The potential role of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in the regulation of the electrogenic arachidonic acid (AA)-activatable H+ translocator of neutrophils was investigated. (1) The trifluoromethyl ketone analogue of arachidonate (AACOCF3), a newly developed selective blocker of cPLA2, inhibited both the N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine (fMLP)- and the phorbol-ester-induced rheogenic H+ efflux (K0.5 ≈ 5 μM) and abrogated the stimulus-triggered release of AA from these cells. The drug failed to reduce the fMLP-evoked Ca2+ signal or protein tyrosine phosphorylation and did not affect the activity of protein kinase C. By using the patch-clamp technique we verified that the agent did not interfere with the voltage- and the pH-dependent activation of the H+ conductance of the peritoneal macrophages and therefore is not a direct blocker of the H+ channel itself. AACOCF3, however, slightly decreased the AA-induced stimulation of the H+ currents. We conclude that AA, liberated by the agonist-induced stimulation of cPLA2, is a direct activator of H+ conductance. (2) AACOCF3 did not inhibit superoxide generation, indicating that activation of cPLA2 may not be a prerequisite for turning on NADPH oxidase. (3) Since neither acid generation by the oxidase, nor the basal or stimulated Na+/H+ exchange (the predominant acid-eliminating mechanism) were influenced by the drug, we could use AACOCF3 to address whether the H+ channel in fact opens and plays any physiological role during activation of neutrophils. Stimulus-induced cytosolic alkalinization was smaller, whereas depolarization became larger, in the presence of AACOCF3. Stimulated H+ conductance therefore does contribute to intracellular pH (pHi) homoeostasis and membrane potential changes of intact neutrophils.

Possible factors regulating the opening of and the rate of H+ flux through a recently described, Cd(2+)-sensitive, phorbol ester- and arachidonic acid (AA)-activatable H(+)-conducting pathway in the plasma membrane of neutrophil granulocytes were investigated. (1) The phospholipase A2 blocker p-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB) inhibited the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced activation of this channel in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50, 4 microM). (2) Neither BPB nor the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor staurosporine influenced the AA-elicited stimulation of this route. (3) Intracellular acidification (cytoplasmic pH below 6.9) itself is capable of activating an electrogenic, Cd(2+)-sensitive H+ efflux indicating that protons can open up this route in the absence of any other stimulator. (4) PMA significantly decreases the intracellular H+ concentration ([H+]i) threshold for the opening of the channel, thus providing a conductive state at resting pH values, and elevates the rate of H+ efflux at any [H+]i. (5) Changes in external pH also modify the operation of the channel: above an extracellular pH (pH(o)) value of 7.4, the H(+)-flux/driving force relationship is approx. 5-fold greater than below this value. Our results suggest a multifactorial regulation of the electrogenic H+ channel: most probably PKC activates the channel indirectly, via stimulation of phospholipase A2 that subsequently liberates AA. In addition to this, the channel conductance seems to be promoted by internal H+ and inhibited by external H+.

The existence of an electrogenic H(+)-transporting pathway similar to that described in the plasma membrane of granulocytes and macrophages is reported in pig peripheral lymphocytes. The function of the H(+)-transport pathway can only be detected when free movement of charge-compensating cations is allowed. H+ transport is stimulated by arachidonic acid and various unsaturated fatty acids, and inhibited by bivalent cations, with the following sequence of efficiency: Zn2+ > Cd2+ = Co2+ = Ni2+ > Mn2+ > Ba2+ = Ca2+ = Mg2+. The transport pathway is activated by intracellular acidification and by NN'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, but it is not influenced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. As pig peripheral lymphocytes are not able to produce O2-., it is suggested that the operation of the electrogenic H+ conductance does not require the assembly of a functional NADPH oxidase.

(4) Inhibition of the metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA) via the cyclooxygenase pathway had no effect, whereas inhibition of the lipoxygenase pathway significantly enhanced H÷-release. This is the first report about activation of the H+-transporter by physiological stimulator acting on the cell surface.

To test the suggested structural relationship between the electrogenic H + transporting system and the NADPH oxidase of phagocytes, the existence of the enzyme and the transport process was investigated in human tonsillar T lymphocytes. It is shown that tonsillar T cells possess an arachidonic acid activatable, Cd 2+-and Zn2+-sensitive electrogenic H + efflux pathway with similar properties as reported earlier in various phagocytic cells. The presence of cytochrome bsss, the membrane component of the oxidase, could not be detected in tonsillar T lymphocytes either by immunoblot or by flow cytometric analysis. It is suggested that the electrogenic H + transporting pathway is structurally independent of the NADPH oxidase complex.