Lysosomal Phospholipases A1 and A2 of Normal and Bacillus Calmette Guerin-induced Alveolar Macrophages

A single intravenous injection of 0.1 mg of heat-killed Bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG) in 0.1 ml of Bayol F produced an accumulation of activated alveolar macrophages (BCG induced). Cells were collected 3.5-4.0 wk after injection. Phospholipases A and three lysosomal marker enzymes (acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, and lysozyme) were measured in homogenates, and the distribution of the phospholipases A and lysosomal, mitochondrial, and microsomal marker enzymes were examined after sucrose gradient centrifugation of a postnuclear (1,000 g) supernatant. Homogenates of normal and BCG-induced macrophages contained phospholipases A(1) and A(2) which had optimal activity at pH 4.0 in the presence of 2.0 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA). These activities were inhibited 50-70% by 2.0 mM CaCl(2). Homogenates of BCG-induced macrophages had specific activities of beta-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, and lysozyme, which were increased 1.5- to 3.0-fold over the controls, whether expressed as activity per mg protein or activity per 10(7) cells. The specific activities of the phospholipases A, on the other hand, were consistently lower than those of the control. Distribution of the phospholipases A and the lysosomal marker enzymes after sucrose gradient centrifugation suggested that the phospholipases A active at pH 4.0 in the presence of EDTA are of lysosomal origin since: (a) BCG treatment caused a selective increase in the density of particles which contained both the phospholipases A and three lysosomal marker enzymes; and (b) since the density of mitochondria and microsomes were not affected by BCG treatment. The increase in the density of lysosomes seen here may be related to previously described morphologic changes of BCG-induced alveolar macrophages.