Sensitivity of human hematopoietic cell lines to an alkyl-lysophospholipid-derivative

A panel of 16 human hematopoietic cell lines was tested for sensitivity to racemic 1-0-octadecyl-2-0-methyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (ALP). Effects on proliferation rate, cell cycle distribution, viability and morphology were examined. Cell growth was heavily retarded for all lines at an ALP concentration of 10 micrograms ml-1, which induced profound cell death. 1 microgram ml-1 of ALP was a suitable concentration to make comparisons between the different cell lines. In sensitive lines cell growth was retarded due to induction of multinucleated cells and cytotoxicity. The multinucleated cells could proceed through the cell cycle but cell division was inhibited. The most ALP sensitive cell lines (MN-60, P3Hr-1, Um-42 and RPMI 8226) were B-cell lines, whereas the most resistant lines (U-61M, K562-4 and CCRF-CEM) were of different cell origin. In conclusion, a variable response to ALP was found in 16 human hematopoietic cell lines. As a rule sensitivity to ALP was demonstrated as increased cell death and induction of cells with less than or equal to 2 nuclei, leading to a decreased cell number as compared to control cells.