12] Effect of catalytic hydrogenation of cellular lipid and fatty acid on the susceptibility of tumor cells to humoral immune killing

Abstract

This chapter discusses the effect of catalytic hydrogenation of cellular lipid and fatty acid on the susceptibility of tumor cells to humoral immune killing. The central importance of cellular lipid and fatty acid composition for the ability of tumor cells to resist humoral immune attack has been described in the chapter. The approach in these studies has involved the treatment of cells with drugs or hormones known to have marked effects on a variety of cellular metabolic pathways or cell culture in media enriched in a specific lipid or fatty acid component. The degree of fatty acid unsaturation in line-10 tumor cell lipids was altered with a homogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation reaction, and this process has been described for model biomembranes and has been modified for use with viable nucleated cells. The effect of catalytic hydrogenation of the line-10 tumor cells on the cells ability to synthesize the macromolecules and on their lipid and fatty acid composition was determined. The hydrogenated cells did show a higher percentage of esterified cholesterol, an enhanced phosphatidic acid content, and decreased lysophosphatide content compared to the controls. It is found, that compared to the controls, hydrogenated cells were decreased sixfold in their unsaturated fatty acid content.