CARCINOGENS STIMULATE PHOSPHORYLATION OF ETHANOLAMINE DERIVED FROM INCREASED HYDROLYSIS OF PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE IN C3H 101/2 FIBROBLASTS/

Many human tumors contain high concentrations of ethanolamine phosphat e (EtnP). An important question is whether increased formation of EtnP is merely the consequence of cell transformation, or is it associated with the process of carcinogenesis. Here we show that in C3H/10T1/2 e mbryonic fibroblasts, an established cellular model for the study of c arcinogenesis, the environmental carcinogens, 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]ant hracene (DMBA) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) (0.1-1 mu g/m1 concentration ; 24 h treatment), stimulate phosphorylation of ethanolamine derived f rom increased hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine. The results sugg est that increased formation of EtnP is associated with the early stag es of carcinogenesis. This observation may have prognostic value.