title: Inhibition of PAF synthesis by stimulated human polymorphonuclear leucocytes with cloricromene, an inhibitor of phospholipase A2 activation.
abstract: 1. A phospholipase A2 (PLA2) represents the key enzyme in the remodelling pathway of platelet-activating factor (PAF) synthesis in human polymorphonuclear (PMN) leucocytes. 2. PLA2 activation is also the rate-limiting step for the release of the arachidonic acid utilized for the synthesis of leukotrienes in stimulated leucocytes; however, it is unknown whether the PLA2s involved in the two biosynthetic pathways are identical. 3. Cloricromene (8-monochloro-3-beta-diethylaminoethyl-4-methyl-7-ethoxy- carbonylmethoxy coumarin) is an antithrombotic coumarin derivative which inhibits platelet and leucocyte function and suppresses arachidonic acid liberation by interfering with PLA2 activation. 4. The aim of the present study was to assess whether chloricromene inhibits PAF synthesis by stimulated human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs). 5. Cloricromene (50-500 microM) inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the release of PAF, as measured by h.p.l.c. bioassay, from A23187-stimulated PMNs. Significant inhibition (45%) of PAF-release was obtained with 50 microM cloricromene and the IC50 was 85 microM. Mepacrine (500 microM), a non-specific PLA2 inhibitor, strikingly reduced PAF release. 6. The incorporation of [3H]-acetate into [3H]-PAF induced by serum-treated zymosan in human PMNs was also inhibited concentration-dependently by cloricromene, with an IC50 of 105 microM. Mepacrine also suppressed [3H]-acetate incorporation into [3H]-PAF. 7. Cloricromene did not affect the activities of the enzymes involved in PAF-synthesis acetyltransferase or phosphocholine transferase. 8. Our data demonstrate that cloricromene, an inhibitor of PLA2-activation in human leucocytes, reduces the synthesis of PAF by stimulated PMNs. This finding has a twofold implication: the PLA2s (or the mechanisms that regulate their activation) involved in PAF synthesis and arachidonate release in human leucocytes are either identical or else indistinguishable by their sensitivity to cloricromene; the inhibition of PAF release by activated leucocytes may contribute to the antithrombotic and anti-ischaemic activities exerted by cloricromene.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal and Vascular Medicine, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ribaldi
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mezzasoma
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Francescangeli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prosdocimi
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Nenci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goracci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gresele
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002866:Chromonar / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002798:Diacylglycerol Cholinephosphotransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007476:Ionophores; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000001:Calcimycin; C025945:cloricromen; D000123:Acetyltransferases; C046035:1-alkylglycerophosphocholine acetyltransferase; D002798:Diacylglycerol Cholinephosphotransferase; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D002866:Chromonar