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Yoshihiro Kita

Publications and source records attributed to Yoshihiro Kita.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Biochemical properties and pathophysiological roles of cytosolic phospholipase A2s.

Phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) (EC 3.1.1.4) catalyzes hydrolysis of the sn-2 ester bond of glycerophospholipids. The enzyme is essential for the production of two classes of lipid mediators, fatty acid metabolites and lysophospholipid-related lipids, as well as being involved in the remodeling of membrane phospholipids. Among many mammalian PLA(2)s, cytosolic PLA(2)alpha (cPLA(2)alpha) plays a critical role in various physiological and pathophysiological conditions through generating lipid mediators. Here, we summarize the in vivo significance of cPLA(2)alpha, revealed from the phenotypes of cPLA(2)alpha-null mice, and properties of newly discovered cPLA(2) family enzymes. We also briefly introduce a quantitative lipidomics strategy using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, a powerful tool for the comprehensive analysis of lipid mediators.

Animals↗

Profiling of eicosanoid production in the rat hippocampus during kainic acid-induced seizure: dual phase regulation and differential involvement of COX-1 and COX-2.

Kainic acid (KA)-induced seizure in rat involves eicosanoid production in the brain, but their production mechanism and biological functions are poorly understood. We profiled the eicosanoid production during KA-induced seizure by a comprehensive lipidomics analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Systemic KA administration caused production of large amounts of prostaglandin (PG) F(2alpha) and PGD(2) in the hippocampus, with smaller amounts of other PGs and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids. The production was biphasic, which consisted of an initial burst in the first 30 min and a sustained late phase production. The initial phase was specific to the hippocampus and was blocked by intracerebroventricular administration of KA receptor antagonists. A selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor, NS398, completely inhibited the initial phase productions, except for PGD(2) and thromboxane B(2), whose productions were also dependent on COX-1. These results suggest that KA signals directly stimulate the arachidonic acid cascade in the initial phase and that COX-1 and COX-2, both constitutively expressed at low levels, differentially contribute to PG productions. In the late phase, a sustained PG production in hippocampus appears due to the increased COX-2 levels even with a limited arachidonic acid supply. The present study demonstrates a dual phase regulatory mechanism of eicosanoid production during KA-induced seizure, providing a biochemical basis for understanding the biosynthesis and roles of eicosanoids in the brain.

Animals↗

Attenuation of folic acid-induced renal inflammatory injury in platelet-activating factor receptor-deficient mice.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF), a potent lipid mediator with various biological activities, plays an important role in inflammation by recruiting leukocytes. In this study we used platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR)-deficient mice to elucidate the role of PAF in inflammatory renal injury induced by folic acid administration. PAFR-deficient mice showed significant amelioration of renal dysfunction and pathological findings such as acute tubular damage with neutrophil infiltration, lipid peroxidation observed with antibody to 4-hydroxy-2-hexenal (day 2), and interstitial fibrosis with macrophage infiltration associated with expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the kidney (day 14). Acute tubular damage was attenuated by neutrophil depletion using a monoclonal antibody (RB6-8C5), demonstrating the contribution of neutrophils to acute phase injury. Macrophage infiltration was also decreased when treatment with a PAF antagonist (WEB2086) was started after acute phase. In vitro chemotaxis assay using a Boyden chamber demonstrated that PAF exhibits a strong chemotactic activity for macrophages. These results indicate that PAF is involved in pathogenesis of folic acid-induced renal injury by activating neutrophils in acute phase and macrophages in chronic interstitial fibrosis. Inhibiting the PAF pathway might be therapeutic to kidney injury from inflammatory cells.

Animals↗

Dual phase regulation of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by platelet-activating factor.

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) serves as a model for multiple sclerosis and is considered to be a CD4+ Th1 cell-mediated autoimmune disease. To investigate the role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in this disease, PAF receptor (PAFR) KO (PAFR-KO) and wild-type (WT) mice, on a C57BL/6 genetic background, were immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55. The levels of PAF production and PAFR mRNA expression in the spinal cord (SC) correlated with the EAE symptoms. PAFR-KO mice showed lower incidence and less severe symptoms in the chronic phase of EAE than WT mice. However, no difference was observed in T cell proliferation, Th1-cytokine production, or titer of IgG2a between both genotypes. Before onset, as revealed by microarray analysis, mRNAs of inflammatory mediators and their receptors-including IL-6 and CC chemokine receptor 2-were down-regulated in the SC of PAFR-KO mice compared with WT mice. Moreover, in the chronic phase, the severity of inflammation and demyelination in the SC was substantially reduced in PAFR-KO mice. PAFR-KO macrophages reduced phagocytic activity and subsequent production of TNF-alpha. These results suggest that PAF plays a dual role in EAE pathology in the induction and chronic phases through the T cell-independent pathways.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A multiplex quantitation method for eicosanoids and platelet-activating factor using column-switching reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Eicosanoids and platelet-activating factor (PAF) are phospholipid-derived lipid mediators produced by various tissues and cells through a cascade pathway. For a comprehensive analysis of these lipid mediators, a simultaneous quantitation method with sensitivity and reliability is necessary. This article details a development of column-switching reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for multiplex quantitation of eicosanoids and PAF. The adsorptive nature of lipids caused significant loss of signal in a conventional column-switching configuration. The use of an online-dilution method allowed use of 100% methanol as a sample solvent, which prevented sample adsorption to contacting surfaces. Addition of 0.2% formic acid to the sample solvent was required for the successful introduction of LTC4 to the trapping column and minimizing its carryover. The optimized method provided rapid analysis of 14 lipid mediators with a throughput of 96 samples/24 h, lower limits of quantitation of 5 pg on column, and linear calibration ranges up to 2000-5000 pg. The system was highly compatible with solid-phase-extracted samples, as methanol-eluted fractions were directly injected without reconstitution. The analysis of lipid mediator production of macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells demonstrated that the cell-based assay can be performed in a 96-well format, suitable for metabolomics analyses and/or screening strategies.

