Reduction in human melanoma cell adhesion receptor activity by lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) treatment - functional characterization and signal pathway analyses.

摘要

Tumor cell metastasis is the most fatal complication of cancer. Cell adhesion receptors, such as P- and L-selectin, and the inte-grin VLA-4 are closely involved in the course of hematogenous metastasis, mediating manifold interactions of tumor cells with platelets and leukocytes. Recent data on the antimetas-tatic effects of empty liposomes of saturated phosphatidylcholine have been reported [2]. It might be assumed that lysophosphati-dylcholine (LPC) is the active agent for this effect since, (i) we could detect a rapid uptake of LPC by different tumor cells, and (ii) this is in line with clinical findings on reduced levels of LPC in tumor patients suffering from cachexia. However, the mechanisms remain to be elucidated.