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Activation of macrophages by ether analogues of lysophospholipids

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Summary

Inflammation processes cause activation of phospholipase A in plasma membranes resulting in the production of various lysophospholipids. Treatment of mice with L-α-lysophosphatidyl-DL-glycerol (lyso-Pg) resulted in an enhanced ingestion activity of peritoneal macrophages as did other lysophospholipids. However, lyso-Pg is rather toxic as indicated by a rapid decrease in macrophage activity 3 days after treatment while macrophage activity of lysophosphatidylcholine-treated mice continued to increase at least up to the 6th day after treatment. Alkyl-lysophospholipid derivatives, racemic 1-0-octadecyl-2-methylglycero-3-phosphocholine and -phosphoethanolamine stimulated mouse macrophages for Fc-mediated ingestion. Decomposed products of alkyl-lysophospholipids, alkylglycerols, were also found to be excellent activators of macrophages not only for ingestion of IgG-coated target cells but also antibody-mediated tumoricidal activity. Macrophages from mice treated with alkylglycerols developed superoxide generating capacity. Furthermore, alkylglycerols were found to be tumoricidal by direct contact with retinoblastoma cells. Therefore, the advantage of the potential application of alkylglycerols as chemotherapeutic agents is that they have dual beneficial effects: potentiation of macrophage activity and cytotoxicity to malignant cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hahnemann University School of Medicine, 19102, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Nobuto Yamamoto & Benjamin Z. Ngwenya

  2. Wills Eye Hospital Research Division, 19107, Philadelphia, PA

    Theodore W. Sery

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Temple University School of Medicine, 19140, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Ronald A. Pieringer

Authors
  1. Nobuto Yamamoto
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  2. Benjamin Z. Ngwenya
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  3. Theodore W. Sery
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  4. Ronald A. Pieringer
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Yamamoto, N., Ngwenya, B.Z., Sery, T.W. et al. Activation of macrophages by ether analogues of lysophospholipids. Cancer Immunol Immunother 25, 185–192 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00199146

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00199146

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