The phospholipid composition of human platelets and erythrocytes has been reported by several investigators (1-4) and the metabolism of phospholipids in human blood has been studied in some detail (5-9). Recent investigations of phospholipid metabolism of leukocytes have been reported (6, 10) but we are not aware of similar studies on platelets.In this laboratory, investigation of the biochemical characteristics of leukemic leukocytes is being carried out, and as part of this program an examination of the phospholipid metabolism of these cells was undertaken. In this report are presented data on the phospholipid composition of platelets and leukocytes from leukemic patients, and the results of studies on the incorporation of P32-labeled orthophosphate (P32) into the phospholipids of these formed elements in vivo and in vitro.The phospholipid composition was similar in leukocytes and platelets from chronic leukemia and in leukocytes from acute leukemia. The pattern of incorporation into leukocyte phospholipids of p32 administered therapeutically to patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia was studied, and it was found that rapid incorporation of P32 could be demonstrated in lecithin, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, inositol phosphatide, and sphingomyelin. In the course of this work it was * This study was supported in part by Research Grant E-2813 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Md. and by Research Grant P-143B from the American Cancer Society. A preliminary report of the work has been published (Fed. Proc. 1960, 19, 72
MATERIALS AND METHODSPaticets studied. Two patients with acute myelocytic leukemia, 2 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and 9 with chronic myelocytic leukemia were utilized in this study. Seven of the patients had not been treated previously for their leukemia. Six of the patients, all with chronic myelocytic leukemia, had been treated previously by chemotherapy or with P'3, but were in relapse with leukocyte counts above 100,000 per mm3 at the time of the study. There was no apparent difference in the results obtained from previously treated or untreated patients, although the series is too small to permit definite conclusions on this point.Separation of the formed elements of the blood. Leukocytes were isolated from patients with acute or chronic myelocytic or lymphocytic leukemia with white blood cell counts greater than 100,000 per mm3. Five hundred ml of blood wvas collected in a plastic platelet pack (Fenw-al) containing 50 ml of 3 per cent ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (USP) as anticoagulant. All subsequent operations were performed at 40 C. The blood was stored for 1.5 hours to permit sedimentation of the erythrocytes. The plasma layer containing platelets and leukocytes was removed by syphoning into a plastic transfer pack (Fenwal) and then centrifuged in silicone-coated (G.E. Drifilm) 40 ml centrifuge tubes at 180 G for 15 minutes to sediment the leukocytes. The leukocytes were washed 3 times with twice their volume of 0.85 ...