibrosis

Group IVA phospholipase A2 (IVA-PLA2) is an enzyme that intiates the arachidonic acid pathway and plays an important role in inflammation. We demonstrate that IVA-PLA2 deficiency suppresses lipid deposition in the liver, which was induced by administration of a high-fat and -cholesterol diet (HFCD) for 16 wk in mice. Herein, we performed 2-dimensional gel-based comparative proteomics to further define the suppressive effect of IVA-PLA2 deficiency on fatty liver formation. In comparisons among 4 groups, wild-type (WT)/normal diet (ND), IVA-PLA2-deficient knockout (KO)/ND, WT/HFCD, and KO/HFCD, 4 proteins, 3 of which are associated with hepatic fibrosis, were identified as molecules, of which altered expression by HFCD was suppressed in KO mice compared to WT mice. Therefore, we assessed the effect of IVA-PLA2 deficiency on hepatic fibrosis induced by HFCD or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in mouse models. Biochemical and histological analyses revealed that IVA-PLA2 deficiency markedly reduced overall collagen accumulation in the liver of HFCD- and CCl4-derived mouse models. We found that IVA-PLA2 deficiency prevented activation of hepatic stellate cells and infiltration of F4/80-positive macrophages without affecting other immunocytes such as CD8+ lymphocytes and natural killer cells. In summary, IVA-PLA2 deficiency attenuates not only lipid deposition in the liver but also hepatic fibrosis formation.