Analysis of the mechanism of ultraviolet (UV) B radiation-induced prostaglandin E2 synthesis by human epidermoid carcinoma cells.

Stimulation of cultured human keratinocytes with interleukin (IL)-1 alpha is known to elicit prostaglandin (PG) E2 release. Ultraviolet (UV) B radiation induces keratinocyte PGE2 and cytokine production. The present study deals with the autocrine roles of UVB-induced, keratinocyte-derived cytokines IL-1 and tumor-necrosis-factor (TNF) alpha and their corresponding receptor molecules for UVB-induced PGE2 release. In vitro exposure of transformed human keratinocytes (KB cells) induced PGE2 production five- to eightfold. This increase was inhibited by 70%, if irradiated cells were cultured in presence of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) M4, which blocks IL-1 effects by binding to the type 1 IL-1 receptor (IL-1R). In contrast, MoAb M22, which blocks the type 2 IL-1R, had no significant effects. Addition of recombinant human TNF alpha to unirradiated KB cells resulted in five- to eightfold increased PGE2 synthesis, and this increase could be mimicked by stimulation of KB cells with MoAb htr-9, which exerts TNF alpha-like bioactivity by binding to the 55-kD TNF receptor (TNFR). UVB-induced PGE2 synthesis was blocked by 50% in the presence of neutralizing anti-TNF alpha-Ab, and was completely inhibited by addition of both anti-TNF alpha-Ab and MoAb M4. To elucidate a possible regulatory intracellular step in PGE2 synthesis, specific cyclooxygenase activity in KB cells was determined. Following UVB treatment, cyclooxygenase activity increased twofold, but remained unaltered, if irradiated KB cells were cultured in the presence of anti-TNF alpha-Ab plus MoAb M4. These studies indicate that keratinocyte-derived TNF alpha and IL-1 together mediate UVB-induced PGE2 release via specific cell surface receptors, and that one intracellular mechanism is an increased prostanoid-synthesizing capacity of irradiated cells.

Ca(2+)-induced reversible translocation of phospholipase A2 between the cytosol and the membrane fraction of rat liver macrophages.

In cell-free extracts of rat liver macrophages (Kupffer cells) phospholipase A2 was found to be rapidly associated with the particulate fraction in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner at Ca2+ concentrations of 0.1-1.0 microM. This is also the range of the levels of intracellular Ca2+ reported for basal and various stimulated conditions. After translocation, phospholipase A2 could be released from the membranes in the presence of Ca2+ chelators, increasing the specific activity of phospholipase A2 in the supernatant fraction. These findings support the view that translocation is a regulatory mechanism of phospholipase A2 by bringing the enzyme to its substrate. Unlike the situation with protein kinase C, Mg2+ exerted little effect on phospholipase A2 translocation, indicating that this process is regulated in vivo mainly by fluctuations of the intracellular Ca2+ content.

Synergistic effect of magnesium and calcium ions in the activation of phospholipase A2 of liver macrophages.

In cell-free extracts of rat liver macrophages (Kupffer cells) phospholipase A2 was found to be strongly activated at free Ca2+ concentrations from 100 nM to 1 microM in the presence of 4 mM free Mg2+. This is within the range of intracellular free Ca2+ reported for basal and various stimulated conditions, respectively. Ca2+ alone increased phospholipase A2 activity at high Ca2+ concentrations (1 mM) whereas Mg2+ alone had only little stimulatory effect. Calmodulin does not seem to participate in the regulation of phospholipase A2 although it relieved the inhibition of phospholipase A2 activity by calmodulin antagonists.