title: Erucylphosphocholine induces growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in human choriocarcinoma cells.
abstract: A membrane-targeted, lipophilic ether lipid of synthetic phospholipid analog, erucylphosphocholine (ErPC), induces apoptosis in some lines of human tumor cells. We investigated the effect of ErPC in the choriocarcinoma cell line, BeWo. BeWo cells were treated with various concentrations of ErPC, and changes in cell growth, the cell cycle, apoptosis, and related parameters were examined. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that BeWo cells were sensitive to the growth inhibitory effect of ErPC. Cell cycle analysis indicated that exposure to ErPC decreased the proportion of cells in the S phase and increased the proportion in the G0/G1 phases of the cell cycle. Induction of apoptosis was confirmed by Annexin V staining of externalized phosphatidylserine and by the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. This induction occurred in conjunction with the altered expression of genes related to cell growth, malignant phenotype, and apoptosis. These results suggest that ErPC may serve as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of choriocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu, Oita 879-5593, Japan. takai@oita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Tami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Terukazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kira
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Kaei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nasu
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narahara
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D010767:Phosphorylcholine; C075010:erucylphosphocholine