Activation of phospholipase D by sphingoid bases in NG108-15 neural-derived cells

Recent studies suggest that signal-dependent formation of phosphatidic acid by phospholipase D-catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine is a novel trans-membrane signaling pathway in mammalian cells. We here demonstrate that sphingosine, as well as some other long chain bases, activates phospholipase D in neural-derived NG108-15 cells. Sphingosine potently stimulated phosphatidic acid and, in the presence of ethanol, phosphatidylethanol formation. (Phosphatidylethanol is a nonphysiological phospholipid which is characteristically produced by phospholipase D in the presence of ethanol.) Elevated phosphatidic acid levels were accompanied by increased phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylglycerol production and a decrease in diacylglycerol levels. Sphingosine stimulated phospholipase D activity in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. A long aliphatic chain and a free 2-amino group were important structural requirements for the activation of phospholipase D by sphingosine-related molecules. We propose that phospholipase D may constitute an important cellular target for sphingosine action under both physiological and pathological circumstances.