Sample records for phosphatidylcholine pc liposomes

  1. Improved pharmacokinetics and reduced toxicity of brucine after encapsulation into stealth liposomes: role of phosphatidylcholine

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jun; Yan, Guo-jun; Hu, Rong-rong; Gu, Qian-wen; Chen, Ming-lei; Gu, Wei; Chen, Zhi-peng; Cai, Bao-chang

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Brucine was encapsulated into stealth liposomes using the ammonium sulfate gradient method to improve therapeutic index. Materials and methods: Four brucine stealth liposomal formulations were prepared, which were made from different phosphatidylcholines (PCs) with different phase transition temperatures (Tm). The PCs used were soy phosphatidylcholine (SPC), dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), and distearoyl phosphatidylcholine (DSPC). The stabilities, pharmacokinetics, and toxicities of these liposomal formulations were evaluated and compared. Results: Size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency of brucine-loaded stealth liposomes (BSL) were not influenced by PC composition. In vitro release studies revealed that drug release rate increased with decreased Tm of PCs, especially with the presence of rat plasma. After intravenous administration, the area under the curve (AUC) values of BSL-SPC, BSL-DPPC, BSL-HSPC, and BSL-DSPC in plasma were 7.71, 9.24, 53.83, and 56.83-fold as large as that of free brucine, respectively. The LD50 values of brucine solution, BSL-SPC, BSL-DPPC, BSL-HSPC, and BSL-DSPC following intravenous injection were 13.17, 37.30, 37.69, 51.18, and 52.86 mg/kg, respectively. It was found in calcein retention experiments that the order of calcein retention in rat plasma was SPC < DPPC << HSPC < DSPC stealth liposomes. Conclusion: PC composition could exert significant influence on the stabilities, pharmacokinetics, and toxicities of brucine-loaded stealth liposomes. DSPC or HSPC with Tm above 50°C should be used to prepare the stealth liposomal formulation for the intravenous delivery of brucine. However, it was found in the present paper that the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of BSL were not influenced by the PC composition when the Tm of the PC was in the range of −20°C to 41°C. PMID:22904620

  2. Cholesterol blocks spontaneous insertion of membrane proteins into liposomes of phosphatidylcholine.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Shota; Suzuki, Sonomi; Saito, Hiroaki; Nishiyama, Ken-Ichi

    2018-04-01

    Spontaneous insertion of membrane proteins into liposomes formed from Escherichia coli polar phospholipids is blocked by diacylglycerol (DAG) at a physiological level. We found that cholesterol also blocks this spontaneous insertion, although a much larger amount is necessary for sufficient blockage. Reversely, sphingomyelin enhanced the spontaneous insertion. DAG at a physiological level was found not to block spontaneous insertion into liposomes formed from phosphatidylcholine (PC), while non-physiologically high concentrations of DAG reduced it. On the other hand, cholesterol blocked the spontaneous insertion into PC liposomes at a physiological level, explaining that both PC and cholesterol are absent in E. coli. While sphingomyelin did not enhance spontaneous insertion into PC liposomes, the effect of cholesterol on blockage of spontaneous insertion was dominant over that of sphingomyelin, suggesting that cholesterol functions as a blocker of disordered spontaneous insertion in eukaryotic cells. Lower amount of cholesterol was necessary to block spontaneous insertion into ER-mimic liposomes, explaining that ER membranes contain less amount of cholesterol. These results also explain that cholesterol, but not DAG, is involved in blockage of spontaneous insertion in eukaryotic cells, since DAG plays an important role as a second messenger in signal transduction.

  3. Physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity of gamma-oryzanol-loaded liposome formulations for topical use.

    PubMed

    Viriyaroj, Amornrat; Ngawhirunpat, Tanasait; Sukma, Monrudee; Akkaramongkolporn, Prasert; Ruktanonchai, Uracha; Opanasopit, Praneet

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this study is to prepare the gamma-oryzanol-loaded liposomes and investigate their physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity intended for cosmetic applications. Liposomes, Composing phosphatidylCholine (PC) and Cholesterol (Chol), CHAPS or sodium taurocholate (NaTC) were prepared by sonication method. Gamma-oryzanol-loaded liposomes were prepared by using 3, 5 and 10% gamma-oryzanol as an initial concentration. The formulation factors in a particular type and composition of lipid and initial drug loading on the physicochemical properties (i.e., particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, drug release) and antioxidant activity were studied. The particle sizes of bare liposomes were in nanometer range. The gamma-oryzanol-loaded liposomes in formulations of PC/CHAPS and PC/NaTC liposomes were smaller than PC/Chol liposomes. The incorporation efficiency of 10% gamma-oryzanol-loaded PC/Chol liposomes was less than gamma-oryzanol-loaded PC/CHAPS liposomes and PC/NaTC liposomes allowing higher in vitro release rate due to higher free gamma-oryzanol in buffer solution. The antioxidant activity of gamma-oryzanol-loaded liposomes was not different from pure gamma-oryzanol. Both gamma-oryzanol-loaded PC/CHAPS liposomes and PC/NaTC liposomes were showed to enhance the antioxidant activity in NHF cells. gamma-oryzanol-loaded PC/Chol liposomes demonstrated the lowest cytotoxicity in NHF cells. It was conceivably concluded that liposomes prepared in this study are suitable for gamma-oryzanol incorporation without loss of antioxidant activity.

  4. Improved permeability of acyclovir: optimization of mucoadhesive liposomes using the phospholipid vesicle-based permeation assay.

    PubMed

    Naderkhani, Elenaz; Erber, Astrid; Škalko-Basnet, Nataša; Flaten, Gøril Eide

    2014-02-01

    The antiviral drug acyclovir (ACV) suffers from poor solubility both in lipophilic and hydrophilic environment, leading to low and highly variable bioavailability. To overcome these limitations, this study aimed at designing mucoadhesive ACV-containing liposomes to improve its permeability. Liposomes were prepared from egg phosphatidylcholine (E-PC) and E-PC/egg phosphatidylglycerol (E-PC/E-PG) and their surfaces coated with Carbopol. All liposomal formulations were fully characterized and for the first time the phospholipid vesicle-based permeation assay (PVPA) was used for testing in vitro permeability of drug from mucoadhesive liposome formulations. The negatively charged E-PC/E-PG liposomes could encapsulate more ACV than neutral E-PC liposomes. Coating with Carbopol increased the entrapment in the neutral E-PC liposomes. The incorporation of ACV into liposomes exhibited significant increase in its in vitro permeability, compared with its aqueous solution. The neutral E-PC liposomal formulations exhibited higher ACV permeability values compared with charged E-PC/E-PG formulations. Coating with Carbopol significantly enhanced the permeability from the E-PC/E-PG liposomes, as well as sonicated E-PC liposomes, which showed the highest permeability of all tested formulations. The increased permeability was according to the formulations' mucoadhesive properties. This indicates that the PVPA is suitable to distinguish between permeability of ACV from different mucoadhesive liposome formulations developed for various routes of administration. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  5. Optimization of gatifloxacin liposomal hydrogel for enhanced transcorneal permeation.

    PubMed

    Hosny, Khaled Mohamed

    2010-03-01

    The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize a topically effective prolonged-release ophthalmic gatifloxacin liposomal hydrogel formulation. Reverse-phase evaporation was used for the preparation of liposomes consisting of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol (CH). The effect of PC:CH molar ratio on the percentage of drug encapsulated was investigated. The effect of additives, such as stearylamine (SA) or dicetyl phosphate (DP), as positive and negative charge inducers, respectively, was studied. Morphology, mean size, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release of gatifloxacin from liposomes were evaluated. For hydrogel preparation, carbopol 940 was applied. In vitro transcorneal permeation through excised albino rabbit cornea was also determined. Optimal encapsulation efficiency was found at the 5:3 PC:CH molar ratio; by increasing CH content above this limit, the encapsulation efficiency decreased. Positively charged liposomes showed superior entrapment efficiency over other liposomes. Hydrogel-containing liposomes with lipid content PC, CH, and SA in a molar ratio of 5:3:1, respectively, showed best release and transcorneal permeation. These results suggest that the encapsulation of gatifloxacin into liposomes prolonged the in vitro release, depending on composition of the vesicles. In addition, the polymer hydrogel used in the preparation ensured steady, prolonged transcorneal permeation. In conclusion, gatifloxacin liposomal hydrogel is a suitable delivery system for the improvement of the ocular bioavailability of gatifloxacin.

  6. Bactericidal catechins damage the lipid bilayer.

    PubMed

    Ikigai, H; Nakae, T; Hara, Y; Shimamura, T

    1993-04-08

    The mode of antibacterial action of, the green tea (Camellia sinensis) extracts, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) and (-)-epicatechin (EC) was investigated. Strong bactericidal EGCg caused leakage of 5,6-carboxyfluorescein from phosphatidylcholine liposomes (PC), but EC with very weak bactericidal activity caused little damage to the membrane. Phosphatidylserine and dicetyl phosphate partially protected the membrane from EGCg-mediated damage when reconstituted into the liposome membrane with PC. EGCg, but not EC, caused strong aggregation and NPN-fluorescence quenching of PC-liposomes and these actions were markedly lowered in the presence of negatively charged lipids. These results show that bactericidal catechins primarily act on and damage bacterial membranes. The observation that Gram-negative bacteria are more resistant to bactericidal catechins than Gram-positive bacteria can be explained to some extent by the presence of negatively charged lipopolysaccharide.

  7. In vivo monitoring of liposomal release in tumours following ultrasound stimulation.

    PubMed

    Evjen, Tove J; Hagtvet, Eirik; Moussatov, Alexei; Røgnvaldsson, Sibylla; Mestas, Jean-Louis; Fowler, R Andrew; Lafon, Cyril; Nilssen, Esben A

    2013-08-01

    Dioeleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE)-based liposomes were recently reported as a new class of liposomes for ultrasound (US)-mediated drug delivery. The liposomes showed both high stability and in vitro US-mediated drug release (sonosensitivity). In the current study, in vivo proof-of-principle of US triggered release in tumoured mice was demonstrated using optical imaging. Confocal non-thermal US was used to deliver cavitation to tumours in a well-controlled manner. To detect in vivo release, the near infrared fluorochrome Al (III) Phthalocyanine Chloride Tetrasulphonic acid (AlPcS₄) was encapsulated into both DOPE-based liposomes and control liposomes based on hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC). Encapsulation causes concentration dependent quenching of fluorescence that is recovered upon AlPcS₄ release from the liposomes. Exposure of tumours to US resulted in a significant increase in fluorescence in mice administered with DOPE-based liposomes, but no change in the mice treated with HSPC-based liposomes. Thus, DOPE-based liposomes showed superior sonosensitivity compared to HSPC-based liposomes in vivo. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Preparation, characterization, and in vitro release study of albendazole-encapsulated nanosize liposomes

    PubMed Central

    Panwar, Preety; Pandey, Bhumika; Lakhera, P C; Singh, K P

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to formulate effective and controlled release albendazole liposomal formulations. Albendazole, a hydrophobic drug used for the treatment of hydatid cysts, was encapsulated in nanosize liposomes. Rapid evaporation method was used for the preparation of albendazole-encapsulated conventional and PEGylated liposomes consisting of egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol (CH) in the molar ratios of (6:4) and PC:CH: polyethylene glycol (PEG) (5:4:1), respectively. In this study, PEGylated and conventional liposomes containing albendazole were prepared and their characteristics, such as particle size, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release were investigated. The drug encapsulation efficiency of PEGylated and conventional liposomes was 81% and 72%, respectively. The biophysical characterization of both conventional and PEG-coated liposomes were done by transmission electron microscopy and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Efforts were made to study in vitro release of albendazole. The drug release rate showed decrease in albendazole release in descending order: free albendazole, albendazole-loaded conventional liposomes, and least with albendazole-loaded PEG-liposomes. Biologically relevant vesicles were prepared and in vitro release of liposome-entrapped albendazole was determined. PMID:20309396

  9. Ciprofloxacin as ocular liposomal hydrogel.

    PubMed

    Hosny, Khaled Mohamed

    2010-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize an ocular effective prolonged-release liposomal hydrogel formulation containing ciprofloxacin. Reverse-phase evaporation was used for preparation of liposomes consisting of soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol (CH). The effect of PC/CH molar ratio on the percentage drug encapsulation was investigated. The effect of additives such as stearylamine (SA) or dicetyl phosphate (DP) as positive and negative charge inducers, respectively, were studied. Morphology, mean size, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release of ciprofloxacin from liposomes were evaluated. For hydrogel preparation, Carbopol 940 was applied. In vitro transcorneal permeation through excised albino rabbit cornea was also determined. Optimal encapsulation efficiency of 73.04 +/- 3.06% was obtained from liposomes formulated with PC/CH at molar ratio of 5:3 and by increasing CH content above this limit, the encapsulation decreased. Positively charged liposomes showed superior entrapment efficiency (82.01 +/- 0.52) over the negatively charged and the neutral liposomes. Hydrogel containing liposomes with lipid content PC, CH, and SA in molar ratio 5:3:1, respectively, showed the best release and transcorneal permeation with the percentage permeation of 30.6%. These results suggest that the degree of encapsulation of ciprofloxacin into liposomes and prolonged in vitro release depend on composition of the vesicles. In addition, the polymer hydrogel used in preparation ensure steady and prolonged transcorneal permeation. In conclusion, ciprofloxacin liposomal hydrogel is a suitable delivery system for improving the ocular bioavailability of ciprofloxacin.

  10. Assembly of the alpha-toxin-hexamer of Staphylococcus aureus in the liposome membrane.

    PubMed

    Ikigai, H; Nakae, T

    1987-02-15

    It has been shown that the access of the alpha-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus to the target membrane and assembly of the hexamer can be monitored independently by respectively measuring the fluorescence energy transfer from the tryptophan residue(s) of the toxin to the dansylated phosphatidylethanolamine in the liposome membrane and the fluorescence increment of the toxin at 336 nm (Ikigai, H., and Nakae, T., (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 2150-2155). Measurement of these parameters under various conditions showed the following results: when phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes composed of saturated fatty acids were mixed with the toxin, the fluorescence energy transfer occurred below, at, and above the transition temperature of the lipid, but the change of fluorescence at 336 nm was never detectable; when PC-liposomes containing unsaturated fatty acids were used, both the fluorescence energy transfer and the fluorescence increment of 336 nm were observed. These results suggested that the toxin-membrane interaction occurs in PC-membranes containing saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acids and that the oligomerization occurs only in the presence of PC containing unsaturated fatty acid(s). This conclusion was supported by the results of quantitative determination of the toxin-hexamer assembly and leakage of carboxyfluorescein from PC-liposomes under conditions similar to the above.

