Leptin augments alveolar macrophage leukotriene synthesis by increasing phospholipase activity and enhancing group IVC iPLA2(cPLA2γ) protein expression

Abstract

Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipocytes in correlation with total body fat mass. In addition to regulating energy homeostasis, leptin modulates immune functions such as macrophage phagocytosis and cytokine synthesis. Previously, we reported defective leukotriene synthesis in macrophages from leptin-deficient mice that could be restored with exogenous leptin. In the present study, we utilized macrophages from normal rodents to explore the mechanism by which leptin could enhance cellular leukotriene synthesis. Leptin pretreatment of either rat alveolar or murine peritoneal macrophages for 16 h dose dependently increased the synthesis of leukotriene B4and cysteinyl leukotrienes in response to calcium ionophore or the particulate zymosan. Leptin also enhanced calcium ionophore-stimulated release of free arachidonic acid. Calcium-dependent and -independent arachidonoyl-selective phospholipase activities in macrophage lysates were likewise increased following leptin treatment. Immunoblot analysis of leptin-treated cells revealed that group IVC iPLA2(cPLA2γ) protein expression increased ∼80%. These data demonstrate for the first time that phospholipase A2activity and cPLA2γ protein levels in alveolar macrophages represent targets for upregulation by leptin and provide previously unrecognized mechanisms by which this hormone can promote inflammatory responses.