Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) injured lymphatic endothelial cells leading to progression of secondary lymphoedema

Secondary lymphoedema is one of the common complications after lymph node dissection for gynecologic malignancies and breast cancer. In this study, the relationship between PLA2 and postoperative lymphoedema in cancer at the molecular level has been explored through transcriptomics and metabolomic assays. Transcriptome sequencing technology, as well as metabolomic assays, were utilized to explore the expression of PLA2 in lymphoedema patients, and search for potential pathways in the pathogenesis and exacerbation mechanism of lymphoedema. The effect of sPLA2 on human lymphatic endothelial cells was investigated by culturing human lymphatic endothelial cells. Secretory phospholipases A2 (sPLA2) showed high expression levels in lymphoedema tissues, however, cytoplasmic phospholipases A2 (cPLA2), showed low expression in lymphoedema, as demonstrated by RT-qPCR. By culturing human lymphatic vascular endothelial cells, the study found that sPLA2 causes HLEC vacuolization and has an inhibitory effect on HLEC proliferation and migration. By detecting sPLA2 in the serum of lymphoedema patients and analyzing clinical data, it was found that sPLA2 was positively correlated with the severity of lymphoedema. Secretory Phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) is highly expressed in lymphoedema tissue, damages lymphatic vessel endothelial cells, is strongly associated with disease severity, and can be used as a potential predictor of disease severity.Abbreviations: PLA2: Phospholipase A2; DEGs: differentially expressed genes; DMP: differential metabolic production.