  11. Origins of extreme boundary lubrication by phosphatidylcholine liposomes.

    PubMed

    Sorkin, Raya; Kampf, Nir; Dror, Yael; Shimoni, Eyal; Klein, Jacob

    2013-07-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles have been shown to have remarkable boundary lubricating properties under physiologically-high pressures. Here we carry out a systematic study, using a surface force balance, of the normal and shear (frictional) forces between two opposing surfaces bearing different PC vesicles across water, to elucidate the origin of these properties. Small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs, diameters < 100 nm) of the symmetric saturated diacyl PCs DMPC (C(14)), DPPC (C(16)) and DSPC (C(18)) attached to mica surfaces were studied in their solid-ordered (SO) phase on the surface. Overall liposome lubrication ability improves markedly with increasing acyl chain length, and correlates strongly with the liposomes' structural integrity on the substrate surface: DSPC-SUVs were stable on the surface, and provided extremely efficient lubrication (friction coefficient μ ≈ 10(-4)) at room temperature at pressures up to at least 18 MPa. DMPC-SUVs ruptured following adsorption, providing poor high-pressure lubrication, while DPPC-SUVs behavior was intermediate between the two. These results can be well understood in terms of the hydration-lubrication paradigm, but suggest that an earlier conjecture, that highly-efficient lubrication by PC-SUVs depended simply on their being in the SO rather than in the liquid-disordered phase, should be more nuanced. Our results indicate that the resistance of the SUVs to mechanical deformation and rupture is the dominant factor in determining their overall boundary lubrication efficiency in our system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Phosphatidylcholine nanovesicles coated with chitosan or chondroitin sulfate as novel devices for bacteriocin delivery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    da Silva, Indjara Mallmann; Boelter, Juliana Ferreira; da Silveira, Nádya Pesce; Brandelli, Adriano

    2014-07-01

    There is increased interest on the use of natural antimicrobial peptides in biomedicine and food preservation technologies. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of nisin encapsulated into nanovesicles containing polyanionic polysaccharides was investigated. Nisin was encapsulated in phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes containing chitosan or chondroitin sulfate by the thin-film hydration method and tested for antimicrobial activity against Listeria spp. The mean particle size of PC liposomes was 145 nm and varied to 210 and 134 nm with the incorporation of chitosan and chondroitin sulfate, respectively. Nisin-containing nanovesicles with and without incorporation of polysaccharides had a zeta potential values around -20 mV, showing mostly spherical structures when observed by transmission electron microscopy. Encapsulated nisin had similar efficiency as free nisin in inhibiting Listeria spp. isolated from bovine carcass, and greater efficiency in inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes. The formulation containing chitosan was more stable and more efficient in inhibiting L. monocytogenes when compared to the other nanovesicles tested. After 24 h, the viable cell counts were 2 log lower as compared with the other treatments and 7 log comparing to controls.

  13. Partitioning of organophosphorus pesticides into phosphatidylcholine small unilamellar vesicles studied by second-derivative spectrophotometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takegami, Shigehiko; Kitamura, Keisuke; Ohsugi, Mayuko; Ito, Aya; Kitade, Tatsuya

    2015-06-01

    In order to quantitatively examine the lipophilicity of the widely used organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) chlorfenvinphos (CFVP), chlorpyrifos-methyl (CPFM), diazinon (DZN), fenitrothion (FNT), fenthion (FT), isofenphos (IFP), profenofos (PFF) and pyraclofos (PCF), their partition coefficient (Kp) values between phosphatidylcholine (PC) small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) and water (liposome-water system) were determined by second-derivative spectrophotometry. The second-derivative spectra of these OPs in the presence of PC SUV showed a bathochromic shift according to the increase in PC concentration and distinct derivative isosbestic points, demonstrating the complete elimination of the residual background signal effects that were observed in the absorption spectra. The Kp values were calculated from the second-derivative intensity change induced by addition of PC SUV and obtained with a good precision of R.S.D. below 10%. The Kp values were in the order of CPFM > FT > PFF > PCF > IFP > CFVP > FNT ⩾ DZN and did not show a linear correlation relationship with the reported partition coefficients obtained using an n-octanol-water system (R2 = 0.530). Also, the results quantitatively clarified the effect of chemical-group substitution in OPs on their lipophilicity. Since the partition coefficient for the liposome-water system is more effective for modeling the quantitative structure-activity relationship than that for the n-octanol-water system, the obtained results are toxicologically important for estimating the accumulation of these OPs in human cell membranes.

  14. Preparation of coenzyme Q10 liposomes using supercritical anti-solvent technique.

    PubMed

    Xia, Fei; Jin, Heyang; Zhao, Yaping; Guo, Xinqiu

    2012-01-01

    Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) proliposomes were prepared using the supercritical anti-solvent (SAS) technique to encapsulate CoQ(10). The mixture of cholesterol and soya bean phosphatidylcholine (PC) was chosen as wall materials. The effects of operation conditions (temperature, pressure and components) on the recovery of CoQ(10) and the CoQ(10) loading in CoQ(10) proliposomes were studied. At the optimum conditions of pressure of 8.0 MPa, temperature of 35°C, the weight ratio of 1/10 between CoQ(10) and PC, and the weight ratio of 1/3 between cholesterol and PC, the CoQ(10) loading reached 8.92%. CoQ(10) liposomes were obtained by hydrating CoQ(10) proliposomes and the entrapment efficiency of CoQ(10) reached 82.28%. The morphologies of CoQ(10) proliposomes were characterized by scanning electron microscope, and their solid states were characterized by X-ray diffractometer. The structures of CoQ(10) liposomes were characterized by transmission electron microscope. The particle size distribution of CoQ(10) liposomes was determined by dynamic light scattering instrument. The results indicate that CoQ(10) liposomes with particle sizes about 50 nm can be easily obtained from hydrating CoQ(10) proliposomes prepared by SAS technique.

  15. Insight into the Tribological Behavior of Liposomes in Artificial Joints.

    PubMed

    Duan, Yiqin; Liu, Yuhong; Zhang, Caixia; Chen, Zhe; Wen, Shizhu

    2016-10-10

    Liposomes are widely used in drug delivery and gene therapy, and their new role as boundary lubricant in natural/artificial joints has been found in recent years. In this study, the tribological properties of liposomes on titanium alloy (Ti6Al4 V)/UHMWPE interface were studied by a ball-on-disc tribometer. The efficient reduction of friction coefficient and wear on both surfaces under various velocities and loads is found. A multilayer structure of physically adsorbed liposomes on Ti6Al4 V surface was also observed by atomic force microscope (AFM). Except for the hydration mechanism by phosphatidylcholine (PC) groups, the well-performed tribological properties by liposomes is also attributed to the existence of adsorbed liposome layers on both surfaces, which could reduce asperities contact and show great bearing capacity. This work enriches the research on liposomes for lubrication improvement on artificial surface and shows their value in clinical application.

  16. Partitioning of organophosphorus pesticides into phosphatidylcholine small unilamellar vesicles studied by second-derivative spectrophotometry.

    PubMed

    Takegami, Shigehiko; Kitamura, Keisuke; Ohsugi, Mayuko; Ito, Aya; Kitade, Tatsuya

    2015-06-15

    In order to quantitatively examine the lipophilicity of the widely used organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) chlorfenvinphos (CFVP), chlorpyrifos-methyl (CPFM), diazinon (DZN), fenitrothion (FNT), fenthion (FT), isofenphos (IFP), profenofos (PFF) and pyraclofos (PCF), their partition coefficient (Kp) values between phosphatidylcholine (PC) small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) and water (liposome-water system) were determined by second-derivative spectrophotometry. The second-derivative spectra of these OPs in the presence of PC SUV showed a bathochromic shift according to the increase in PC concentration and distinct derivative isosbestic points, demonstrating the complete elimination of the residual background signal effects that were observed in the absorption spectra. The Kp values were calculated from the second-derivative intensity change induced by addition of PC SUV and obtained with a good precision of R.S.D. below 10%. The Kp values were in the order of CPFM>FT>PFF>PCF>IFP>CFVP>FNT⩾DZN and did not show a linear correlation relationship with the reported partition coefficients obtained using an n-octanol-water system (R(2)=0.530). Also, the results quantitatively clarified the effect of chemical-group substitution in OPs on their lipophilicity. Since the partition coefficient for the liposome-water system is more effective for modeling the quantitative structure-activity relationship than that for the n-octanol-water system, the obtained results are toxicologically important for estimating the accumulation of these OPs in human cell membranes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. New potential antitumoral fluorescent tetracyclic thieno[3,2- b]pyridine derivatives: interaction with DNA and nanosized liposomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Castanheira, Elisabete Ms; Carvalho, Maria Solange D.; Rodrigues, Ana Rita O.; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Queiroz, Maria-João Rp

    2011-05-01

    Fluorescence properties of two new potential antitumoral tetracyclic thieno[3,2- b]pyridine derivatives were studied in solution and in liposomes of DPPC (dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine), egg lecithin (phosphatidylcholine from egg yolk; Egg-PC) and DODAB (dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide). Compound 1, pyrido[2',3':3,2]thieno[4,5- d]pyrido[1,2- a]pyrimidin-6-one, exhibits reasonably high fluorescence quantum yields in all solvents studied (0.20 ≤ ΦF ≤ 0.30), while for compound 2, 3-[( p-methoxyphenyl)ethynyl]pyrido[2',3':3,2]thieno[4,5- d]pyrido[1,2- a]pyrimidin-6-one, the values are much lower (0.01 ≤ ΦF ≤ 0.05). The interaction of these compounds with salmon sperm DNA was studied using spectroscopic methods, allowing the determination of intrinsic binding constants, K i = (8.7 ± 0.9) × 103 M-1 for compound 1 and K i = (5.9 ± 0.6) × 103 M-1 for 2, and binding site sizes of n = 11 ± 3 and n = 7 ± 2 base pairs, respectively. Compound 2 is the most intercalative compound in salmon sperm DNA (35%), while for compound 1 only 11% of the molecules are intercalated. Studies of incorporation of both compounds in liposomes of DPPC, Egg-PC and DODAB revealed that compound 2 is mainly located in the hydrophobic region of the lipid bilayer, while compound 1 prefers a hydrated and fluid environment.

  18. Structural properties of liposomes from digital holographic microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Maio, Isabelle L.; Carl, Daniel; Langehanenberg, Patrik; Valenzuela, Stella M.; Battle, Andrew R.; Al Khazaaly, Sabah; Killingsworth, Murray; Kemper, Bjorn; von Bally, Gert; Martin, Donald K.

    2006-01-01

    We have constructed liposomes from L alpha Phosphatidylcholine (PC) lipids, which are biomimetic lipids similar to those present in the membranes of mammalian cells. We propose an advance in the use of liposomes, such as for drug delivery, to incorporate into the liposomal membranes transport proteins that have been extracted from the lipid membranes of mammalian cells. In this paper, we describe the usage of a novel optical microscope to characterize the nanomechanical properties of these liposomes. We have applied the technique of digital holographic microscopy, using an instrument recently developed at the University of Münster, Germany. This system enabled us to measure quantitatively the structural changes in liposomes. We have investigated the deformations of these biomimetic lipids comprising these liposomes by applying osmotic stresses, in order to gain insight into the membrane environment prior to incorporation of cloned membrane transport proteins. This control of the nanomechanical properties is important in the stresses transmitted to mechanosensitive ion channels that we have incorporated into the liposomal membranes. These liposomes provide transporting vesicles that respond to mechanical stresses, such as those that occur during implantation.

  19. Aerosolized liposomes with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine enhance pulmonary insulin delivery.

    PubMed

    Chono, Sumio; Fukuchi, Rie; Seki, Toshinobu; Morimoto, Kazuhiro

    2009-07-20

    The pulmonary insulin delivery characteristics of liposomes were examined. Aerosolized liposomes containing insulin were administered into rat lungs and the enhancing effect on insulin delivery was evaluated by changes of plasma glucose levels. Liposomes with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) enhanced pulmonary insulin delivery in rats, however, liposomes with dilauroyl, dimyristoyl, distearoyl or dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine did not. Liposomes with DPPC also enhanced the in vitro permeation of FITC dextran (Mw 4400, FD-4) through the calu-3 cell monolayer by reducing the transepithelial electrical resistance and did not harm lung tissues in rats. These findings suggest that liposomes with DPPC enhance pulmonary insulin delivery by opening the epithelial cell space in the pulmonary mucosa not mucosal cell damage. Liposomes with DPPC could be useful as a pulmonary delivery system for peptide and protein drugs.

  20. Hepatoprotectant Ursodeoxycholyl Lysophosphatidylethanolamide Increasing Phosphatidylcholine Levels as a Potential Therapy of Acute Liver Injury

    PubMed Central

    Chamulitrat, Walee; Zhang, Wujuan; Xu, Weihong; Pathil, Anita; Setchell, Kenneth; Stremmel, Wolfgang

    2012-01-01

    It has been long known that hepatic synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) is depressed during acute such as carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury. Anti-hepatotoxic properties of PC as liposomes have been recognized for treatment of acute liver damage. Ursodeoxycholate (UDCA) is a known hepatoprotectant in stabilizing cellular membrane. For therapeutic management of liver injury, we coupled UDCA with a phospholipid known as ursodeoxycholyl lysophosphatidylethanolamide (UDCA-LPE). UDCA-LPE has been shown to first-in-class hepatoprotectant being superior to UDCA or PC. It inhibits mitochondrial damage and apoptosis, elicits survival signaling pathway, and promotes regeneration of hepatocytes. We herein report that a unique contribution of UDCA-LPE in increasing concentrations of PC in vitro and in vivo. UDCA-LPE-treated hepatocytes contained significantly increased PC levels. UDCA-LPE underwent the hydrolysis to LPE which was not the precursor of the increased PC. The levels of PC in the liver and blood were increased rapidly after intraperitoneally administration UDCA-LPE, and were found to be sustained even after 24 h. Among PC synthesis genes tested, UDCA-LPE treatment of mouse hepatocytes increased transcription of CDP-diacylglycerol synthase 1 which is an enzyme catalyzing phosphatidic acid to generate intermediates for PC synthesis. Thus, UDCA-LPE as a hepatoprotectant was able to induce synthesis of protective PC which would supplement for the loss of PC occurring during acute liver injury. This property has placed UDCA-LPE as a candidate agent for therapy of acute hepatotoxicity such as acetaminophen poisoning. PMID:22363296

  1. Spectroscopic studies on the interaction of fluorescein and safranine T in PC liposomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bozkurt, Ebru; Bayraktutan, Tuğba; Acar, Murat; Toprak, Mahmut

    2013-01-01

    In this study, the fluorescence quenching of fluorescein by safranine T in liposome media had been investigated systematically by fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence decay lifetime measurements. The spectroscopic data were analyzed using a Stern-Volmer equation to determine the quenching process. The experimental results showed that the intrinsic fluorescence of fluorescein was strongly quenched by safranine T, and that the quenching mechanism was considered as static quenching by forming a ground-complex. The Stern-Volmer quenching constant Ksv, and the bimolecular quenching constant Kq were estimated. The distances between the donor (fluorescein) and the acceptor (safranine T) were calculated according to the Förster non-radiation energy transfer theory. In addition, the partition coefficient of the safranine T (Kp) in the L-egg lecithin phosphatidylcholine liposomes was also calculated by utilizing the fluorescence quenching.

