Abstract

Phospholipase A2 is a calcium-dependent enzyme which produces membrane fusogens. The possibility that it may be involved in exocytosis of catecholamine from primary dissociated cultures of bovine adrenal medullary cells was investigated by studying the effects on catecholamine secretion and 44Ca2+ uptake of three phospholipase A2 inhibitors: p-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB), Upjohn Compound 1002, and mepacrine. The three compounds completely inhibited catecholamine secretion induced by the nicotinic agonist 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium (DMPP), elevated K+, and Ba2+. The inhibition of nicotinic agonist-induced secretion by mepacrine may have been caused by direct nicotinic antagonist activity of the drug. The phospholipase inhibitors also inhibited 45Ca2+ uptake into the cells stimulated by DMPP and elevated K+. Inhibition of 45Ca2+ uptake and catecholamine secretion exhibited identical dose-response curves. Other effects of the inhibitors were also investigated. Compound 1002 had no effect on 45Ca2+ efflux from the cells in the presence of either normal or reduced Na+ concentrations. BPB inhibited DMPP-stimulated phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase which, like exocytosis, is dependent on a rise in cytosolic Ca2+. The data suggest that phospholipase A2 inhibitors block catecholamine secretion from intact chromaffin cells by blocking Ca2+ influx.