Jane McHowat, PhD

Saint Louis University (SLU)

My laboratory is studying the role of endothelial cell phospholipase A2 activation and the resultant production of platelet-activating factor (PAF). Endothelial cell PAF production is involved in the recruitment of cells from the circulation to the underlying tissue and is one of the major steps involved in inflammation. We have shown that endothelial cell PAF production is a result of activation of a membrane-associated, calcium-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) and we have used iPLA2ß knockout mice to show that the absence of this enzyme results in impaired PAF production and cell adherence to the endothelium.