title: Cloning and characterization of mouse lung-type acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1). Expression in alveolar type II cells and possible involvement in surfactant production.
abstract: Phosphatidylcholine (1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, PC), is an important constituent of biological membranes. It is also the major component of serum lipoproteins and pulmonary surfactant. In the remodeling pathway of PC biosynthesis, 1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (LPC) is converted to PC by acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT, EC 2.3.1.23). Whereas LPCAT activity has been detected in several tissues, the structure and detailed biochemical information on the enzyme have not yet been reported. Here, we present the cloning and characterization of a cDNA for mouse lung-type LPCAT (LPCAT1). The cDNA encodes an enzyme of 60 kDa, with three putative transmembrane domains. When expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, mouse LPCAT1 exhibited Ca(2+)-independent activity with a pH optimum between 7.4 and 10. LPCAT1 demonstrated a clear preference for saturated fatty acyl-CoAs, and 1-myristoyl- or 1-palmitoyl-LPC as acyl donors and acceptors, respectively. Furthermore, the enzyme was predominantly expressed in the lung, in particular in alveolar type II cells. Thus, the enzyme might synthesize phosphatidylcholine in pulmonary surfactant and play a pivotal role in respiratory physiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolome, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shindou
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hishikawa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harayama
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ogasawara
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suwabe
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D008243:1-Acylglycerophosphocholine O-Acyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000201:enzymology; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012313:RNA; D008243:1-Acylglycerophosphocholine O-Acyltransferase