Phospholipase A
2 (PLA
2) catalyzes the hydrolysis of fatty acids at the
sn-
2 position of glycerophospholipids, liberating arachidonic acid for subsequent eicosanoid synthesis.
1 Three primary types of PLA
2 exist: secretory (sPLA
2), calcium-
dependent cytosolic (cPLA
2), and calcium-
independent cytosolic (iPLA
2).
2 Of these three enzymes, cPLA
2 is the rate-
limiting stimulus for release of arachidonic acid whereas sPLA
2 amplifies the action of cPLA
2 and regulates phagocytosis and foam cell formation.
3 CAY10590, a simple amide based on (R)-
γ-
norleucine, is a potent and selective inhibitor of sPLA
2. It exhibits 95% inhibition (X
I(50) = 0.003) of sPLA
2 at 0.091 mole fraction without affecting the activities of cPLA
2 or iPLA
2.
4