  2. Effect of liposomes on the rate of alkaline hydrolysis of indomethacin and acemetacin.

    PubMed

    Matos, C; Chaimovich, H; Lima, J L; Cuccovia, I M; Reis, S

    2001-03-01

    The anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic drugs indomethacin (INDO) and acemetacin (ACE), extensively used for the treatment of diseases of degenerative or inflammatory character, exhibit marked gastric irritant action, have low water solubility at neutral pH, and decompose in alkali. Alternative formulations are being investigated to obtain products with lower toxicity and higher stability. Here we examine the effect of liposome charge on the rate of alkaline decomposition of INDO and ACE using micelles as reference. Binding of ACE and INDO to zwitterionic hexadecylphosphocholine (HDPC) micelles and phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes was analyzed using a two-phase separation model to quantify the effect of these aggregates on the rate of alkaline degradation. The substrate association constants to HDPC micelles were 1335 and 2192 M(-1) for INDO and ACE, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for PC vesicles were 612 and 3050 M(-1). The difference was attributed to the additional hydrophobicity of ACE. The inhibitory effect of HDPC micelles and PC vesicles was quantified by calculating the ratio between the rate constants in water (k(w)) and in the aggregate (k(m)). The values of the k(w)/k(m) ratios for INDO and ACE in HDPC micelles were, respectively, 80 and 42, and in PC liposomes these ratios were 21 and 3.7, respectively. Positively charged micelles of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and vesicles containing varying proportions of dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride (DODAC) and PC increase the rate of INDO and ACE alkaline decomposition. Vesicle effects were very sensitive to the DODAC/PC ratio, with rates increasing with the proportion of DODAC. The data were analyzed quantitatively using a pseudophase model with explicit consideration of ion exchange. The calculated second-order rate constants in micelles and vesicles were lower than that in water. The charge density in the liposome necessary to increase the entrapment efficiency and decrease drug decomposition can be modulated, by judicious choice of pH and ionic strength. These manipulations can lead to more stable formulation with increased efficiency in drug entrapment and controlled effects on drug stability.

  3. Protective effect of DNA-mediated immunization with liposome-encapsulated GRA4 against infection of Toxoplasma gondii *

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Rui; Lu, Shao-hong; Tong, Qun-bo; Lou, Di; Shi, Dong-yan; Jia, Bing-bing; Huang, Guo-ping; Wang, Jin-fu

    2009-01-01

    The dense granule protein 4 (GRA4) is a granular protein from Toxoplasma gondii, and is a candidate for vaccination against this parasite. In this study, the plasmid pcDNA3.1-GRA4 (pGRA4), encoding for the GRA4 antigen, was incorporated by the dehydration-rehydration method into liposomes composed of 16 mmol/L egg phosphatidylcholine (PC), 8 mmol/L dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), and 4 mmol/L 1,2-diodeoyl-3-(trimethylammonium) propane (DOTAP). C57BL/6 mice and BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly three times with liposome-encapsulated pGRA4 to determine whether DNA immunization could elicit a protective immune response to T. gondii. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of sera from immunized mice showed that liposome-encapsulated pGRA4 generated high levels of IgG antibodies to GRA4. Production of primary interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-2 in GRA4-stimulated splenocytes from vaccinated mice suggested a modulated Th1-type response. 72.7% of C57BL/6 mice immunized with liposome-encapsulated pGRA4 survived the challenge with 80 tissue cysts of ME49 strain, whereas C57BL/6 mice immunized with pGRA4 had only a survival rate of 54.5%. When immunized BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally challenged with 103 tachyzoites of the highly virulent RH strain, the survival time of mice immunized with liposome-encapsulated pGRA4 was markedly longer than that of other groups. Our observations show that liposome-encapsulated pGRA4 enhanced the protective effect against infection of T. gondii. PMID:19585669

  4. Design and Synthesis of Archaea-Inspired Tetraether Lipids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koyanagi, Takaoki

    Maintaining the correct ion homeostasis across membranes is a major challenge in both nature and artificial systems. Archaea, have evolved to solve membrane permeability problems to survive in extreme environments by incorporating unique structural features found in their lipid. Specifically, inclusion of phytanyl side chains, ether glycerol linkages, tethering of lipids, cycloalkanes, and different polar lipid headgroups into their lipid membrane are believed to contribute to membrane stability. We sought to gain a better understanding of the functional benefits attributed to these structural features to membrane stability to design a new class of synthetic Archaea inspired lipid membranes that can be used to overcome limitations (i.e. unstable in serum environment, high background leakage, and prone to hydrolysis) found in current lipid based technologies. Leakage experiments revealed liposomes made from GMGTPC (glycerol monoalkyl glycerol tetraether lipid with phosphatidylcholine headgroup) demonstrated a two order magnitude reduction in membrane leakage to small ions when compared with liposomes made from EggPC. Additionally, liposomes composed of GMGTPC-CH (cyclohexane integrated) lipid displayed an additional 40% decrease in membrane leakage to small ions when compared with liposomes made from GMGTPC lipids. Furthermore, leakage experiments revealed a higher degree of tolerance to headgroup modifications to membrane leakage for liposomes made from GMGT lipid analogs when compared with liposomes made from POPC. After designing an optimal tetraether lipid scaffold that incorporates key Archaeal structural features for membrane leakage, we explored to integrate strategies employed by eukaryotes to improve membrane properties (i.e. addition of cholesterol). Liposomes made from the hybrid lipid, GcGTPC-CH, displayed a five-fold decrease in membrane leakage when compared with liposomes made from GMGTPC-CH, while maintaining functional membrane properties similar to membranes made from diacyl lipids. Lastly, we engineered a thiol responsive hybrid lipid, GcGT(S-S)PC-CH, that demonstrated similar membrane stability in serum as GcGTPC-CH. Gratifyingly, doxorubicin loaded liposomes composed of GcGT(S-S)PC-CH liposomes displayed a 4 or 20-fold increase in toxicity to HeLa cells when compared with liposomes made from GcGTPC-CH or Doxil, respectively. This work represents a first step towards development of stimuli-responsive tetraether lipids that may offer advantages in membrane properties to be used in cancer therapy.

  5. Structure relationship of cationic lipids on gene transfection mediated by cationic liposomes.

    PubMed

    Paecharoenchai, Orapan; Niyomtham, Nattisa; Apirakaramwong, Auayporn; Ngawhirunpat, Tanasait; Rojanarata, Theerasak; Yingyongnarongkul, Boon-ek; Opanasopit, Praneet

    2012-12-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the transfection efficiency of cationic liposomes formulated with phosphatidylcholine (PC) and novel synthesized diethanolamine-based cationic lipids at a molar ratio of 5:1 in comparison with Lipofectamine™ 2000. Factors affecting transfection efficiency and cell viability, including the chemical structure of the cationic lipids, such as different amine head group (diamine and polyamine; and non-spermine and spermine) and acyl chain lengths (C14, C16, and C18) and the weight ratio of liposomes to DNA were evaluated on a human cervical carcinoma cell line (HeLa cells) using the pDNA encoding green fluorescent protein (pEGFP-C2). Characterizations of these lipoplexes in terms of size and charge measurement and agarose gel electrophoresis were performed. The results from this study revealed that almost no transfection was observed in the liposome formulations composed of cationic lipids with a non-spermine head group. In addition, the transfection efficiency of these cationic liposomes was in the following order: spermine-C14 > spermine-C16 > spermine-C18. The highest transfection efficiency was observed in the formulation of spermine-C14 liposomes at a weight ratio of 25; furthermore, this formulation was safe for use in vitro. In conclusion, cationic liposomes containing spermine head groups demonstrated promising potential as gene carriers.

  6. Phospholipid epitopes for mouse antibodies against bromelain-treated mouse erythrocytes.

    PubMed Central

    Kawaguchi, S

    1987-01-01

    The reactivity of mouse antibodies against bromelain-treated mouse erythrocytes (BrMRBC) with phospholipid epitopes was assessed by ELISA, using four clones of monoclonal anti-BrMRBC antibodies that had idiotypes distinct from one another. The four antibodies could bind to low-density lipoproteins (LDL) from human and chicken, but not to LDL from mouse and rat. As to liposomes of natural phospholipids, all the clones reacted with liposomes of phosphatidylcholine, and some of them could react with liposomes of sphingomyelin, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylic acid or cardiolipin. For liposomes of synthetic phosphatidylcholine with different fatty acids, the length of carbon chains and the number of unsaturated carbon chains of the fatty acids markedly affected the binding of each monoclonal antibody to the liposomes. The addition of dicetyl phosphate or stearylamine to phosphatidylcholine liposomes changed the reactivity of the liposomes. These results support the view that mouse anti-BrMRBC antibodies can recognize appropriately spaced phosphorylcholine residues on the surface of phospholipid liposomes, LDL and cells. The four clones had similar capacities for binding to LDL as well as to BrMRBC, but they had obviously different capacities for binding to phospholipid liposomes; the epitopes on phospholipid liposomes used in the present study were not so perfect as to react well with every anti-BrMRBC antibody. PMID:2443446

  7. Effects of phosphonium-based ionic liquids on phospholipid membranes studied by small-angle X-ray scattering.

    PubMed

    Kontro, Inkeri; Svedström, Kirsi; Duša, Filip; Ahvenainen, Patrik; Ruokonen, Suvi-Katriina; Witos, Joanna; Wiedmer, Susanne K

    2016-12-01

    The effects of ionic liquids on model phospholipid membranes were studied by small-angle X-ray scattering, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements. Multilamellar 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine liposomes and large unilamellar vesicles composed of l-α-phosphatidylcholine (eggPC) and l-α-phosphatidylglycerol (eggPG) (80:20mol%) or eggPC, eggPG, and cholesterol (60:20:20mol%) were used as biomimicking membrane models. The effects of the phosphonium-based ionic liquids: tributylmethylphosphonium acetate, trioctylmethylphosphonium acetate, tributyl(tetradecyl)-phosphonium acetate, and tributyl(tetradecyl)-phosphonium chloride, were compared to those of 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate. With multilamellar vesicles, the ionic liquids that did not disrupt liposomes decreased the lamellar spacing as a function of concentration. The magnitude of the effect depended on concentration for all studied ionic liquids. Using large unilamellar vesicles, first a slight decrease in the vesicle size, then aggregation of vesicles was observed by DLS for increasing ionic liquid concentrations. At concentrations just below those that caused aggregation of liposomes, large unilamellar vesicles were coated by ionic liquid cations, evidenced by a change in their zeta potential. The ability of phosphonium-based ionic liquids to affect liposomes is related to the length of the hydrocarbon chains in the cation. Generally, the ability of ionic liquids to disrupt liposomes goes hand in hand with inducing disorder in the phospholipid membrane. However, trioctylmethylphosphonium acetate selectively extracted and induced a well-ordered lamellar structure in phospholipids from disrupted cholesterol-containing large unilamellar vesicles. This kind of effect was not seen with any other combination of ionic liquids and liposomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Nanoliposomes for encapsulation and delivery of the potential antitumoral methyl 6-methoxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1 H-indole-2-carboxylate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abreu, Ana S.; Castanheira, Elisabete Ms; Queiroz, Maria-João Rp; Ferreira, Paula Mt; Vale-Silva, Luís A.; Pinto, Eugénia

    2011-08-01

    A potential antitumoral fluorescent indole derivative, methyl 6-methoxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1 H-indole-2-carboxylate, was evaluated for the in vitro cell growth inhibition on three human tumor cell lines, MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), A375-C5 (melanoma), and NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer), after a continuous exposure of 48 h, exhibiting very low GI50 values for all the cell lines tested (0.25 to 0.33 μM). This compound was encapsulated in different nanosized liposome formulations, containing egg lecithin (Egg-PC), dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dipalmitoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DPPG), DSPC, cholesterol, dihexadecyl phosphate, and DSPE-PEG. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed that nanoliposomes with the encapsulated compound are generally monodisperse and with hydrodynamic diameters lower than 120 nm, good stability and zeta potential values lower than -18 mV. Dialysis experiments allowed to monitor compound diffusion through the lipid membrane, from DPPC/DPPG donor liposomes to NBD-labelled lipid/DPPC/DPPG acceptor liposomes.

  9. Phthalocyanines functionalized with 2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazolylethoxy and 1,4,7-trioxanonyl moieties and the effect of metronidazole substitution on photocytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Wierzchowski, Marcin; Sobotta, Lukasz; Skupin-Mrugalska, Paulina; Kruk, Justyna; Jusiak, Weronika; Yee, Michael; Konopka, Krystyna; Düzgüneş, Nejat; Tykarska, Ewa; Gdaniec, Maria; Mielcarek, Jadwiga; Goslinski, Tomasz

    2013-10-01

    Four novel magnesium(II) and zinc(II) phthalocyanines bearing 1,4,7-trioxanonyl, polyether and/or (2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethoxy, heterocyclic substituents at their non-peripheral positions were synthesized and assessed in terms of physicochemical and biological properties. Magnesium phthalocyanine derivatives bearing polyether substituents (Pc-1), a mixed system of polyether and heterocyclic substituents (Pc-3), and four heterocyclic substituents (Pc-4), respectively, were synthesized following the Linstead macrocyclization reaction procedure. Zinc phthalocyanine (Pc-2) bearing polyether substituents at non-peripheral positions was synthesized following the procedure in n-pentanol with the zinc acetate, and DBU. Novel phthalocyanines were purified by flash column chromatography and characterized using NMR, MS, UV-Vis and HPLC. Moreover, two precursors in macrocyclization reaction phthalonitriles were characterized using X-ray. Photophysical properties of the novel macrocycles were evaluated, including UV-Vis spectra analysis and aggregation study. All macrocycles subjected to singlet oxygen generation and the oxidation rate constant measurements exhibited lower quantum yields of singlet oxygen generation in DMSO than in DMF. In addition, the Pc-2 molecule was found to be the most efficient singlet oxygen generator from the group of macrocycles studied. The photocytotoxicity evaluated on the human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line, HSC-3, for Pc-3 was significantly higher than that for Pc-1, Pc-2, and Pc-4. Interestingly, Pc-3 was found to be the most active macrocycle in vitro although its ability to generate singlet oxygen was significantly lower than those of Pc-1 and Pc-2. However, attempts to encapsulate phthalocyanines Pc-1-Pc-3 in liposomal membranes were unsuccessful. The phthalocyanine-nitroimidazole conjugate, Pc-4 was encapsulated in phosphatidylglycerol:phosphatidylcholine unilamellar liposomes and subjected to photocytotoxicity study. © 2013.

