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(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2006;26:1421.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Editorials

Inflammation and Atherosclerosis

Group IIa and Group V sPLA₂ Are Not Redundant

Frederick C. de Beer; Nancy R. Webb

From the Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington.

Correspondence to Frederick C. de Beer, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 740 S Limestone, Room J-525, Lexington, KY 40536-0284. E-mail fcdebe1@uky.edu

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

The secretory phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂) family hydrolyzes glycerophospholipids at the sn-2 position to generate lysophospholipids and free fatty acids. Ten members have been described in mammals. These enzymes must be clearly distinguished from the intracellular phospholipase A₂s that are involved in intracellular signaling. They are also distinct from lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂ (Lp-PLA₂), which has been shown to be bound predominantly to LDL particles in human plasma, and hydrolyzes oxidized LDL to generate lysophosphatidylcholine and oxidized nonesterified fatty acids.¹ Group IIa sPLA₂, which was originally isolated from rheumatoid arthritis fluids, is considered to be the prototypic inflammatory sPLA₂. Its expression is markedly elevated in many cell types in response to proinflammatory stimuli. The concentration of Group IIa sPLA₂ in sera or exudating fluids correlates well with the severity of inflammatory disease. In humans, Group IIa and Group V sPLA₂ are tightly linked on chromosome 1 and their gene regulation and functions have largely been viewed as overlapping. Indeed, cross-reactivity of antibodies and molecular probes for these related enzymes has led to confusion in older literature. The study by Rosengren et al, reported in this issue, provides new insights into the expression and functional activity of Group IIa and Group V sPLA₂ in the context of atherosclerosis.²

See page 1579

A role for sPLA₂s in atherogenic processes has been suggested by epidemiological studies showing that in humans, serum concentrations of Group IIa sPLA₂ is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease and a predictor of . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Secretory Phospholipase A₂ Group V: Lesion Distribution, Activation by Arterial Proteoglycans, and Induction in Aorta by a Western Diet

Birgitta Rosengren, Helena Peilot, Mia Umaerus, Ann-Cathrine Jönsson-Rylander, Lillemor Mattsson-Hultén, Carina Hallberg, Philippe Cronet, Mariam Rodriguez-Lee, and Eva Hurt-Camejo
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2006 26: 1579-1585. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]