Cytosolic phospholipase A2 participates with TNF-alpha in the induction of apoptosis of human macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra.

Macrophage (MPhi) apoptosis, an important innate microbial defense mechanism induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) H37Ra, depends on the induction of TNF-alpha synthesis. When protein synthesis is blocked, both infection with Mtb and addition of TNF-alpha are required to induce caspase 9 activation, caspase 3 activation and apoptosis. In this study, we show that the second protein synthesis-independent signal involves activation of group IV cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). Apoptosis of Mtb-infected MPhi and concomitant arachidonic acid release are abrogated by group IV cPLA2 inhibitors (methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphate and methyl trifluoromethyl ketone), but not by inhibitors of group VI Ca2+-independent (iPLA2; bromoenol lactone) or of secretory low molecular mass PLA2. In MPhi homogenates, the predominant PLA2 activity showed the same inhibitor sensitivity pattern and preferred arachidonic acid over palmitic acid in substrates, also indicating the presence of one or more group IV cPLA2 enzymes. In concordance with these findings, MPhi lysates contained transcripts and protein for group IV cPLA2-alpha and cPLA2-gamma. Importantly, group IV cPLA2 inhibitors significantly reduced MPhi antimycobacterial activity and addition of arachidonic acid, the major product of group IV cPLA2, to infected MPhi treated with cPLA2 inhibitors completely restored the antimycobacterial activity. Importantly, addition of arachidonic acid alone to infected MPhi significantly reduced the mycobacterial burden. These findings indicate that Mtb induces MPhi apoptosis by independent signaling through at least two pathways, TNF-alpha and cPLA2, which are both also critical for antimycobacterial defense of the MPhi.