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 proliferation of human lung carcinoma cells were examined. The proliferation of Lu-65, a giant cell carcinoma cell line, was significantly decreased with 1 microgram/ml (3-tetradecyloxy-2-methoxy) propyl-2-trimethylammonioethyl phosphate, while the proliferation of Lu-99, another giant cell carcinoma cell line, was unaffected even by treatment with 5 micrograms/ml of the alkyl lysophosphocholine. Adenocarcinoma PC-9 and small cell carcinoma H-69 cells were also fairly resistant to the alkyl ether lipid. Among the alkyl ether lipids tested, 3-nonadecyloxy-2-methoxypropyl 2-trimethylammonioethyl phosphate was the most effective in inhibiting 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 lysophospholipids was similar to that of human myeloid leukemia cells including HL-60. However, the sensitivities of Lu-65 cells to the other types of alkyl ether lipids were much lower than those of HL-60 cells. These results indicate that Lu-65 cells are selectively sensitive to alkyl lysophospholipids.