ATP leakage from ELD cells after exposure to stearic, monochlorostearic, dichlorostearic, and oleic acids

The capacity of stearic, monochlorostearic, dichlorostearic and oleic acids to cause membrane damage was measured as their ability to induce leakage of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from mammalian tumour cells in vitro. Chlorinated stearic acids, and oleic acid, caused ATP leakage at lower concentrations than normal stearic acid. The membrane disturbing properties are suggested to be a result of the different molecular geometries of the chlorinated stearic acids, and oleic acid, compared to non-chlorinated stearic acid.