Abstract #3181

Podo F, Canevari S, Dolo V, Spada M, Belardelli F, D'Ascenzo S, Iorio E, Rozera C, Canese R, Ramoni C, Ricci A, Mezzanzanica D

The role of 1H MRS-detectable phosphatidylcholine (PC) metabolites as fingerprints of tumor progression was investigated in human epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines or cells isolated from patient ascitic exudate (EOC) as compared with non-tumoral, normal or immortalized epithelial cells (EONT). Phosphocholine and total-choline metabolites increased (P < 0.0001) in the malignant progression of epithelial ovarian cells. These MRS-detectable biochemical alterations were associated with activation of enzymes involved in both biosynthetic and catabolic PC cycle pathways. PC-specific phospholipase C was massively expressed on the plasma membrane on EOC (but not EONT) cells.