  10. Low-visibility light-intensity laser-triggered release of entrapped calcein from 1,2-bis (tricosa-10,12-diynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine liposomes is mediated through a type I photoactivation pathway

    PubMed Central

    Yavlovich, Amichai; Viard, Mathias; Gupta, Kshitij; Sine, Jessica; Vu, Mylinh; Blumenthal, Robert; Tata, Darrell B; Puri, Anu

    2013-01-01

    We recently reported on the physical characteristics of photo-triggerable liposomes containing dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), and 1,2-bis (tricosa-10,12-diynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DC8,9PC) carrying a photo agent as their payload. When exposed to a low-intensity 514 nm wavelength (continuous-wave) laser light, these liposomes were observed to release entrapped calcein green (Cal-G; Ex/Em 490/517 nm) but not calcein blue (Cal-B; Ex/Em 360/460 nm). In this study, we have investigated the mechanism for the 514 nm laser-triggered release of the Cal-G payload using several scavengers that are known specifically to inhibit either type I or type II photoreaction pathways. Liposomes containing DPPC:DC8,9PC: distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-2000 (86:10:04 mole ratio) were loaded either with fluorescent (calcein) or nonfluorescent (3H-inulin) aqueous markers. In addition, a non-photo-triggerable formulation (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine [POPC]:DC8,9PC:DSPE-PEG2000) was also studied with the same payloads. The 514 nm wavelength laser exposure on photo-triggerable liposomes resulted in the release of Cal-G but not that of Cal-B or 3H-inulin, suggesting an involvement of a photoactivated state of Cal-G due to the 514 nm laser exposure. Upon 514 nm laser exposures, substantial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, ≈100 μM) levels were detected from only the Cal-G loaded photo-triggerable liposomes but not from Cal-B-loaded liposomes (≤10 μM H2O2). The Cal-G release from photo-triggerable liposomes was found to be significantly inhibited by ascorbic acid (AA), resulting in a 70%–80% reduction in Cal-G release. The extent of AA-mediated inhibition of Cal-G release from the liposomes also correlated with the consumption of AA. No AA consumption was detected in the 514 nm laserexposed Cal B-loaded liposomes, thus confirming a role of photoactivation of Cal-G in liposome destabilization. Inclusion of 100 mM K3Fe(CN)6 (a blocker of electron transfer) in the liposomes substantially inhibited Cal-G release, whereas inclusion of 10 mM sodium azide (a blocker of singlet oxygen of type II photoreaction) in the liposomes failed to block 514 nm laser-triggered Cal-G release. Taken together, we conclude that low-intensity 514 nm laser-triggered release of Cal-G from photo-triggerable liposomes involves the type I photoreaction pathway. PMID:23901274

  11. Liposomes as carriers of macrolides: preferential association of erythromycin A and azithromycin with liposomes of phosphatidylglycerol containing unsaturated fatty acid(s).

    PubMed

    Stuhne-Sekalec, L; Stanacev, N Z; Djokic, S

    1991-01-01

    To assess the most favourable phospholipid composition of a liposomal carrier for antibiotics, small multilamellar liposomes were prepared from phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol of varying fatty acid composition in the presence of erythromycin A and azithromycin. Crude liposomes were subjected to Sepharose CL-4B column chromatography, and liposomes containing antibiotics were well separated from free antibiotics. These experiments established that the greatest association of antibiotics was achieved with liposomes prepared from phosphatidylglycerol rather than phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylethanolamine. Furthermore, the composition of fatty acids in phosphatidylglycerol liposomes influenced the amount of antibiotics associated with liposomes; the highest amount was obtained with dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol followed by phosphatidylglycerol of fatty acid composition similar to that of egg yolk lecithin. It was established that purified liposomes, prepared from [3H]phosphatidylglycerol containing unsaturated fatty acid(s) bind about 25 per cent of originally present antibiotic. Both antibiotics, erythromycin A and azithromycin, were similar in respect to the amount of their association with liposomes. Determination of the size of phosphatidylglycerol/antibiotic liposomes established that the mean diameter of liposomes containing antibiotics was 200-350 nm, very close to that of liposomes without them.

  12. Binding of Diphtheria Toxin to Phospholipids in Liposomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alving, Carl R.; Iglewski, Barbara H.; Urban, Katharine A.; Moss, Joel; Richards, Roberta L.; Sadoff, Jerald C.

    1980-04-01

    Diphtheria toxin bound to the phosphate portion of some, but not all, phospholipids in liposomes. Liposomes consisting of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol did not bind toxin. Addition of 20 mol% (compared to dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine) of dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid, dicetyl phosphate, phosphatidylinositol phosphate, cardiolipin, or phosphatidylserine in the liposomes resulted in substantial binding of toxin. Inclusion of phosphatidylinositol in dimyristol phosphatidylcholine / cholesterol liposomes did not result in toxin binding. The calcium salt of dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid was more effective than the sodium salt, and the highest level of binding occurred with liposomes consisting only of dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid (calcium salt) and cholesterol. Binding of toxin to liposomes was dependent on pH, and the pattern of pH dependence varied with liposomes having different compositions. Incubation of diphtheria toxin with liposomes containing dicetyl phosphate resulted in maximal binding at pH 3.6, whereas binding to liposomes containing phosphatidylinositol phosphate was maximal above pH 7. Toxin did not bind to liposomes containing 20 mol% of a free fatty acid (palmitic acid) or a sulfated lipid (3-sulfogalactosylceramide). Toxin binding to dicetyl phosphate or phosphatidylinositol phosphate was inhibited by UTP, ATP, phosphocholine, or p-nitrophenyl phosphate, but not by uracil. We conclude that (a) diphtheria toxin binds specifically to the phosphate portion of certain phospholipids, (b) binding to phospholipids in liposomes is dependent on pH, but is not due only to electrostatic interaction, and (c) binding may be strongly influenced by the composition of adjacent phospholipids that do not bind toxin. We propose that a minor membrane phospholipid (such as phosphatidylinositol phosphate or phosphatidic acid), or that some other phosphorylated membrane molecule (such as a phosphoprotein) may be important in the initial binding of diphtheria toxin to cells.

  13. Therapeutic efficacy of liposomes containing 4-(5-pentadecyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)pyridine in a murine model of progressive pulmonary tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Mata-Espinosa, Dulce; Molina-Salinas, Gloria María; Barrios-Payán, Jorge; Navarrete-Vázquez, Gabriel; Marquina, Brenda; Ramos-Espinosa, Octavio; Bini, Estela Isabel; Baeza, Isabel; Hernández-Pando, Rogelio

    2015-06-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest infectious diseases and comprises a global public health concern because co-infection with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and, in particular, the continuous isolation of new Multidrug-resistant strains (MDR), rendering the discovery of novel anti-TB agents a strategic priority. One of the most effective first-line mycobactericidal drugs is Isoniazid (INH). Previously, we reported in vitro anti-mycobacterial activity against sensitive and MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains of a new oxadiazole obtained from the hybridization of INH and palmitic acid. The present study evaluated the therapeutic potential of liposomes including Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and L-α Phosphatidic acid (PA) or PC and Cholesterol (Chol) containing 4-(5-pentadecyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)pyridine in BALB/c male mice infected by intratracheal (i.t.) route with drug-sensitive or MDR M. tuberculosis. The lipophilic 4-(5-pentadecyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)pyridine was obtained to mix INH and palmitoyl chloride. The in vivo anti-TB effect of this oxadiazole derivative contained in two different liposomes was tested in BALB/c mice infected with a sensitive strain of M. tuberculosis, initiating treatment 2 months post-infection, by i.t. route, of 50 μg of oxadiazole derivative for 1 month. In a second stage, mice were infected with an MDR (resistant to first-line drugs) and treated with 150 μg of an oxadiazole derivative carried by PC + Chol liposomes for 2 months. The effect of the oxadiazole derivative in vivo was determined by the quantification of lung bacilli loads and histopathology. In comparison with control animals, drug-sensitive, strain-infected mice treated for 1 month with 50 μg of this oxadiazole derivative contained in the liposomes of PC + Chol showed a significant, 80% decrease of live bacilli in lungs, which correlated with the morphometric observation, and the group of MDR clinical isolate-infected mice treated with 150 μg of the oxadiazole derivative contained in the same type of liposome showed significantly lower lung bacillary loads than control mice, producing 90% of bacilli burden reduction after 2 months of treatment. These results confirm and extend the reported highly efficient anti-mycobacterial activity of this lipophilic oxidazole derivative when it is carried by liposomes in mice suffering from late progressive pulmonary TB induced by drug-sensitive, and most prominently by, MDR strains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Sensing specific adhesion of liposomal and micellar systems with attached carbohydrate recognition structures at lectin surfaces.

    PubMed

    Hildebrand, Annegret; Schaedlich, Anita; Rothe, Ulrich; Neubert, Reinhard H H

    2002-05-15

    A quartz crystal microbalance was used to investigate the adsorption behavior of liposomes and mixed micelles with attached carbohydrate recognition structures at lectin-coated quartz plates. With a self-assembly technique, the quartz was coated with the lectin Concanavalin A. In a first attempt, liposomes of natural soybean PC as well as synthetic POPC, containing 10% reactive N-Glut-PE each, were decorated with a mannopyranoside recognition structure to investigate the specific adsorption at the lectin-coated quartz surface in dependence on the concentration. In a second model, the bile salt sodium cholate was introduced to solubilize the mannopyranoside-modified liposomes and to transform them into mannopyranoside-modified binary mixed micelles. The adsorption of these micelles was further investigated. In a third approach, the adsorption behavior of mannopyranoside-modified ternary mixed bile salt-phosphatidylcholine-fatty acid micelles was characterized with sodium laurate, palmitate, and oleate as fatty acids. The micelles with oleate showed only a small frequency decrease, whereas the micelles with laurate and palmitate induced higher frequency changes. A dependence on the alkyl chain length could be detected. While the adsorption of liposomes containing recognition structures at QCM surfaces is nowadays well-established, the QCM detection of the adsorption of mixed bile salt micelles, transformed from these liposomes by solubilization, is a novel and very promising field for the development of innovative colloidal drug delivery systems.

  15. The binding of quinone to the photosynthetic reaction centers: kinetics and thermodynamics of reactions occurring at the QB-site in zwitterionic and anionic liposomes.

    PubMed

    Mavelli, Fabio; Trotta, Massimo; Ciriaco, Fulvio; Agostiano, Angela; Giotta, Livia; Italiano, Francesca; Milano, Francesco

    2014-07-01

    Liposomes represent a versatile biomimetic environment for studying the interaction between integral membrane proteins and hydrophobic ligands. In this paper, the quinone binding to the QB-site of the photosynthetic reaction centers (RC) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides has been investigated in liposomes prepared with either the zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) or the negatively charged phosphatidylglycerol (PG) to highlight the role of the different phospholipid polar heads. Quinone binding (K Q) and interquinone electron transfer (L AB) equilibrium constants in the two type of liposomes were obtained by charge recombination reaction of QB-depleted RC in the presence of increasing amounts of ubiquinone-10 over the temperature interval 6-35 °C. The kinetic of the charge recombination reactions has been fitted by numerically solving the ordinary differential equations set associated with a detailed kinetic scheme involving electron transfer reactions coupled with quinone release and uptake. The entire set of traces at each temperature was accurately fitted using the sole quinone release constants (both in a neutral and a charge separated state) as adjustable parameters. The temperature dependence of the quinone exchange rate at the QB-site was, hence, obtained. It was found that the quinone exchange regime was always fast for PC while it switched from slow to fast in PG as the temperature rose above 20 °C. A new method was introduced in this paper for the evaluation of constant K Q using the area underneath the charge recombination traces as the indicator of the amount of quinone bound to the QB-site.

  16. Effect of axial ligation and delivery system on the tumour-localising and -photosensitising properties of Ge(IV)-octabutoxy-phthalocyanines.

    PubMed Central

    Soncin, M.; Polo, L.; Reddi, E.; Jori, G.; Kenney, M. E.; Cheng, G.; Rodgers, M. A.

    1995-01-01

    Four Ge(IV)-octabutoxy-phthalocyanines (GePcs) bearing two alkyl-type axial ligands were assayed for their pharmacokinetic properties and phototherapeutic efficiency in Balb/c mice bearing an intramuscularly transplanted MS-2 fibrosarcoma. The GePcs were i.v. injected at a dose of 0.35 mumol kg-1 body weight after incorporation into either Cremophor emulsions or small unilamellar liposomes of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Both the nature of the delivery system and the chemical structure of the phthalocyanine were found to affect the behaviour of the GePcs in vivo. Thus, Cremophor-administered GePcs invariably yielded a more prolonged serum retention and a larger association with low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) as compared with the corresponding liposome-delivered phthalocyanines. This led to a greater efficiency and selectivity of tumour targeting. These effects were more pronounced for those GePcs having relatively long alkyl chains (hexyl to decyl) in the axial ligands. Maximal tumour accumulation (0.67 nmol per g of tissue) was found for Ge-Pc(hexyl)2 at 24 h after injection. Consistently, the Ge-Pc(hexyl)2, administered via Cremophor, showed the highest phototherapeutic activity towards MS-2 fibrosarcoma. PMID:7710936

  17. Development and characterization of multilamellar liposomes containing pyridostigmine.

    PubMed

    Souza, Ana Carolina Moreira; Grabe-Guimarães, Andrea; Souza, Jacqueline; Botacim, Wallace Entringer; Almeida, Tamara Marine; Frézard, Fréderic Jean Georges; Silva Barcellos, Neila Márcia

    2014-06-01

    Pyridostigmine has cardioprotective activity in both free and liposomal forms. This study aimed to develop and characterize liposomal formulations of pyridostigmine. For this, a spectrophotometric ultraviolet (UV) analytical method, at 270 nm, was developed and validated to quantify liposomal pyridostigmine. The method was linear in ranges from 0.02 to 0.09 mg/mL. The accuracy of this method was determined intra- and inter-day; the results of coefficient of variation were of 1.73-2.72% and 0.32-2.32%, respectively. The accuracy ranged between 99.45% and 101.12%. The method has not changed by influence of liposomal matrix and demonstrated being able to quantify pyridostigmine in liposomes. Two liposomal multilamellar formulations were developed: a constituted by dystearoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) and cholesterol (CHOL) other by dioleil-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and CHOL. The encapsulation efficiency was determined as 23.4% and 15.4%, respectively. Analyses of size and release of pyridostigmine from the formulations were made and the results showed that the formulations are viable for future studies in vivo.

  18. Interaction of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes and insulin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mady, Mohsen M.; Elshemey, Wael M.

    2011-06-01

    Insulin, a peptide that has been used for decades in the treatment of diabetes, has well-defined properties and delivery requirements. Liposomes, which are lipid bilayer vesicles, have gained increasing attention as drug carriers which reduce the toxicity and increase the pharmacological activity of various drugs. The molecular interaction between (uncharged lipid) dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes and insulin has been characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction. The characteristic protein absorption band peaks, Amide I (at about 1660 cm-1) and Amide II band (at about 1546 cm-1) are potentially reduced in the liposome insulin complex. Wide-angle x-ray scattering measurements showed that the association of insulin with DPPC lipid of liposomes still maintains the characteristic DPPC diffraction peaks with almost no change in relative intensities or change in peak positions. The absence of any shift in protein peak positions after insulin being associated with DPPC liposomes indicates that insulin is successfully forming complex with DPPC liposomes with possibly no pronounced alterations in the structure of insulin molecule.

