NGF Induces the Expression of Group IIA Secretory Phospholipase A2 in PC12 Cells: The Newly Synthesized Enzyme Is Addressed to Growing Neurites

We proposed that group IIA secretory phospholipase A2 (GIIA) participates in neuritogenesis based on our observations that the enzyme migrates to growth cones and neurite tips when PC12 cells are induced to differentiate by nerve growth factor (NGF) (Ferrini et al., Neurochem Res 35:2168–2174, 2010). The involvement of other secretory PLA2 isoforms in neuronal development has been suggested by others but through different mechanisms. In the present study, we compared the subcellular distribution of GIIA and group X sPLA2 (GX) after stimulation of PC12 cells with NGF. We found that GIIA, but not GX, localized at the neuritic tips after treatment with NGF, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence analysis. We also found that NGF stimulated the expression and the activity of GIIA. In addition, NGF induced the expressed myc-tagged GIIA protein to migrate to neurite tips in its active form. We propose that GIIA expression, activity, and subcellular localization is regulated by NGF and that the enzyme may participate in neuritogenesis through intracellular mechanisms, most likely by facilitating the remodelling of glycerophospholipid molecular species by deacylation–reacylation reactions necessary for the incorporation of polyunsaturated fatty acids.