Phospholipase A

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) catalyzes sn-2 phospholipid hydrolysis, releasing fatty acids and lysophospholipids that support lipid metabolism and cell signaling[1]. Mechanistically, PLA2 activation supplies arachidonic acid for cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase, and cytochrome P450 pathways, linking membrane phospholipid turnover to eicosanoid-driven inflammation[2]. In disease models, cPLA2α promotes lipid mediator production in human and rodent cells, and cPLA2α-deficient mice show reduced macrophage prostaglandin and leukotriene production, impaired fertility, and smaller postischemic brain injury[3][4]. Compared with related isoforms, cPLA2α is a widely expressed intracellular enzyme, whereas secreted PLA2, calcium-independent PLA2, and lipoprotein-associated PLA2 differ in localization, calcium requirement, and substrate context[1][2][5]. For experimental applications, pyrrophenone strongly inhibits cPLA2α activity, and AACOCF3 acts as a tight, slow-binding inhibitor of the 85-kDa human cytosolic PLA2[6][7].