  19. Phosphatidylserine directly and positively regulates fusion of myoblasts into myotubes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jeong, Jaemin, E-mail: jmj1103@kirams.re.kr; Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul; Conboy, Irina M., E-mail: iconboy@berkeley.edu

    2011-10-14

    Highlights: {yields} PS broadly and persistently trans-locates to the outer leaflet of plasma membrane during myoblast fusion into myotubes. {yields} Robust myotubes are formed when PS liposomes are added exogenously. {yields} PS increases the width of de novo myotubes and the numbers of myonuclei, but not the myotube length. {yields} Annexin V or PS antibody inhibits myotube formation by masking exposed PS. -- Abstract: Cell membrane consists of various lipids such as phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Among them, PS is a molecular marker of apoptosis, because it is located to the inner leaflet of plasma membrane generallymore » but it is moved to the outer leaflet during programmed cell death. The process of apoptosis has been implicated in the fusion of muscle progenitor cells, myoblasts, into myotubes. However, it remained unclear whether PS regulates muscle cell differentiation directly. In this paper, localization of PS to the outer leaflet of plasma membrane in proliferating primary myoblasts and during fusion of these myoblasts into myotubes is validated using Annexin V. Moreover, we show the presence of PS clusters at the cell-cell contact points, suggesting the importance of membrane ruffling and PS exposure for the myogenic cell fusion. Confirming this conclusion, experimentally constructed PS, but not PC liposomes dramatically enhance the formation of myotubes from myoblasts, thus demonstrating a direct positive effect of PS on the muscle cell fusion. In contrast, myoblasts exposed to PC liposomes produce long myotubes with low numbers of myonuclei. Moreover, pharmacological masking of PS on the myoblast surface inhibits fusion of these cells into myotubes in a dose-dependent manner.« less

  20. Photolysis of retinol in liposomes and its protection with tocopherol and oxybenzone.

    PubMed

    Young, A M; Gregoriadis, G

    1996-03-01

    In this work the stabilities of retinol in methanolic solutions and liposomal suspensions exposed to UV light were compared using absorbance spectroscopy and the ability of alpha-tocopherol and the sunscreen additive, oxybenzone, to reduce the rate of retinol decomposition assessed. Retinol in methanol decolorized almost completely within a few minutes of exposure to a 6 W 350 nm wavelength lamp. From the concentration dependence of the reaction rates it appears that retinol activated by light can decomposed either directly or after collision with a second retinol molecule. Several reaction products are formed. alpha-Tocopherol solutions were unaffected by 350 nm light but they did darken when irradiated with 250 nm wavelength light. Addition of alpha-tocopherol or removal of oxygen from the retinol in methanol solutions reduced only slightly the rates of retinol photolysis. When dispersed in water within liposomes made of equimolar egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol, up to six-fold increases in the decomposition rate of the retinol were observed. The reaction rate could be reduced but only slightly by increasing the ratio of PC to retinol. A mechanism that explains the concentration dependence of the retinol photolysis is that the reduction in reaction rate on diluting the retinol concentration within a given liposome was due to the prevention of the reaction between one light-activated retinol molecule with another within the same liposome. Incorporation of oxybenzone into the liposomes reduced the reaction rates. The results suggested that most of the protection in this case arises through the oxybenzone closet to the light source absorbing the light, thereby preventing it reaching retinol much further into the sample. Incorporation of alpha-tocopherol into the liposomes could also reduce substantially the photolysis rate of co-entrapped retinol. The mechanism of protection in this case appears to be via the tocopherol quenching activated retinol molecules. The close proximity of the tocopherol to the retinol within a single liposome has shown to be important in this case. Only slight protection of retinol in one liposome by tocopherol in another was observed under the conditions studied. This means that the protection by tocopherol will still be observed if the liposome dispersions are diluted considerably or if only thin samples are exposed to light.

  1. Transient cerebral hypoperfusion assisted intraarterial cationic liposome delivery to brain tissue

    PubMed Central

    Joshi, Shailendra; Singh-Moon, Rajinder P.; Wang, Mei; Chaudhuri, Durba B.; Holcomb, Mark; Straubinger, Ninfa L.; Bruce, Jeffrey N.; Bigio, Irving J.; Straubinger, Robert M.

    2014-01-01

    Object Transient cerebral hypoperfusion (TCH) has empirically been used to assist intraarterial (IA) drug delivery to brain tumors. Transient (< 3 min) reduction of cerebral blood flow (CBF) occurs during many neuro- and cardiovascular interventions and has recently been used to better target IA drugs to brain tumors. In the present experiments, we assessed whether the effectiveness of IA delivery of cationic liposomes could be improved by TCH. Methods Cationic liposomes composed of 1:1 DOTAP:PC (dioleoyl-trimethylammonium-propane:phosphatidylcholine) were administered to three groups of Sprague Dawley rats. In the first group, we tested the effect of blood flow reduction on IA delivery of cationic liposomes. In the second group, we compared TCH-assisted IA liposomal delivery vs. intravenous (IV) administration of the same dose. In the third group, we assessed retention of cationic liposomes in brain four hours after TCH assisted delivery. The liposomes contained a near infrared dye, DilC18(7), whose concentration could be measured in vivo by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Results IA injections of cationic liposomes during TCH increased their delivery approximately four-fold compared to injections during normal blood flow. Optical pharmacokinetic measurements revealed that relative to IV injections, IA injection of cationic liposomes during TCH produced tissue concentrations that were 100-fold greater. The cationic liposomes were retained in the brain tissue four hours after a single IA injection. There was no gross impairment of neurological functions in surviving animals. Conclusions Transient reduction in CBF significantly increased IA delivery of cationic liposomes in the brain. High concentrations of liposomes could be delivered to brain tissue after IA injections with concurrent TCH while none could be detected after IV injection. IA-TCH injections were well tolerated and cationic liposomes were retained for at least 4 hours after IA administration. These results should encourage development of cationic liposomal formulations of chemotherapeutic drugs and their IA delivery during TCH. PMID:24664370

  2. Hyaluronan-decorated liposomes as drug delivery systems for cutaneous administration.

    PubMed

    Franzé, Silvia; Marengo, Alessandro; Stella, Barbara; Minghetti, Paola; Arpicco, Silvia; Cilurzo, Francesco

    2018-01-15

    The work aimed to evaluate the feasibility to design hyaluronic acid (HA) decorated flexible liposomes to enhance the skin penetration of nifedipine. Egg phosphatidylcholine (e-PC) based transfersomes (Tween 80) and transethosomes (ethanol) were prepared. HA was reacted with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (HA-DPPE) and two molar ratios (0.5 and 3%) of conjugate with respect to e-PC were tested. The presence of HA significantly increased the packing order of the bilayer (as verified by differential scanning calorimetry), reducing both the encapsulation efficiency and the flexibility of the decorated liposomes in a dose-dependent manner. In fact, at the highest HA content the constant of deformability (K, N/mm) increased and the carriers remained on the skin surface after topical application. The stiffening effect of HA was counterbalanced by the addition of ethanol as fluidizing agent that allowed to maintain the highest HA concentration, meanwhile reducing the K value of the vesicles. HA-transethosomes allowed a suitable nifedipine permeation (J ∼ 30 ng/cm 2 /h) and significantly improved the drug penetration, favouring the formation of a drug depot in the epidermis. These data suggest the potentialities of HA-transethosomes as drug delivery systems intended for the treatment of cutaneous pathologies and underline the importance of studying the effect of surface functionalization on carrier deformability to rationalize the design of such systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Characterization of drug release from liposomal formulations in ocular fluid.

    PubMed

    Jafari, M R; Jones, A B; Hikal, A H; Williamson, J S; Wyandt, C M

    1998-01-01

    The successful application of liposomes in topical ophthalmic drug delivery requires knowledge of vesicle stabilization in the presence of tear fluid. The release of procaine hydrochloride (PCH) from large unilamellar liposomes in the presence of simulated tear fluid was studied in vitro as a function of bilayer lipid content and tear protein composition. Reverse-phase evaporation vesicles were prepared from egg phosphatidylcholine, stearylamine or dicetyl phosphate, and cholesterol. The relationship between lipid composition and encapsulation efficiency, vesicle size, drug leakage upon storage at 4 degrees C, and the release of PCH-loaded liposomes was studied. The encapsulation efficiency was found to be dependent upon the lipid composition used in the liposome preparation. In particular, phosphatidylcholine vesicles containing cholesterol and/or charged lipids had a lower entrapment efficiency than liposomes prepared with phosphatidylcholine alone. However, the drug release rate was reduced significantly by inclusion of cholesterol and/or charged lipids in the liposomes. The release kinetics of the entrapped agent seemed to be a biphasic process and the drug-release in both simulated tear fluid (STF) and pH 7.4 phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solutions followed pseudo first-order kinetics in the early stage of the release profile. The drug-release appeared to be diffusion and/or partition controlled. Drug release from liposomes into STF, pH 7.4 PBS, and five different modified tear formulations was also evaluated. While serum-induced leakage is attributed to high-density lipoprotein-mediated destabilization, it was determined that lactoferrin might be the protein component in tear fluid that has the primary influence on the liposome-entrapped drug release rate. Five local anesthetics, benoxinate, proparacaine, procaine, tetracaine, and benzocaine were entrapped in liposomal vesicles by a reverse-phase evaporation (REV) technique. The release of these structurally similar topical anesthetics entrapped in positively charged liposomes (egg phosphatidylcholine, stearylamine, and cholesterol in a 7:2:1 molar ratio) was evaluated in a simulated tear fluid and pH 7.4 phosphate buffered saline solution. The liposomes appeared to be useful carriers for these drugs to retard their in vitro release in tear fluid and perhaps sustain or control their release in the eye for better therapeutic efficacy. An analysis of the release data demonstrated that for this series of drugs, drug partition coefficient has the largest effect on release rate, with molecular weight exhibiting a smaller effect. Release rate was found to decrease with increased lipophilicity or increased molecular weight.

  4. Autoantibodies against mouse bromelain-modified RBC are specifically inhibited by a common membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine.

    PubMed Central

    Cox, K O; Hardy, S J

    1985-01-01

    Sera from mice injected 4 days earlier with lipopolysaccharide lysed mouse RBC treated with bromelain (brom). This lytic activity was totally inhibited by including phosphatidylcholine at final concentrations of about 2 micrograms/ml, or more, in the lytic mixtures. In contrast, the lytic activity of antibodies against rat RBC was not inhibited, even at concentrations of phosphatidylcholine up to 2.5 mg/ml. Various components of the phosphatidylcholine molecule, and other lipids including the closely-related molecule dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl-dimethyl-ethanolamine which is identical to dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine, except for the absence of a CH2 group on the polar head group, did not inhibit lysis by the autoantibodies. Autoantibodies against mouse brom RBC, but not antibodies against rat RBC, bound to, and could be eluted from, phosphatidylcholine molecules attached to an insoluble matrix. Liposomes of phosphatidylcholine prepared in the presence of phosphatidic acid or phosphatidylinositol did not inhibit the lysis of mouse brom RBC by autoantibodies to the same extent as liposomes of only phosphatidylcholine. This suggests that phosphatidylcholine is recognized by the autoantibodies only if presented in a certain configuration. We suggest that the function of these autoantibodies may be to facilitate the removal of membrane-damaged cells from the body. Such cells may arise by the process of ageing, or because of the effects of infectious agents such as viruses. PMID:4007927

  5. Effect of Dialkyl Ammonium Cationic Surfactants on the Microfluidity of Membranes Containing Raft Domains.

    PubMed

    Uyama, Makoto; Inoue, Kaori; Kinoshita, Koichi; Miyahara, Reiji; Yokoyama, Hirokazu; Nakano, Minoru

    2018-01-01

    It has been reported that a lot of receptors localize in lipid raft domains and that the microfluidity of these domains regulates the activation of these receptors. In this study, we focused on the lipid raft and in order to evaluate the physicochemical effects of surfactants on microfluidity of lipid membranes, we used liposomes comprising of egg-yolk L-α-phosphatidylcholine, egg-yolk sphingomyelin, and cholesterol as a model of cell membranes containing raft domains. The microfluidity of the domains was characterized by fluorescence spectrometry using 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene and 2-dimethylamino-6-lauroylnaphthalene. Among several surfactants, dialkylammonium-type cationic surfactants most efficiently increased the microfluidity. It is therefore concluded that (1) the electrostatic interaction between the cationic surfactant and eggPC/eggSM/cholesterol liposome could be important, (2) surfactants with alkyl chains more effectively inserted into membranes than those with acyl chains, and (3) cationic surfactants with lower T m values have a greater ability to increase the fluidity.

  6. Aerosolized liposomes with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine enhance pulmonary absorption of encapsulated insulin compared with co-administered insulin.

    PubMed

    Chono, Sumio; Togami, Kohei; Itagaki, Shirou

    2017-11-01

    We have previously shown that aerosolized liposomes with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) enhance the pulmonary absorption of encapsulated insulin. In this study, we aimed to compare insulin encapsulated into the liposomes versus co-administration of empty liposomes and unencapsulated free insulin, where the DPCC liposomes would serve as absorption enhancer. The present study provides the useful information for development of noninvasive treatment of diabetes. Co-administration of empty DPPC liposomes and unencapsulated free insulin was investigated in vivo to assess the potential enhancement in protein pulmonary absorption. Co-administration was compared to DPPC liposomes encapsulating insulin, and free insulin. DPPC liposomes enhanced the pulmonary absorption of unencapsulated free insulin; however, the enhancing effect was lower than that of the DPPC liposomes encapsulating insulin. The mechanism of the pulmonary absorption of unencapsulated free insulin by DPPC liposomes involved the opening of epithelial cell space in alveolar mucosa, and not mucosal cell damage, similar to that of the DPPC liposomes encapsulating insulin. In an in vitro stability test, insulin in the alveolar mucus layer that covers epithelial cells was stable. These findings suggest that, although unencapsulated free insulin spreads throughout the alveolar mucus layer, the concentration of insulin released near the absorption surface is increased by the encapsulation of insulin into DPPC liposomes and the absorption efficiency is also increased. We revealed that the encapsulation of insulin into DPPC liposomes is more effective for pulmonary insulin absorption than co-administration of DPPC liposomes and unencapsulated free insulin.

