Comparison of lipid composition and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene fluorescence polarization measurements of hairy cells with monocytes and lymphocytes from normal subjects and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

In this report, we compare the lipid composition and fluorescence polarization properties of hairy cells with those of monocytes and lymphocytes from normal subjects and of lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. For hairy cells, the cholesterol content was 4.66 +/- 1.49 (S.D.) mumol/10(9) cells, and the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was 0.60 +/- 0.09. These were significantly higher than the values of normal lymphocytes, (cholesterol content, 2.75 +/- 0.65 mumol; cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, 0.50 +/- 0.07) or of chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes (cholesterol content, 1.76 +/- 0.43 mumol; cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, 0.44 +/- 0.07). Normal monocyte values (cholesterol content, 5.81 +/- 2.08 mumol; cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, 0.59 +/- 0.06) were similar to those of hairy cells. Using the probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, the fluorescence polarization value at 25 degrees for hairy cells was 0.302, compared to the value of 0.259 obtained with chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes. Intermediate values (0.294) were obtained with normal lymphocytes and monocytes. Fluorescence polarization values were higher in hairy cell membranes than in chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocyte membranes, indicating a low fluidity in the former cell, compatible with their higher cholesterol content and cholesterol/phospholipid ratio. These studies show that two neoplastic cells, hairy cells and chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes, differ markedly in membrane fluidity and that a high membrane fluidity does not necessarily occur in neoplasia.