2-O-methyl-PAF C-18 is a synthetic PAF analog which contains a methyl group, attached by an ether linkage, at the sn-2 position. It has been shown to mediate a number of biological responses including decreasing plasma membrane fluidity and inhibiting tumor cell invasiveness in embryonic chick heart.1 In rat astrocytes, 2-O-methyl PAF C-18 causes the release of large quantities of nitric oxide by a pathway involving activation of nitric oxide synthase.2
1.van Blitterswijk, W.J., Hilkmann, H., and Storme, G.A.Accumulation of an alkyl lysophospholipid in tumor cell membranes affects membrane fluidity and tumor cell invasionLipids22(11)820-823(1987)
2.Cardile, V., Jiang, X., Renis, M., et al.Effects of ether lipid 1-O-octadecyl-2-methoxy-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine and its analogs PAF and CPAF on the release of nitric oxide in primary cultures of rat astrocytesBrain Research715(1-2)98-103(1996)