  7. Microscopic localization of sterically stabilized liposomes in colon carcinoma-bearing mice.

    PubMed

    Huang, S K; Lee, K D; Hong, K; Friend, D S; Papahadjopoulos, D

    1992-10-01

    Using light and electron microscopy, we investigated the in vivo distribution of liposomes sterically stabilized by specific lipids which prolong their circulation in blood. Tissue distribution of sterically stabilized liposomes composed of distearoyl phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:monosialoganglioside GM1 (10:5:1)-encapsulated 67Ga-Desferal indicates that more than 30% of liposomes still remain in the blood at 24 h after tail vein injection. Moreover, such liposomes accumulated in tumors (C-26 colon carcinoma cells implanted s.c.), reaching almost the same level of uptake as liver (approximately 20% injected dose/g tissue). The microscopic localization of liposomes labeled with encapsulated colloidal gold or rhodamine-labeled dextran coincided well with the tissue distribution. To evaluate circulation parameters, two sizes of gold-containing egg phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (derivatized at its amino position with a 1900 molecular weight segment of polyethylene glycol) (10:5:0.8) liposomes were injected. The plasma was examined by electron microscopy of negative-stained preparations at 0.5, 4, and 24 h after liposome injection. It was found that the ratio of small (less than 100 nm diameter) to large (greater than 100 nm) liposomes increased with time, indicating a much faster clearance of the larger liposomes. To detect the localization of liposomes in various tissues, appropriate samples were fixed 24 h after the injection of gold-containing liposomes (between 80 and 100 nm in diameter) composed of egg phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:monosialoganglioside GM1 (10:5:1) or egg phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:derivatized distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine. The tissues examined for this study included normal liver, bone marrow, and implanted neoplasms. Silver-enhanced colloidal gold was found predominantly within Kupffer cells in the normal liver and within macrophages in the bone marrow. Rarely were any silver-enhanced gold particles detected in hepatocytes. In all preparations, electron microscopy revealed the presence of gold in endosomes and lysosomes of fixed sinusoidal lining macrophages in the liver and bone marrow. Peripheral to the implanted tumors, silver enhancement revealed gold in small blood vessels and focally beyond the vessel boundaries in extracellular spaces around tumor cells. Gold particles were not observed within the tumor cell cytoplasm. At the tumor border, nonenhanced gold was occasionally seen by electron microscopy in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system. We obtained the same localization pattern as with silver enhancement by using an alternative aqueous content marker, rhodamine B isothiocyanate-dextran. We conclude that liposomes of specific composition, which have the ability to remain in circulation with a half-life of 12-24 h, are also able to transverse the endothelium of small blood vessels, including those in tumors, and extravasate into extracellular spaces.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

  8. Regulation of Lipid and Glucose Metabolism by Phosphatidylcholine Transfer Protein

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Hye Won; Wei, Jie; Cohen, David E.

    2010-01-01

    Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP, a.k.a. StARD2) binds phosphatidylcholines and catalyzes their intermembrane transfer and exchange in vitro. The structure of PC-TP comprises a hydrophobic pocket and a well-defined head-group binding site, and its gene expression is regulated by peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α. Recent studies have revealed key regulatory roles for PC-TP in lipid and glucose metabolism. Notably, Pctp−/− mice are sensitized to insulin action and exhibit more efficient brown fat-mediated thermogenesis. PC-TP appears to limit access of fatty acids to mitochondria by stimulating the activity of thioesterase superfamily member 2, a newly characterized long-chain fatty acyl-CoA thioesterase. Because PC-TP discriminates among phosphatidylcholines within lipid bilayers, it may function as a sensor that links metabolic regulation to membrane composition. PMID:20338778

  9. Ultra-low friction between boundary layers of hyaluronan-phosphatidylcholine complexes.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Linyi; Seror, Jasmine; Day, Anthony J; Kampf, Nir; Klein, Jacob

    2017-09-01

    The boundary layers coating articular cartilage in synovial joints constitute unique biomaterials, providing lubricity at levels unmatched by any human-made materials. The underlying molecular mechanism of this lubricity, essential to joint function, is not well understood. Here we study the interactions between surfaces bearing attached hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid, or HA) to which different phosphatidylcholine (PC) lipids had been added, in the form of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs or liposomes), using a surface force balance, to shed light on possible cartilage boundary lubrication by such complexes. Surface-attached HA was complexed with different PC lipids (hydrogenated soy PC (HSPC), 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-PC (DMPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-PC (POPC)), followed by rinsing. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) were used to image the HA-PC surface complexes following addition of the SUVs. HA-HSPC complexes provide very efficient lubrication, with friction coefficients as low as μ∼0.001 at physiological pressures P≈150atm, while HA-DMPC and HA-POPC complexes are efficient only at low P (up to 10-20atm). The friction reduction in all cases is attributed to hydration lubrication by highly-hydrated phosphocholine groups exposed by the PC-HA complexes. The greater robustness at high P of the HSPC (C 16(15%) ,C 18(85%) ) complexes relative to the DMPC ((C 14 ) 2 ) or POPC (C 16 , C 18:1 ) complexes is attributed to the stronger van der Waals attraction between the HSPC acyl tails, relative to the shorter or un-saturated tails of the other two lipids. Our results shed light on possible lubrication mechanisms at the articular cartilage surface in joints. Can designed biomaterials emulate the unique lubrication ability of articular cartilage, and thus provide potential alleviation to friction-related joint diseases? This is the motivation behind the present study. The principles of cartilage lubrication have attracted considerable attention for decades, and several models have been proposed to elucidate it, however, the mechanism of this ultralow friction is still not clear. In this paper we explore the recent suggestion that its efficient lubrication arises from boundary layers of hyaluronan-lipid complexes at its surface, in particular exploring a range of different phosphatidylcholines (PCs) mimicking the wide range of PCs in synovial joints. The present study suggests a synergistic lubricating behavior of the different lipids in living joints, and potential treatment directions using such biomaterial complexes for widespread cartilage-friction-related diseases such as osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Biological Activity of Japanese Quince Extract and Its Interactions with Lipids, Erythrocyte Membrane, and Human Albumin.

    PubMed

    Strugała, Paulina; Cyboran-Mikołajczyk, Sylwia; Dudra, Anna; Mizgier, Paulina; Kucharska, Alicja Z; Olejniczak, Teresa; Gabrielska, Janina

    2016-06-01

    The aim of the study was to determine in vitro biological activity of fruit ethanol extract from Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (Japanese quince, JQ) and its important constituents (-)-epicatechin (EC) and chlorogenic acid (CA). The study also investigated the structural changes in phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes, and erythrocyte membranes (RBC) induced by the extract. It was found that the extract effectively inhibits oxidation of RBC, induced by 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), and PC liposomes, induced by UVB radiation and AAPH. Furthermore, JQ extract to a significant degree inhibited the activity of the enzymes COX-1 and COX-2, involved in inflammatory reactions. The extract has more than 2 times greater activity in relation to COX-2 than COX-1 (selectivity ratio 0.48). JQ extract stimulated growth of the beneficial intestinal bacteria Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum. In the fluorimetric method by means of the probes Laurdan, DPH and TMA-DPH, and (1)H-NMR, we examined the structural changes induced by JQ and its EC and CA components. The results show that JQ and its components induce a considerable increase of the packing order of the polar heads of lipids with a slight decrease in mobility of the acyl chains. Lipid membrane rigidification could hinder the diffusion of free radicals, resulting in inhibition of oxidative damage induced by physicochemical agents. JQ extract has the ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of human serum albumin through static quenching. This report thus could be of huge significance in the food industry, pharmacology, and clinical medicine.

  11. Small-molecule inhibitors of phosphatidylcholine transfer protein/StarD2 identified by high-throughput screening.

    PubMed

    Wagle, Neil; Xian, Jun; Shishova, Ekaterina Y; Wei, Jie; Glicksman, Marcie A; Cuny, Gregory D; Stein, Ross L; Cohen, David E

    2008-12-01

    Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP, also referred to as StarD2) is a highly specific intracellular lipid-binding protein that catalyzes the transfer of phosphatidylcholines between membranes in vitro. Recent studies have suggested that PC-TP in vivo functions to regulate fatty acid and glucose metabolism, possibly via interactions with selected other proteins. To begin to address the relationship between activity in vitro and biological function, we undertook a high-throughput screen to identify small-molecule inhibitors of the phosphatidylcholine transfer activity of PC-TP. After adapting a fluorescence quench assay to measure phosphatidylcholine transfer activity, we screened 114,752 compounds of a small-molecule library. The high-throughput screen identified 14 potential PC-TP inhibitors. Of these, 6 compounds exhibited characteristics consistent with specific inhibition of PC-TP activity, with IC(50) values that ranged from 4.1 to 95.0muM under conditions of the in vitro assay. These compounds should serve as valuable reagents to elucidate the biological function of PC-TP. Because mice with homozygous disruption of the PC-TP gene (Pctp) are sensitized to insulin action and relatively resistant to the development of atherosclerosis, these inhibitors may also prove to be of value in the management of diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

  12. Quantitation of isobaric phosphatidylcholine species in human plasma using a hybrid quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) species in human plasma are used as biomarkers of disease. PC biomarkers are often limited by the inability to separate isobaric PC. In this work, we developed a targeted shotgun approach for analysis of isobaric and isomeric PC. This approach is comprised of two mass spectr...

  13. Acid sphingomyelinase activity is regulated by membrane lipids and facilitates cholesterol transfer by NPC2[S

    PubMed Central

    Oninla, Vincent O.; Breiden, Bernadette; Babalola, Jonathan O.; Sandhoff, Konrad

    2014-01-01

    During endocytosis, membrane components move to intraluminal vesicles of the endolysosomal compartment for digestion. At the late endosomes, cholesterol is sorted out mainly by two sterol-binding proteins, Niemann-Pick protein type C (NPC)1 and NPC2. To study the NPC2-mediated intervesicular cholesterol transfer, we developed a liposomal assay system. (Abdul-Hammed, M., B. Breiden, M. A. Adebayo, J. O. Babalola, G. Schwarzmann, and K. Sandhoff. 2010. Role of endosomal membrane lipids and NPC2 in cholesterol transfer and membrane fusion. J. Lipid Res. 51: 1747–1760.) Anionic lipids stimulate cholesterol transfer between liposomes while SM inhibits it, even in the presence of anionic bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP). Preincubation of vesicles containing SM with acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) (SM phosphodiesterase, EC 3.1.4.12) results in hydrolysis of SM to ceramide (Cer), which enhances cholesterol transfer. Besides SM, ASM also cleaves liposomal phosphatidylcholine. Anionic phospholipids derived from the plasma membrane (phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acid) stimulate SM and phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by ASM more effectively than BMP, which is generated during endocytosis. ASM-mediated hydrolysis of liposomal SM was also stimulated by incorporation of diacylglycerol (DAG), Cer, and free fatty acids into the liposomal membranes. Conversely, phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis was inhibited by incorporation of cholesterol, Cer, DAG, monoacylglycerol, and fatty acids. Our data suggest that SM degradation by ASM is required for physiological secretion of cholesterol from the late endosomal compartment, and is a key regulator of endolysosomal lipid digestion. PMID:25339683

  14. pH-Sensitive Liposomes: Acid-Induced Liposome Fusion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Connor, Jerome; Yatvin, Milton B.; Huang, Leaf

    1984-03-01

    Sonicated unilamellar liposomes containing phosphatidylethanolamine and palmitoylhomocysteine fuse rapidly when the medium pH is lowered from 7 to 5. Liposome fusion was demonstrated by (i) mixing of the liposomal lipids as shown by resonance energy transfer, (ii) gel filtration, and (iii) electron microscopy. The pH-sensitive fusion of liposomes was observed only when palmitoylhomocysteine (>= 20 mol%) was present in the liposomes. The presence of phosphatidyl-ethanolamine in the liposomes greatly enhanced fusion whereas the presence of phosphatidylcholine inhibited fusion. During fusion of liposomes containing phosphatidylethanolamine and palmitoylhomocysteine (8:2, mol/mol), almost all of the encapsulated calcein was released. Inclusion of cholesterol (40 mol%) in the liposomes substantially decreased leakage without impairing fusion.

  15. Amadori-glycated phosphatidylethanolamine enhances the physical stability and selective targeting ability of liposomes

    PubMed Central

    Miyazawa, Taiki; Kamiyoshihara, Reina; Shimizu, Naoki; Harigae, Takahiro; Otoki, Yurika; Ito, Junya; Kato, Shunji; Miyazawa, Teruo

    2018-01-01

    Liposomes consisting of 100% phosphatidylcholine exhibit poor membrane fusion, cellular uptake and selective targeting capacities. To overcome these limitations, we used Amadori-glycated phosphatidylethanolamine, which is universally present in animals and commonly consumed in foods. We found that liposomes containing Amadori-glycated phosphatidylethanolamine exhibited significantly reduced negative membrane potential and demonstrated high cellular uptake. PMID:29515844

  16. Simultaneous optical measurement of osmotic and diffusional water permeability in cells and liposomes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ye, R.G.; Verkman, A.S.

    1989-01-24

    A quantitative description of transmembrane water transport requires specification of osmotic (Pf) and diffusional (Pd) water permeability coefficients. Methodology has been developed to measure Pf and Pd simultaneously on the basis of the sensitivity and rapid response of the fluorophore aminonaphthalenetrisulfonic acid (ANTS) to solution H2O/D2O content. Cells loaded with ANTS in an H2O buffer were subjected to an inward osmotic gradient with a D2O buffer in a stopped-flow apparatus. The time courses of cell volume (giving Pf) and H2O/D2O content (giving Pd) were recorded with dual photomultiplier detection of scattered light intensity and ANTS fluorescence, respectively. The method wasmore » validated by using sealed red cell ghosts and artificial liposomes reconstituted with the pore-forming agent gramicidin D. At 25 degrees C, red cell ghost Pf was 0.021 cm/s with Pd 0.005 cm/s (H2O/D2O exchange time 7.9 ms). Pf and Pd were inhibited by 90% and 45% upon addition of 0.5 mM HgCl2. The activation energy for Pd increased from 5.1 kcal/mol to 10 kcal/mol with addition of HgCl2 (18-35 degrees C). In 90% phosphatidylcholine (PC)/10% cholesterol liposomes prepared by bath sonication and exclusion chromatography, Pf and Pd were 5.1 X 10(-4) and 6.3 X 10(-4) cm/s, respectively (23 degrees C). Addition of gramicidin D (0.1 micrograms/mg of PC) resulted in a further increment in Pf and Pd of 7 X 10(-4) and 3 X 10(-4) cm/s, respectively. These results validate the new methodology and demonstrate its utility for rapid determination of Pf/Pd in biological membranes and in liposomes reconstituted with water channels.« less

  17. Increased storage and secretion of phosphatidylcholines by senescent human peritoneal mesothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Bartosova, Maria; Rudolf, Andras; Pichl, Sebastian; Schmidt, Kathrin; Okun, Jürgen G; Straub, Beate K; Rutkowski, Rafael; Witowski, Janusz; Schmitt, Claus P

    2016-08-01

    Human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) secrete phosphatidylcholines (PC) which form a lipid bilayer lining the peritoneum. They prevent frictions and adhesions and act as a barrier to the transport of water-soluble solutes while permitting water flux. PC may play an essential role in peritoneal integrity and function, the role of PD induced HPMC senescence on PC homeostasis, however, is unknown. HPMC cell lines were isolated from four non-uremic patients. Expression of the three PC synthesis genes (rt-PCR), and cellular storage and secretion of PC (ESI-mass-spectrometry) were analyzed in young and senescent HPMC (>Hayflick-limit). Senescent cells displayed significantly altered morphology; flow cytometry demonstrated extensive staining for senescence-associated beta galactosidase. Nine different PC were detected in HPMC with palmitoyl-myristoyl phosphatidylcholine (PMPC) being most abundant. In senescent HPMC mRNA expression of the three key PC synthesis genes was 1.5-, 2.4- and 6-fold increased as compared to young HPMC, with the latter, phosphatidylcholine cytidylyltransferase, being rate limiting. Intracellular storage of the nine PC was 75-450 % higher in senescent vs. young HPMC, PC secretion rates were 100-300 % higher. Intracellular PC concentrations were not correlated with the PC secretion rates. Electron microscopy demonstrated lamellar bodies, the primary storage site of PC, in senescent but not in young cells. Senescent HPMC store and secrete substantially more PC than young cells. Our findings indicate a novel protective mechanism, which should counteract peritoneal damage induced by chronic exposure to PD fluids.

