Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in innate immunity. They detect pathogen-associated receptor patterns (PAMPs) and initiate subsequent immune responses. Present studies investigate the influence of TLR2 ligands on leukotrienes (LT) formation in human monocytes. LTs are proinflammatory mediators derived from arachidonic acid (AA), which is released from membranes by phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) enzymes. Pretreatment of MM6 cells with the TLR2 ligands LTA, FSL-1, or Pam(3)CSK(4) resulted in an up to two- to threefold enhancement of ionophore-induced LT formation in a dose- and time-dependent manner and to an augmentation of ionophore-induced AA release with similar kinetics. Also in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMC), TLR2 activators increased LT formation. Studies with PLA(2) inhibitors indicated that the increase of AA release is a result of enhanced activity of group IV cPLA(2) in MM6 cells. TLR2 ligands elicited the time-dependent activation of p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 pathways, which led to phosphorylation of cPLA(2)alpha at Ser(505). Simultaneous inhibition of p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 pathways prevented the increase of cPLA(2)alpha phosphorylation and the augmentation of AA release. TLR2 ligand-induced increase of AA release was blocked by a neutralizing anti-hTLR2 antibody, indicating that TLR2 mediates augmented cPLA(2) activation and subsequent LT biosynthesis.

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Leukotriene A(4) (LTA(4)), a reactive electrophilic intermediate formed during the biosynthesis of inflammation-related lipid mediators, has been found to bind covalently to DNA. The major DNA adducts formed by LTA(4) in vitro and human cells have been identified by mass spectrometry on the nucleoside level. Here we investigated whether the thin-layer chromatography (TLC) (32)P-postlabeling method is suitable for the detection of LTA(4)-DNA adducts. The reaction of individual deoxynucleoside 3'-monophosphates with LTA(4) in aqueous basic solution yielded numerous adduct spots when analyzed by the two enrichment procedures of the (32)P-postlabeling method-nuclease P1 digestion and butanol extraction. Highest LTA(4)-adduct levels were found with deoxyguanosine 3'-phosphate (around one adduct per 10(4) normal nucleotides). Under similar reaction conditions LTA(4) (25-320 microM) was incubated with calf thymus DNA, then DNA adduct patterns and levels were determined with the TLC (32)P-postlabeling method using both enrichment versions. The same DNA adduct pattern consisting of up to seven spots was observed with both enrichment versions. DNA adduct formation by LTA(4) was concentration-dependent with major adducts being derived from deoxyguanosine. When a human monocytic cell line (Mono Mac 6) was stimulated with arachidonic acid and calcium ionophore LTA(4)-DNA adducts were detected by (32)P-postlabeling. However, the level of these endogenously formed DNA adducts was close to the detection limit (3 +/- 2 adducts per 10(8) normal nucleotides). In summary, the TLC (32)P-postlabeling method is suitable for studying DNA adduct formation by LTA(4) and can be used for further investigations on the link between inflammation and cancer.