Expression and function of phospholipase A2 in brain

AbstractPhospholipase A2 (PLA2) appears to play a fundamental role in cell injury in the central nervous system. We have investigated PLA2 expression in the astrocytoma cell line 1231N1, and found that GIVA, GIVB, GIVC and GVI PLA2 messages are expressed. PLA2 activity is increased by inflammatory/injury stimuli such as interleukin-1β and lipopolysaccharide in these cells but with very different time courses. The arachidonic acid liberated is converted to prostaglandin E2, possibly by cyclooxygenase-2, which is induced by inflammatory stimuli. This cell system emerges as a model to study injury/inflammation-related activation of the new PLA2 forms GIVB and GIVC