Stable expression of human groups IIA and X secreted phospholipases A 2 (hGIIA and hGX) in CHO-K1 and HEK293 cells leads to serum-and interleukin-1-promoted arachidonate release. Using mutant CHO-K1 cell lines, it is shown that this arachidonate release does not require heparan sulfate proteoglycan-or glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins. It is shown that the potent secreted phospholipase A 2 inhibitor Me-Indoxam is cell-impermeable. By use of Me-Indoxam and the cellimpermeable, secreted phospholipase A 2 trapping agent heparin, it is shown that hGIIA liberates free arachidonate prior to secretion from the cell. With hGX-transfected CHO-K1 cells, arachidonate release occurs before and after enzyme secretion, whereas all of the arachidonate release from HEK293 cells occurs prior to enzyme secretion. Immunocytochemical studies by confocal laser and electron microscopies show localization of hGIIA to the cell surface and Golgi compartment. Additional results show that the interleukin-1-dependent release of arachidonate is promoted by secreted phospholipase A 2 expression and is completely dependent on cytosolic (group IVA) phospholipase A 2 . These results along with additional data resolve the paradox that efficient arachidonic acid release occurs with hGIIAtransfected cells, and yet exogenously added hGIIA is poorly able to liberate arachidonic acid from mammalian cells.Phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 s) 1 are a class of enzymes that release fatty acids from the sn-2 position of glycero-phospholipids. Biomedical interest in these enzymes stems from the finding that the liberation of arachidonic acid for the biosynthesis of the eicosanoids (prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and others) is mediated in mammalian cells by one or more PLA 2 s. Current evidence favors a role for cytosolic phospholipase A 2 -␣ (cPLA 2 -␣, also known as group IVA PLA 2 ) as a major component of the arachidonate releasing signal transduction pathway (1-3). Mammals also contain a large number of secreted phospholipases A 2 (sPLA 2 s) (4, 5), and the possible participation of these enzymes in arachidonate release is under active investigation. For example, group V sPLA 2 is present in the macrophage-like cell line p388D1 and contributes a portion of the arachidonate released in response to lipopolysaccharide (6). Exogenous addition of groups V and X sPLA 2 s to a variety of mammalian cells leads to arachidonate release (7-10). There is some evidence to suggest that the action of cPLA 2 -␣ is a prerequisite for sPLA 2 function in cells (11,12) and even for the vice versa scenario (13-15), but such cross-talk between PLA 2 s remains poorly understood.To assess the arachidonate releasing capacity of PLA 2 s in mammalian cells, CHO and HEK293 cell lines that stably express the various enzymes have been established (16 -20). The behavior of human group IIA (hGIIA) and human group X (hGX) sPLA 2 s when transfected in HEK293 and CHO cells has been extensively studied. hGIIA is secreted from HEK293 cells, and most of the extracellular enzyme is a...