  18. Tat peptide and hexadecylphosphocholine introduction into pegylated liposomal doxorubicin: An in vitro and in vivo study on drug cellular delivery, release, biodistribution and antitumor activity.

    PubMed

    Teymouri, Manouchehr; Badiee, Ali; Golmohammadzadeh, Shiva; Sadri, Kayvan; Akhtari, Javad; Mellat, Mostafa; Nikpoor, Amin Reza; Jaafari, Mahmoud Reza

    2016-09-10

    We have investigated the co-addition of hexadecylphosphocholine (HePC) and a Tat derived peptide (Tat), coupled to Maleimide-PEG2000-DSPE pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in many respects, including drug and liposome cellular delivery, drug release, biodistribution, in vivo cell delivery and antitumor activity. The liposomes were HePC-free and -containing liposomes, from which liposomes with 25, 50, 100 and 200 numbers of Tat/liposome were prepared. Similarly, DiI-C18 (3)-model liposomes (DiI-L and DiI-HePC-L) were prepared. HePC and Tat increased cellular delivery of Dox and cytotoxicity in B16F0 melanoma and C26 colon carcinoma cells. Tat enhanced liposome-cell interaction and caused Dox burst release. HePC and Tat reduced the serum retention time of liposomal Dox, slightly and dramatically, respectively. In comparison, Tat-liposomes enhanced Dox delivery to liver and spleen cells 3h post-injection. Likewise, Dox content of these tissues and tumor was lower at 24h. The naïve liposomes retarded tumor growth more effectively and their related median survival time of the treated C26 bearing BALB/c mice was longer than those of Tat-liposomes (MST>45days versus MST<38days). Overall liposomes exhibiting sustained drug release and negligible cell interaction were more suitable delivery systems in targeting cancerous tumors and suppressing their growth. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor properties are modulated by surrounding lipids: an in vivo study.

    PubMed

    Morales, Andrés; de Juan, Emilio; Fernández-Carvajal, Asia M; Martinez-Pinna, José; Poveda, Juan Antonio; Encinar, José A; Ivorra, Isabel; González-Ros, José Manuel

    2006-01-01

    In vitro studies carried out on liposomes of defined composition showed that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are fully functional when they are reconstituted in a heterogeneous lipid matrix, such as that provided by crude soybean (asolectin [R-Aso]) lipids. However, when they are reconstituted in plain phosphatidylcholine (R-PC) lipids, their functional activity is completely lost (Fong and McNamee, 1986). This kind of study also pointed out that phosphatidic acid (PA) and cholesterol (Chol) play an important role in preserving the ability of this protein to exhibit an optimal channel activity (Fong and McNamee, 1986). Furthermore, it has been shown recently that nAChR, itself, induces the formation of specific PA-rich lipid domains (Poveda et al., 2002). Because Xenopus oocytes incorporate functionally into their plasma membrane nAChRs after intracellular injection of liposomes bearing this protein (Morales et al., 1995), the aim of this work was to determine the effect of the reconstitution lipid matrix on the functional properties of the transplanted nAChRs.

  20. Liposomes with polyribonucleotides as model of precellular systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baeza, Isabel; Ibanez, Miguel; Santiago, Carlos; Lazcano, Antonio; Arguello, Carlos

    1987-01-01

    Three types of liposomes were prepared under anoxic conditions: from dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC), from egg yolk phosphatidyl choline (PC), and from PC with cholesterol (PC:Chol). These were used for encapsulation of poly(U) and poly(C). It was found that 36 to 70 percent of the available liposome lipids and 2 to 5 percent of the polyribonucleotides could be entrapped. An enhanced encapsulation of poly(U) and poly(C) by all three types of liposomes was observed in the presence of 0.001 to 0.01 M Zn(2+), with the effect being greatest with DPPC. The presence of 1.0 M urea inhibited the formation of PC liposomes.

  1. Acid sphingomyelinase activity is regulated by membrane lipids and facilitates cholesterol transfer by NPC2.

    PubMed

    Oninla, Vincent O; Breiden, Bernadette; Babalola, Jonathan O; Sandhoff, Konrad

    2014-12-01

    During endocytosis, membrane components move to intraluminal vesicles of the endolysosomal compartment for digestion. At the late endosomes, cholesterol is sorted out mainly by two sterol-binding proteins, Niemann-Pick protein type C (NPC)1 and NPC2. To study the NPC2-mediated intervesicular cholesterol transfer, we developed a liposomal assay system. (Abdul-Hammed, M., B. Breiden, M. A. Adebayo, J. O. Babalola, G. Schwarzmann, and K. Sandhoff. 2010. Role of endosomal membrane lipids and NPC2 in cholesterol transfer and membrane fusion. J. Lipid Res. 51: 1747-1760.) Anionic lipids stimulate cholesterol transfer between liposomes while SM inhibits it, even in the presence of anionic bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP). Preincubation of vesicles containing SM with acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) (SM phosphodiesterase, EC 3.1.4.12) results in hydrolysis of SM to ceramide (Cer), which enhances cholesterol transfer. Besides SM, ASM also cleaves liposomal phosphatidylcholine. Anionic phospholipids derived from the plasma membrane (phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acid) stimulate SM and phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by ASM more effectively than BMP, which is generated during endocytosis. ASM-mediated hydrolysis of liposomal SM was also stimulated by incorporation of diacylglycerol (DAG), Cer, and free fatty acids into the liposomal membranes. Conversely, phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis was inhibited by incorporation of cholesterol, Cer, DAG, monoacylglycerol, and fatty acids. Our data suggest that SM degradation by ASM is required for physiological secretion of cholesterol from the late endosomal compartment, and is a key regulator of endolysosomal lipid digestion. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  2. Acyl-chain remodeling of dioctanoyl-phosphatidylcholine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant defective in de novo and salvage phosphatidylcholine synthesis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kishino, Hideyuki; Eguchi, Hiroki; Takagi, Keiko

    2014-03-07

    Highlights: • Dioctanoyl-PC (diC8PC) supported growth of a yeast mutant defective in PC synthesis. • diC8PC was converted to PC species containing longer acyl residues in the mutant. • Both acyl residues of diC8PC were replaced by longer fatty acids in vitro. • This system will contribute to the elucidation of the acyl chain remodeling of PC. - Abstract: A yeast strain, in which endogenous phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis is controllable, was constructed by the replacement of the promoter of PCT1, encoding CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase, with GAL1 promoter in a double deletion mutant of PEM1 and PEM2, encoding phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase and phospholipidmore » methyltransferase, respectively. This mutant did not grow in the glucose-containing medium, but the addition of dioctanoyl-phosphatidylcholine (diC8PC) supported its growth. Analyses of the metabolism of {sup 13}C-labeled diC8PC ((methyl-{sup 13}C){sub 3}-diC8PC) in this strain using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry revealed that it was converted to PC species containing acyl residues of 16 or 18 carbons at both sn-1 and sn-2 positions. In addition, both acyl residues of (methyl-{sup 13}C){sub 3}-diC8PC were replaced with 16:1 acyl chains in the in vitro reaction using the yeast cell extract in the presence of palmitoleoyl-CoA. These results indicate that PC containing short acyl residues was remodeled to those with acyl chains of physiological length in yeast.« less

  3. Legionella dumoffii Utilizes Exogenous Choline for Phosphatidylcholine Synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Palusinska-Szysz, Marta; Szuster-Ciesielska, Agnieszka; Kania, Magdalena; Janczarek, Monika; Chmiel, Elżbieta; Danikiewicz, Witold

    2014-01-01

    Phosphatidycholine (PC) is the major membrane-forming phospholipid in eukaryotes but it has been found in only a limited number of prokaryotes. Bacteria synthesize PC via the phospholipid N-methylation pathway (Pmt) or via the phosphatidylcholine synthase pathway (Pcs) or both. Here, we demonstrated that Legionella dumoffii has the ability to utilize exogenous choline for phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis when bacteria grow in the presence of choline. The Pcs seems to be a primary pathway for synthesis of this phospholipid in L. dumoffii. Structurally different PC species were distributed in the outer and inner membranes. As shown by the LC/ESI-MS analyses, PC15:0/15:0, PC16:0/15:0, and PC17:0/17:1 were identified in the outer membrane and PC14:0/16:0, PC16:0/17:1, and PC20:0/15:0 in the inner membrane. L. dumoffii pcsA gene encoding phosphatidylcholine synthase revealed the highest sequence identity to pcsA of L. bozemanae (82%) and L. longbeachae (81%) and lower identity to pcsA of L. drancourtii (78%) and L. pneumophila (71%). The level of TNF-α in THP1-differentiated cells induced by live and temperature-killed L. dumoffii cultured on a medium supplemented with choline was assessed. Live L. dumoffii bacteria cultured on the choline-supplemented medium induced TNF-α three-fold less efficiently than cells grown on the non-supplemented medium. There is an evident effect of PC modification, which impairs the macrophage inflammatory response. PMID:24821544

  4. Integration of targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics identifies deregulation of phosphatidylcholine metabolism in Huntington's disease peripheral blood samples.

    PubMed

    Mastrokolias, Anastasios; Pool, Rene; Mina, Eleni; Hettne, Kristina M; van Duijn, Erik; van der Mast, Roos C; van Ommen, GertJan; 't Hoen, Peter A C; Prehn, Cornelia; Adamski, Jerzy; van Roon-Mom, Willeke

    Metabolic changes have been frequently associated with Huntington's disease (HD). At the same time peripheral blood represents a minimally invasive sampling avenue with little distress to Huntington's disease patients especially when brain or other tissue samples are difficult to collect. We investigated the levels of 163 metabolites in HD patient and control serum samples in order to identify disease related changes. Additionally, we integrated the metabolomics data with our previously published next generation sequencing-based gene expression data from the same patients in order to interconnect the metabolomics changes with transcriptional alterations. This analysis was performed using targeted metabolomics and flow injection electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in 133 serum samples from 97 Huntington's disease patients (29 pre-symptomatic and 68 symptomatic) and 36 controls. By comparing HD mutation carriers with controls we identified 3 metabolites significantly changed in HD (serine and threonine and one phosphatidylcholine-PC ae C36:0) and an additional 8 phosphatidylcholines (PC aa C38:6, PC aa C36:0, PC ae C38:0, PC aa C38:0, PC ae C38:6, PC ae C42:0, PC aa C36:5 and PC ae C36:0) that exhibited a significant association with disease severity. Using workflow based exploitation of pathway databases and by integrating our metabolomics data with our gene expression data from the same patients we identified 4 deregulated phosphatidylcholine metabolism related genes ( ALDH1B1 , MBOAT1 , MTRR and PLB1 ) that showed significant association with the changes in metabolite concentrations. Our results support the notion that phosphatidylcholine metabolism is deregulated in HD blood and that these metabolite alterations are associated with specific gene expression changes.

  5. PARTITIONING OF PERFLUOROOCTANOATE INTO PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE BILAYERS IS CHAIN LENGTH-INDEPENDENT

    PubMed Central

    Xie, Wei; Bothun, Geoffrey D.; Lehmler, Hans-Joachim

    2010-01-01

    The chain length dependence of the interaction of PFOA, a persistent environmental contaminant, with dimyristoyl- (DMPC), dipalmitoyl- (DPPC) and distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) was investigated using steady-state fluorescence anisotropy spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). PFOA caused a linear depression of the main phase transition temperature Tm while increasing the width of the phase transition of all three phosphatidylcholines. Although PFOA’s effect on the on Tm and the transition width decreased in the order DMPC > DPPC > DSPC, its relative effect on the phase behavior was largely independent of the phosphatidylcholine. PFOA caused swelling of DMPC but not DPPC and DSPC liposomes at 37°C in the DLS experiments, which suggests that PFOA partitions more readily into bilayers in the fluid phase. These findings suggest that PFOA’s effect on the phase behavior of phosphatidylcholines depends on the cooperativity and state (i.e., gel versus liquid phase) of the membrane. DLS experiments are also consistent with partial liposome solubilization at PFOA/lipid molar ratios > 1, which suggests the formation of mixed PFOA-lipid micelles. PMID:20096277

  6. Investigation of Hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine) usage in Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin as a synergistic ingredient: In vitro and in vivo evaluation in mice bearing C26 colon carcinoma and B16F0 melanoma.

    PubMed

    Teymouri, Manouchehr; Farzaneh, Hamidreza; Badiee, Ali; Golmohammadzadeh, Shiva; Sadri, Kayvan; Jaafari, Mahmoud Reza

    2015-12-01

    In this investigation, Hexadecylphosphocholine (HePC, miltefosine) was being used as a new ingredient in Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) and different aspects of this integration such as its effect on doxorubicin (Dox) release and cell uptake, cytotoxicity of liposomes, in vivo distribution and half-life clearance time of Dox as well as median survival time were illustrated. The liposomal formulations were Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin containing 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4% mole ratios of HePC (HePC-PLD) and their respective Dox-free liposomes (HePC-PLs). The cells used were colon carcinoma (C26), adriamycin-resistant breast cancer (MCF-7-ADR), and B16F0 melanoma cell lines, of which C26 and B16F0 cells were exploited for tumoring in BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice, respectively. In most cases, increase in miltefosine percentage resulted in physically liposomal instability, increased Dox delivery and toxicity and reduced blood half-life of Dox. Overall, HePC 4% -PLD and PLD differed significantly in many respects and it was considered too toxic to be injected at the same dose (15mg Dox/ kg) as PLD. Although HePC 2% -PLD could extend the median survival time marginally in comparison to PLD, the concept of HePC- containing liposomes merits further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Interactions of tamoxifen with distearoyl phosphatidylcholine multilamellar vesicles: FTIR and DSC studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilge, Duygu; Sahin, Ipek; Kazanci, Nadide; Severcan, Feride

    2014-09-01

    Interactions of a non-steroidal antiestrogen drug, tamoxifen (TAM), with distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) multilamellar liposomes (MLVs) were investigated as a function of drug concentration (1-15 mol%) by using two noninvasive techniques, namely Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). FTIR spectroscopy results show that increasing TAM concentrations (except 1 mol%) increased the wavenumbers of the CH2 stretching modes, implying an disordering effect for DSPC MLVs both in the gel and liquid crystalline phases. The bandwidth values of the CH2 stretchings except for 1 mol% increased when TAM concentrations increased for DSPC liposomes, indicating an increase in the dynamics of liposomes. The Cdbnd O stretching and PO2- antisymmetric double bond stretching bands were analyzed to study interactions of TAM with head groups of lipids. As the concentrations of TAM increased, dehydration occurred around these functional groups in the polar part of the lipids. The DSC studies on thermal properties of DSPC lipids indicate that TAM eliminated the pre transition, shifted the main phase transition to lower temperatures and broadened the phase transition curve of the liposomes.

