Phosphomonoester concentrations differ between chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells and normal human lymphocytes

Levels of phospholipid-related metabolites of chronic lyniphocytic leukemia lymphocytes (CLL) and normal human lymphocytes were quantified using phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The CLL cells versus normal lymphocytes showed significant increases of phosphoethanolamine(Etn-P) (8.11 +/- 2.10 mean +/- S.E., mumol/g wet weight, n = 12 versus 3.63 +/- 1.10, n = 3, P < 0.002), phosphocholine (2.10 +/- 0.37, n = 12 versus 0.36 +/- 0.09, n = 3, P less than or equal to 0.01), glycerophosphoethanolarnine (0.26 +/- 0.03, n = 10 versus 0.11 +/- 0.05, n = 3 P less than or equal to 0.004). and glycerophosphocholine (0.33 +/- 0.03, n = 10 versus 0. 17 +/- 0.05, n = 3, P less than or equal to 0.003). Further, the phospholipid precursor ethanolamine (Eth) was studied in blood and was found significantly lowered in CLL patients (4.6 +/- 1 6 muM. n = 25) compared to normal Volunteers (7.7 +/- 2.5, n = 12, P less than or equal to 0.001). Increased intermediate,, with depletion of precursors suggest the presence of sustained phospholipid metabolism activation in CLL. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.