[Platelet-activating factor-from molecular biology to clinic]

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is not only a potent proinflammatory compound, but is also involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. cDNAs coding for PAF receptors were isolated in our laboratory from human, guinea-pig, rat, and mouse. They consist of 341-342 amino acids with 7 putative transmembrane domains, characteristic of a G-protein-coupled-receptor superfamily. The gene for the human PAF receptor is located on chromosome 1, and has three separate exons. By 5'-alternative splicing, two transcripts (leukocyte- and heart-type) were expressed under the direction of two distinct promoters. Signal transduction of the PAF receptor disclosed that it couples with many effector systems including phospholipase C activation, inhibition of adenylate cyclase, MAP kinase activation, and phospholipase A2 activation. The multiplicify of these second messenger systems allows PAF to have a variety of biological activities, even though it is a single molecule and has no receptor subtypes.