Changes in cellular lipid synthesis of normal and neoplastic cells during cytolysis induced by alkyl lysophospholipid analogues.

Susceptibility of eight different cell types of murine or human origins to alkyl lysophospholipid analogue (ALP)-induced cytolysis correlated well with a selective, dose-dependent inhibition of radiolabeled oleic acid incorporation into phosphatidylcholine (PC) and a concomitant stimulation of incorporation into neutral lipids (NL), mainly triacylglycerols. In resistant cells (murine macrophages, L929S, K562, and rMeth A) a counts per minute NL/counts per minute PC ratio of 0.8-1.0 was observed with 30 micrograms ALP/ml; in sensitive tumor targets (Meth A, HL60, YAC, and ABLS-8.1) values greater than 2.7 were found with 5-10 micrograms ALP/ml. Changes in lipid metabolism preceded cytolysis in Meth A fibrosarcoma cells. In degradation experiments the percentage of total lipid radioactivity in PC was reduced after 24 hours to 47% compared to that in controls in sensitive Meth A with 10 micrograms ALP/ml. The macrophage-PC was unaffected at the same concentration. Sensitivity to ALP was independent of cell proliferation. Resistance was not restricted to normal cells and was inducible in Meth A (and rMeth A).