Phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis and DNA synthesis in cultured retinal capillary pericytes

In order to verify the role of activation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) hydrolysis by phospholipase D (PLD) in the initiation of mitogenic process of retinal capillary pericytes, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a known PC hydrolysis stimulator, and exogenous PLD have been used to stimulate pericytes. Exogenous PLD (Streptomyces chromofuscus PLD) or PDGF BB homodimer (PDGF) was added to a medium of quiescent pericytes prelabeled with [32P]orthophosphate. In the presence of ethanol (300 mM), phosphatidic acid (PA) and its stable transphosphatidylated product, phosphatidylethanol (PEt), were determined. In parallel, [3H]thymidine incorporation was measured. Downregulation of PKC was achieved by long-term treatment with a phorbol ester. The addition of exogenous PLD or PDGF stimulated both [3H]thymidine incorporation and [32P]PEt formation in a similar kinetic fashion, suggesting that PC hydrolysis is involved in PDGF-mitogenic signaling pathway. PDGF-stimulated [3H]PA formation was significantly higher in the presence than in the absence of PA phosphohydrolase (PAP) inhibitor, indicating the activation of PLD/PAP pathway. In the presence of ethanol, a substantial level of PA at the steady state can be abolished by an inhibitor of diacylglycerol (DAG) kinase. This phenomenon indicates the existence of PC-phospholipase C (PLC)/DAG kinase pathway in PC hydrolysis. Insulin potentiated both PLD- and PDGF-induced DNA synthesis. Though similarities occur in the induction of DNA synthesis and PC hydrolysis by exogenous PLD and PDGF, the maximum extent of DNA synthesis of exogenous PLD was only approximately 43% of that induced by PDGF. Moreover, exogenous PLD-induced DNA synthesis was not blunted, while PDGF-elicited DNA synthesis was markedly reduced, by PKC downregulation. In addition, PDGF-induced PC hydrolysis was attenuated by a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, whereas exogenous PLD-induced PC hydrolysis was unchanged. Taken together, exogenous PLD may mimic PDGF action and partially account for the efficacy on DNA synthesis elicited by PDGF. The signal transduction initiated by exogenous PLD is able to bypass the PKC- and PTK-dependent activation of endogenous PLD. These findings provide evidence for the importance of PLD-mediated PC hydrolysis in pericyte DNA synthesis stimulated by PDGF.