EFFECT OF RADIOTHERAPY AND CHEMOTHERAPY ON COMPOSITION OF TUMOR MEMBRANE PHOSPHOLIPIDS

Phospholipid extracts were made of a murine mammary adenocarcinoma imp lanted in the dorsum of the foot of C3H/He mice before and 96 h after 17 Cy irradiation or 150 mg/kg cyclophosphamide. Extracts of untreated tumors, which had grown for a further 96 h, were also studied. Althou gh previous studies have shown significant changes in the precursors a nd catabolites of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine fol lowing therapy, P-31 nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of extracts s howed no changes in these membrane constituents and other observed pho spholipid species. A significant decrease in 1-alkyl-2-acyl-sn-glycero -3-phosphocholine, how ever, was observed 96 h following cyclophospham ide treatment.