Lysophosphatidylcholine

Bacteria such as Legionella pneumophila utilize phospholipase A2 end-products (fatty acids and lysophospholipids) to cause host cell (macrophage) apoptosis through cytochrome C release.

These LPC analogues are metabolically stable, and several ALPs such as edelfosine, miltefosine and perifosine are under research and development as drugs against cancer and other diseases.

[6][7] Lysophosphatidylcholine processing has been discovered to be an essential component of normal human brain development: those born with genes that prevent adequate uptake suffer from lethal microcephaly.

[8] MFSD2a has been shown to transport LPC-bound polyunsaturated fatty acids, including DHA and EPA, across the blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers.

[11] Also, the anti-cancer abilities of synthetic LPC variants are special since they do not target the cell DNA but rather insert into the plasma membrane, causing apoptosis through the influencing of several signal pathways.