Synthesis and use of novel ether phospholipid enantiomers to probe the molecular basis of the antitumor Effects of alkyllysophospholipids: correlation of differential activation of c-Jun NH(2)-terminal protein kinase with antiproliferative effects in neuronal tumor cells.

The enantiomers of a novel unsaturated phosphonocholine antitumor ether lipid were synthesized and found to have differential antiproliferative effects against epithelial cancer cell lines. The basis of the enantioselective effects on the cells was investigated in SK-N-MC and SK-N-SH neuroblastoma tumor cells. Our results indicate that the enantioselective antiproliferative potency arises primarily from the activation of the JNK signaling pathway by the ether lipids.