In the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Valladolid, the group of eicosanoids studied the role of iPLA2 (phospholipase A2 calcioindependiente) in group VI in the process of incorporation and release of arachidonic acid from phospholipids and, ultimately, in the apoptosis. The PLA2 family is involved in the hydrolysis of arachidonic acid (AA) from phospholipids (PL). The iPLA2 involved in the incorporation of AA in the PL, ensuring the availability of intermediate acceptors. It is worth noting the role of these reactions in the cell life, as in resting cells prevail incorporation of arachidonic pathways on release, while cells stimulated the dominant reaction is the deacylation.

Generally, studies leading to these conclusions involve the use of a substrate, bromoenol lactone that specifically inhibits this enzyme, although its interference in other non-lipid routes difficult to identify the role of iPLA2 checking function recently suggested iPLA2 for group VI in the destruction of membrane phospholipids in apoptosis or oxidation states, then, other strategic options, including the use of antisense, alternative approach that reduces the activity of the iPLA2, or the opposite approach, their overexpression. This is the one followed in this work, then comparing the responses of the transformed cells and control cells against an oxidant such as hydrogen peroxide. Are thus obtained new evidence on the key role in apoptosis iPLA2. The authors conclude that, although during this process gives a mortal mediated hydrolysis of phospholipids iPLA2, the enzyme does not appear to be indispensable in the process. Thus, beyond a mere destructive role, iPLA2 reserved for performing other functions during the cell death.