Cardiac sarcolemmal Na+/H+ exchange is critical for the regulation of intra
cellular pH, and its activity contributes to ischemia-reperfusion injury. I
t has been suggested that the membrane phospholipid environment does not mo
dulate Na+/H+ exchange. The present study was carried out to determine the
effects on Na+/H+ exchange of modifying the endogenous membrane phospholipi
ds through the addition of exogenous phospholipase D. Incubation of 0.825 U
of phospholipase D with 1 mg of porcine cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles hydro
lyzed 34 +/- 2% of the sarcolemmal phosphatidylcholine and increased phosph
atidic acid 10.2 +/- 0.5-fold. Treatment of vesicles with phospholipase D r
esulted in a 46 +/- 2% inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange. Na+/H+ exchange was m
easured as a function of reaction time, extravesicular pH, and extravesicul
ar Na+. All of these parameters of Na+/H+ exchange were inhibited following
phospholipase D treatment compared with untreated controls. Passive efflux
of Na+ was unaffected. Treatment of sarcolemmal vesicles with phospholipas
e C had no effect on Na+/H+ exchange. We conclude that phospholipase D-indu
ced changes in the cardiac sarcolemmal membrane phospholipid environment al
ter Na+/H+ exchange.