Animals↗

Pathway-oriented profiling of lipid mediators in macrophages.

Macrophages produce various kinds of lipid mediators including eicosanoids and platelet-activating factor. Since they are produced from common precursors, arachidonic acid-containing phospholipids, regulations of metabolic pathways underlie the patterning of lipid mediator production. Here, we report a pathway-oriented profiling strategy of lipid mediators by a newly developed multiplex quantification system. We profiled mouse peritoneal macrophages in different activation states. The analysis of kinetics revealed the differences in the production time course of various lipid mediators, which also differed by the macrophage types. Scatterplot matrix analysis of the inhibitor study revealed correlations of lipid mediator species. The changes of these correlations provided estimates on the effects of lipopolysaccharide priming. We also found a highly linked production of 11-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid and prostaglandin E2, implying the in vivo property of cyclooxygenase-mediated 11-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid production. The present approach will serve as a strategy for understanding the regulatory mechanism of lipid mediator production.

Animals↗

Discrete role for cytosolic phospholipase A(2)alpha in platelets: studies using single and double mutant mice of cytosolic and group IIA secretory phospholipase A(2).

Among several different types of phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), cytosolic PLA(2) (cPLA(2))alpha and group IIA (IIA) secretory PLA(2) (sPLA(2)) have been studied intensively. To determine the discrete roles of cPLA(2)alpha in platelets, we generated two sets of genetically engineered mice (cPLA(2)alpha(-/-)/sPLA(2)-IIA(-/-) and cPLA(2)alpha(-/-)/sPLA(2)-IIA(+/+)) and compared their platelet function with their respective wild-type C57BL/6J mice (cPLA(2)alpha(+/+)/sPLA(2)-IIA(-/-)) and C3H/HeN (cPLA(2)alpha(+/+)/sPLA(2)-IIA(+/+)). We found that cPLA(2)alpha is needed for the production of the vast majority of thromboxane (TX)A(2) with collagen stimulation of platelets. In cPLA(2)alpha-deficient mice, however, platelet aggregation in vitro is only fractionally decreased because small amounts of TX produced by redundant phospholipase enzymes sufficiently preserve aggregation. In comparison, adenosine triphosphate activation of platelets appears wholly independent of cPLA(2)alpha and sPLA(2)-IIA for aggregation or the production of TX, indicating that these phospholipases are specifically linked to collagen receptors. However, the lack of high levels of TX limiting vasoconstriction explains the in vivo effects seen: increased bleeding times and protection from thromboembolism. Thus, cPLA(2)alpha plays a discrete role in the collagen-stimulated production of TX and its inhibition has a therapeutic potential against thromboembolism, with potentially limited bleeding expected.

12-Hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic Acid↗

A pivotal role of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis is an interstitial disorder of the lung parenchyma whose mechanism is poorly understood. Potential mechanisms include the infiltration of inflammatory cells to the lungs and the generation of pro-inflammatory mediators. In particular, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and fatal form of the disorder characterized by alveolar inflammation, fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition. Here, we investigated the role of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) in pulmonary fibrosis using cPLA(2)-null mutant mice, as cPLA(2) is a key enzyme in the generation of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. Disruption of the gene encoding cPLA(2) (Pla2g4a) attenuated IPF and inflammation induced by bleomycin administration. Bleomycin-induced overproduction of thromboxanes and leukotrienes in lung was significantly reduced in cPLA(2)-null mice. Our data suggest that cPLA(2) has an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. The inhibition of cPLA(2)-initiated pathways might provide a novel therapeutic approach to pulmonary fibrosis, for which no pharmaceutical agents are currently available.

Animals↗

Cytosolic phospholipase A2: biochemical properties and physiological roles.

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a major constituent of biological membranes and a component of serum lipoproteins and pulmonary surfactants. The PC and other glycerophospholipid compositions of membranes change dynamically through stimulus-dependent and independent pathways, principally by the action of two different types of enzymes; phospholipase A2 [EC 3.1.1.4] and acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferase [EC 2.3.1.23]. Phospholipase A2 is a key enzyme that catalyzes deacylation of the sn-2 position of glycerophospholipids. This enzyme is critical in the remodeling of membrane lipids and formation of two subclasses of lipid mediators, fatty acid derivatives and lysophospholipids. Among many different subtypes of phospholipase A2 enzymes, we found that cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha (cPLA2alpha) is important in various pathological and physiological responses. Here, we summarize the phenotypes resulting from genetic ablation of cPLA2alpha, and the properties of newly discovered enzymes in the cPLA2 family. Comprehensive analysis of lipid mediators using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is useful for understanding the roles of individual mediators in physiological and pathological processes.

Animals↗