The transduction of mechanical force into biochemical events in bone cells may involve activation of phospholipase A sub(2)

Mechanical forces applied to cultured bone cells induce the production of cAMP via stimulation of the formation of prostaglandin E sub(2) (PGE sub(2)) and its release into the medium, resulting in stimulation of adenylate cyclase. In this paper the authors show that either the antibiotic gentamycin (100 mu g/ml) or antiphospholipid antibodies (0.1%) which bind to membrane phospholipids abolish cAMP formation induced by mechanical forces; exogenously added arachidonic acid or PGE sub(2) stimulates cAMP formation, even in the presence of these agents. Addition of exogenous phospholipase A sub(2) causes an increase in the formation of cAMP in bone cells, a response that is also inhibited by gentamycin or antiphospholipase antibodies.