Changes induced by PAF-acether in diacyl and ether phospholipids from guinea-pig alveolar macrophages

The release and the mobilization of arachidonic acid from guinea-pig alveolar macrophages labeled with [1-14C]arachidonic acid for short (1 h) and long (18 h) periods and stimulated with PAF-acether (1-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) was studied. After short labeling periods arachidonic acid was primarily incorporated into alkylacyl- and diacylglycerophosphocholine (alkylacylGPC, diacylGPC) and glycerophosphoinositol (GPI), whereas after long labeling periods arachidonic acid was mainly incorporated into alkenylacylglycerophosphoethanolamine (alkenylacylGPE). In macrophages labeled for 1 h, PAF-acether (1 microM) induced a significant decrease in the amount of arachidonic acid esterified into diacyl- and alkylacylGPC and GPI, as well as a significant increase of arachidonate transferred into alkenylacylGPE. No significant decrease in arachidonate esterified in GPC fractions and in GPI was induced by PAF-acether in macrophages labeled for 18 h, whereas the increased transfer of the fatty acid into alkenylacylGPE was still measurable. This study shows that PAF-acether induces the release and the mobilization of newly incorporated arachidonic acid in alveolar macrophages. When cells are labeled for long periods and the majority of arachidonic acid is retained in ether-linked phospholipids, no PAF-acether-induced release of arachidonate was obtained, whereas its transfer was maintained.