SELECTIVE EFFECT OF O-ALKYL LYSOPHOSPHOLIPIDS ON THE GROWTH OF A HUMAN LUNG GIANT-CELL CARCINOMA CELL-LINE

Various alkyl ether lipids were synthesized and their effects on the p roliferation of human lung cacinoma cells were examined. The prolifera tion of Lu-65, a giant cell carcinoma cell line, was significantly dec reased with 1 mu g/ml (3-tetradecyloxy-2-methoxy) propyl-2-trimethylam monioethyl phosphate, while the proliferation of Lu-99, another giant cell carcinoma cell line, was unaffected even by treatment with 5 mu g /ml of the alkyl lysophospocholine. Adenocarcinoma PC-9 and small cell carcinoma H-69 cells were also fairly resistant to the alkyl ether li pid. Among the alkyl ether lipids tested, 3-nonadecyloxy-2-methoxyprop yl 2-trimethylammonioethyl phosphate was the most effective in inhibit ing the growth of Lu-65 cells. However, the pyridinioethyl derivative had higher selectivity for the growth of Lu-65 cells than the choline derivative. The sensitivity of Lu-65 cells to the alkyl lysophospholip ids was similar to that of human myeloid leukemia cells including HL-6 0. However, the sensitivites of Lu-65 cells to the other types of alky l ether lipids were much lower than those of HL-60 cells. These result s indicate that Lu-65 cells are selectively sensitive to alkyl lysopho spholipids.