title: Cell signalling through phospholipid breakdown.
abstract: There is much evidence that G-proteins transduce the signal from receptors for Ca(2+)-mobilizing agonists to the phospholipase C that catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphoinositides. However, the specific G-proteins involved have not been identified. We have recently purified a 42 kDa protein from liver that activates phosphoinositide phospholipase C and cross-reacts with antisera to a peptide common to G-protein alpha-subunits. It is proposed that this protein is the alpha-subunit of the G-protein that regulates the phospholipase in this tissue. Ca(2+)-mobilizing agonists and certain growth factors also promote the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine through the activation of phospholipases C and D in many cell types. This yields a larger amount of diacylglycerol for a longer time than does the hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids. Consequently phosphatidylcholine breakdown is probably a major factor in long-term regulation of protein kinase C. The functions of phosphatidic acid produced by phospholipase D are speculative, but there is evidence that it is a major source of diacylglycerol in many cell types. The regulation of phosphatidylcholine phospholipases is multiple and involves direct activation by G-proteins, and regulation by Ca2+, protein kinase C and perhaps growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Exton
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Augert
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bocckino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism; D019269:Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D019269:Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D010743:Phospholipids; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins