Phospholipase A2 biochemistry

Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2009 Feb;23(1):49-59. doi: 10.1007/s10557-008-6132-9. Epub 2008 Oct 18.

Abstract

The phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) superfamily consists of many different groups of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the sn-2 ester bond in a variety of different phospholipids. The products of this reaction, a free fatty acid, and lysophospholipid have many different important physiological roles. There are five main types of PLA(2): the secreted sPLA(2)'s, the cytosolic cPLA(2)'s, the Ca(2+)independent iPLA(2)'s, the PAF acetylhydrolases, and the lysosomal PLA(2)'s. This review focuses on the superfamily of PLA(2) enzymes, and then uses three specific examples of these enzymes to examine the differing biochemistry of the three main types of these enzymes. These three examples are the GIA cobra venom PLA(2), the GIVA cytosolic cPLA(2), and the GVIA Ca(2+)-independent iPLA(2).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Elapid Venoms / enzymology
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / metabolism*
  • Group IA Phospholipases A2 / metabolism
  • Group IV Phospholipases A2 / metabolism
  • Group VI Phospholipases A2 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Lysophospholipids / metabolism*
  • Phospholipases A2 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Elapid Venoms
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
  • Isoenzymes
  • Lysophospholipids
  • Group IA Phospholipases A2
  • Group IV Phospholipases A2
  • Group VI Phospholipases A2
  • Phospholipases A2