Albumin and fatty acid effects on the stimulated production of 1-O-hexadecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PAF) by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Production of platelet-activating factor (PAF) during opsonized zymosan stimulation of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes is dependent on the concentration of extracellular albumin and on the presence of exogenous fatty acids. Fatty acid-free albumin caused a concentration-dependent increase in PAF synthesis up to 5% albumin concentrations (w/v) where the amount of PAF produced was three- to four-fold higher than in controls containing no albumin. The addition of free fatty acids, particularly arachidonic acid and palmitic acid, to 5% fatty acid-free albumin media caused a concentration-dependent decrease in PAF synthesis. A 50% inhibition of PAF synthesis was observed at an arachidonic acid concentration of 120 microM and at a palmitic acid concentration of 100 microM. The inhibition of PAF production by palmitic acid was also dependent on the concentration of extracellular albumin. In 0.5% fatty acid-free albumin media, a palmitic acid concentration of 40 microM produced a 50% inhibition in PAF synthesis. The addition of palmitic acid did not affect the release of endogenous arachidonic acid during stimulation. In contrast, the addition of stearic acid up to 120 microM in 5% fatty acid-free albumin media had no effect on PAF production. The different inhibitory effects of palmitic acid and stearic acid on PAF production may be related to differences in intracellular utilization of these two fatty acids during cell stimulation.