Vasopressin via receptor-stimulated phospholipase D: Differential regulation of transphosphatidylation and phospholipid hydrolysis by protein kinase C

Phospholipase D belongs to a group of membrane associated phospholipases which have been shown to be activated by G-protein coupled neurotransmitter receptors. Phosphatidylcholine is the primary substrate for phospholipase D generating phosphatidic acid (PA) and choline. In the presence of 1% ethanol, phospholipase D catalyzes a transphosphatidylation reaction generating phosphatidylethanol (PEt) which is an indicator of phospholipase D activation. In the present study, we utilized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with and expressing a rat V1a vasopressin receptor to study the regulation of phospholipase D by protein kinase C and calcium. Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) stimulated the release of 3H-PEt and 3H-PA in cells pre-labelled overnight with 3H-palmitic acid. The phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), stimulated the release of PEt and PA that was additive with AVP over 15 min. However, long-term stimulation with PMA, which desensitizes protein kinase C, decreased PEt production while simultaneously increasing PA production. Differential regulation of PEt and PA production by PMA suggests the existence of more than one phospholipase D isoenzyme. Though differentially regulated by protein kinase C, both AVP-stimulated PEt and PA production required extracellular and not intracellular calcium.