  8. Behavior of 2,6-bis(decyloxy)naphthalene inside lipid bilayer.

    PubMed

    Kepczynski, Mariusz; Kumorek, Marta; Stepniewski, Michał; Róg, Tomasz; Kozik, Bartłomiej; Jamróz, Dorota; Bednar, Jan; Nowakowska, Maria

    2010-12-02

    Interactions between small organic molecules and lipid or cell membranes are important because of their role in the distribution of biologically active substances inside the membrane and their permeation through the cell membranes. In the current paper, we have explored the effect of the attachment of long hydrocarbon tails on the behavior of small organic molecule inside the lipid membrane. Naphthalene with two decyloxy groups attached at the opposite sites of the ring (2,6-bis(decyloxy)naphthalene, 3) was synthesized and incorporated into phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles. Fluorescence methods as well as molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were used to estimate the position, orientation, and migration of compound 3 in PC bilayer. It was found that the naphthalene ring of compound 3 resides in the upper acyl chain region of the bilayer and the hydrocarbon tails are directed to the center of the bilayer. As was shown with cryotransmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), such lipidlike conformation enables compound 3 to be incorporated into liposomes at a very high content without their disintegration. Moreover, compound 3 can migrate from one leaflet to other. The mechanism of this process is, however, different from that characteristic of the flip-flop event of lipid molecules in the membrane. Finally, the possible application of compound 3 as a rotational molecular probe for monitoring fluidity of liposomal membrane in the acyl side chain region was checked by studies of the effect of cholesterol on the fluorescence anisotropy of 3.

  9. Brucella abortus Synthesizes Phosphatidylcholine from Choline Provided by the Host

    PubMed Central

    Comerci, Diego J.; Altabe, Silvia; de Mendoza, Diego; Ugalde, Rodolfo A.

    2006-01-01

    The Brucella cell envelope is characterized by the presence of phosphatidylcholine (PC), a common phospholipid in eukaryotes that is rare in prokaryotes. Studies on the composition of Brucella abortus 2308 phospholipids revealed that the synthesis of PC depends on the presence of choline in the culture medium, suggesting that the methylation biosynthetic pathway is not functional. Phospholipid composition of pmtA and pcs mutants indicated that in Brucella, PC synthesis occurs exclusively via the phosphatidylcholine synthase pathway. Transformation of Escherichia coli with an expression vector containing the B. abortus pcs homologue was sufficient for PC synthesis upon induction with IPTG (isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside), while no PC formation was detected when bacteria were transformed with a vector containing pmtA. These findings imply that Brucella depends on choline provided by the host cell to form PC. We could not detect any obvious associated phenotype in the PC-deficient strain under vegetative or intracellular growth conditions in macrophages. However, the pcs mutant strain displays a reproducible virulence defect in mice, which suggests that PC is necessary to sustain a chronic infection process. PMID:16484204

  10. Blood metabolite markers of cognitive performance and brain function in aging.

    PubMed

    Simpson, Brittany N; Kim, Min; Chuang, Yi-Fang; Beason-Held, Lori; Kitner-Triolo, Melissa; Kraut, Michael; Lirette, Seth T; Windham, B Gwen; Griswold, Michael E; Legido-Quigley, Cristina; Thambisetty, Madhav

    2016-07-01

    We recently showed that Alzheimer's disease patients have lower plasma concentrations of the phosphatidylcholines (PC16:0/20:5; PC16:0/22:6; and PC18:0/22:6) relative to healthy controls. We now extend these findings by examining associations between plasma concentrations of these PCs with cognition and brain function (measured by regional resting state cerebral blood flow; rCBF) in non-demented older individuals. Within the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging neuroimaging substudy, participants underwent cognitive assessments and brain (15)O-water positron emission tomography. Plasma phosphatidylcholines concentrations (PC16:0/20:5, PC16:0/22:6, and PC18:0/22:6), cognition (California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Trail Making Test A&B, the Mini-Mental State Examination, Benton Visual Retention, Card Rotation, and Fluencies-Category and Letter), and rCBF were assessed. Lower plasma phosphatidylcholine concentrations were associated with lower baseline memory performance (CVLT long delay recall task-PC16:0/20:5: -2.17-1.39-0.60 p = 0.001 (β with 95% confidence interval subscripts)) and lower rCBF in several brain regions including those associated with memory performance and higher order cognitive processes. Our findings suggest that lower plasma concentrations of PC16:0/20:5, PC16:0/22:6, and PC18:0/22:6 are associated with poorer memory performance as well as widespread decreases in brain function during aging. Dysregulation of peripheral phosphatidylcholine metabolism may therefore be a common feature of both Alzheimer's disease and age-associated differences in cognition. © The Author(s) 2015.

  11. Astaxanthin Restrains Nitrative-Oxidative Peroxidation in Mitochondrial-Mimetic Liposomes: A Pre-Apoptosis Model

    PubMed Central

    Mano, Camila M.; Cardozo, Karina H. M.; Colepicolo, Pio; Bechara, Etelvino J. H.

    2018-01-01

    Astaxanthin (ASTA) is a ketocarotenoid found in many marine organisms and that affords many benefits to human health. ASTA is particularly effective against radical-mediated lipid peroxidation, and recent findings hypothesize a “mitochondrial-targeted” action of ASTA in cells. Therefore, we examined the protective effects of ASTA against lipid peroxidation in zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine liposomes (PCLs) and anionic phosphatidylcholine: phosphatidylglycerol liposomes (PCPGLs), at different pHs (6.2 to 8.0), which were challenged by oxidizing/nitrating conditions that mimic the regular and preapoptotic redox environment of active mitochondria. Pre-apoptotic conditions were created by oxidized/nitr(osyl)ated cytochrome c and resulted in the highest levels of lipoperoxidation in both PCL and PCPGLs (pH 7.4). ASTA was less protective at acidic conditions, especially in anionic PCPGLs. Our data demonstrated the ability of ASTA to hamper oxidative and nitrative events that lead to cytochrome c-peroxidase apoptosis and lipid peroxidation, although its efficiency changes with pH and lipid composition of membranes. PMID:29649159

  12. Astaxanthin Restrains Nitrative-Oxidative Peroxidation in Mitochondrial-Mimetic Liposomes: A Pre-Apoptosis Model.

    PubMed

    Mano, Camila M; Guaratini, Thais; Cardozo, Karina H M; Colepicolo, Pio; Bechara, Etelvino J H; Barros, Marcelo P

    2018-04-12

    Astaxanthin (ASTA) is a ketocarotenoid found in many marine organisms and that affords many benefits to human health. ASTA is particularly effective against radical-mediated lipid peroxidation, and recent findings hypothesize a "mitochondrial-targeted" action of ASTA in cells. Therefore, we examined the protective effects of ASTA against lipid peroxidation in zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine liposomes (PCLs) and anionic phosphatidylcholine: phosphatidylglycerol liposomes (PCPGLs), at different pHs (6.2 to 8.0), which were challenged by oxidizing/nitrating conditions that mimic the regular and preapoptotic redox environment of active mitochondria. Pre-apoptotic conditions were created by oxidized/nitr(osyl)ated cytochrome c and resulted in the highest levels of lipoperoxidation in both PCL and PCPGLs (pH 7.4). ASTA was less protective at acidic conditions, especially in anionic PCPGLs. Our data demonstrated the ability of ASTA to hamper oxidative and nitrative events that lead to cytochrome c-peroxidase apoptosis and lipid peroxidation, although its efficiency changes with pH and lipid composition of membranes.

  13. Physical and chemical properties of pyropheophorbide-a methyl ester in ethanol, phosphate buffer and aqueous dispersion of small unilamellar dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine vesicles.

    PubMed

    Delanaye, Lisiane; Bahri, Mohamed Ali; Tfibel, Francis; Fontaine-Aupart, Marie-Pierre; Mouithys-Mickalad, Ange; Heine, Bélinda; Piette, Jacques; Hoebeke, Maryse

    2006-03-01

    The aggregation process of pyropheophorbide-a methyl ester (PPME), a second-generation photosensitizer, was investigated in various solvents. Absorption and fluorescence spectra showed that the photosensitizer was under a monomeric form in ethanol as well as in dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine liposomes while it was strongly aggregated in phosphate buffer. A quantitative determination of reactive oxygen species production by PPME in these solvents has been undertaken by electron spin resonance associated with spin trapping technique and absorption spectroscopy. In phosphate buffer, both electron spin resonance and absorption measurements led to the conclusion that singlet oxygen production was not detectable while hydroxyl radical production was very weak. In liposomes and ethanol, singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radical production increased highly; the singlet oxygen quantum yield was determined to be 0.2 in ethanol and 0.13 in liposomes. The hydroxyl radical production origin was also investigated. Singlet oxygen was formed from PPME triplet state deactivation in the presence of oxygen. Indeed, the triplet state formation quantum yield of PPME was found to be about 0.23 in ethanol, 0.15 in liposomes (too small to be measured in PBS).

  14. Atmospheric-pressure guided streamers for liposomal membrane disruption

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Svarnas, P.; Aleiferis, Sp.; Matrali, S. H.

    2012-12-24

    The potential to use liposomes (LIPs) as a cellular model in order to study interactions of cold atmospheric-pressure plasma with cells is herein investigated. Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma is formed by a dielectric-barrier discharge reactor. Large multilamellar vesicle liposomes, consisted of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol, are prepared by the thin film hydration technique, to encapsulate a small hydrophilic dye, i.e., calcein. The plasma-induced release of calcein from liposomes is then used as a measure of liposome membrane integrity and, consequently, interaction between the cold atmospheric plasma and lipid bilayers. Physical mechanisms leading to membrane disruption are suggested, based on the plasma characterizationmore » including gas temperature calculation.« less

  15. Immunological response to nitroglycerin-loaded shear-responsive liposomes in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Buscema, Marzia; Matviykiv, Sofiya; Mészáros, Tamás; Gerganova, Gabriela; Weinberger, Andreas; Mettal, Ute; Mueller, Dennis; Neuhaus, Frederik; Stalder, Etienne; Ishikawa, Takashi; Urbanics, Rudolf; Saxer, Till; Pfohl, Thomas; Szebeni, János; Zumbuehl, Andreas; Müller, Bert

    2017-10-28

    Liposomes formulated from the 1,3-diamidophospholipid Pad-PC-Pad are shear-responsive and thus promising nano-containers to specifically release a vasodilator at stenotic arteries. The recommended preclinical safety tests for therapeutic liposomes of nanometer size include the in vitro assessment of complement activation and the evaluation of the associated risk of complement activation-related pseudo-allergy (CARPA) in vivo. For this reason, we measured complement activation by Pad-PC-Pad formulations in human and porcine sera, along with the nanopharmaceutical-mediated cardiopulmonary responses in pigs. The evaluated formulations comprised of Pad-PC-Pad liposomes, with and without polyethylene glycol on the surface of the liposomes, and nitroglycerin as a model vasodilator. The nitroglycerin incorporation efficiency ranged from 25% to 50%. In human sera, liposome formulations with 20mg/mL phospholipid gave rise to complement activation, mainly via the alternative pathway, as reflected by the rises in SC5b-9 and Bb protein complex concentrations. Formulations having a factor of ten lower phospholipid content did not result in measurable complement activation. The weak complement activation induced by Pad-PC-Pad liposomal formulations was confirmed by the results obtained by performing an in vivo study in a porcine model, where hemodynamic parameters were monitored continuously. Our study suggests that, compared to FDA-approved liposomal drugs, Pad-PC-Pad exhibits less or similar risks of CARPA. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Isoniazid interaction with phosphatidylcholine-based membranes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marques, Amanda Vicente; Marengo Trindade, Paulo; Marques, Sheylla; Brum, Tainá; Harte, Etienne; Rodrigues, Marieli Oliveira; D'Oca, Marcelo Gonçalves Montes; da Silva, Pedro Almeida; Pohlmann, Adriana R.; Alves, Isabel Dantas; de Lima, Vânia Rodrigues

    2013-11-01

    Interaction between the anti-tuberculosis drug isoniazid (INH) and phosphatidylcholine membranes was investigated in terms of: (i) drug affinity to a lipid bilayer and (ii) drug-induced changes in the dynamic properties of liposomes, such as membrane hydration state, polar head and non-polar acyl chain order and lipid phase transition behavior. These parameters were studied by plasmon waveguide resonance spectroscopy (PWR), UV-visible, horizontal attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (HATR-FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. PWR measurements showed an INH membrane dissociation constant value of 0.031 μM to phosphatidylcholine bilayers. INH induced higher membrane perturbation in the plane which is perpendicular to the membrane plane. The INH saturation concentration in phosphatidylcholine liposomes was 170 μM. At this concentration, HATR-FTIR and NMR findings showed that INH may interact with the lipid polar head, increasing the number of hydrogen bonds in the phosphate region and enhancing the choline motional freedom. DSC measurements showed that, at 115 μM, INH was responsible for a decrease in lipid phase transition temperature of approximately 2 °C and had no influence in the lipid enthalpy variation (ΔH). However, at 170 μM, INH induced the reduction of the ΔH by approximately 52%, suggesting that the drug may increase the distance among lipid molecules and enhance the freedom of the lipid acyl chains methylene groups. This paper provides information on the effects of INH on membrane dynamics which is important to understand liposome targeting of the drug and for the development of anti-TB pharmacologic systems that not only are less susceptible to resistance but also have low toxicity.

  17. Soy Protein Isolate-Phosphatidylcholine Nanoemulsions Prepared Using High-Pressure Homogenization

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yang; Liu, Jun; Zhu, Ying; Zhang, Xiao-Yuan; Jiang, Lian-Zhou; Qi, Bao-Kun; Zhang, Xiao-Nan; Wang, Zhong-Jiang; Teng, Fei

    2018-01-01

    The nanoemulsions of soy protein isolate-phosphatidylcholine (SPI-PC) with different emulsion conditions were studied. Homogenization pressure and homogenization cycle times were varied, along with SPI and PC concentration. Evaluations included turbidity, particle size, ζ-potential, particle distribution index, and turbiscan stability index (TSI). The nanoemulsions had the best stability when SPI was at 1.5%, PC was at 0.22%, the homogenization pressure was 100 MPa and homogenization was performed 4 times. The average particle size of the SPI-PC nanoemulsions was 217 nm, the TSI was 3.02 and the emulsification yield was 93.4% of nanoemulsions. PMID:29735918

  18. Soy Protein Isolate-Phosphatidylcholine Nanoemulsions Prepared Using High-Pressure Homogenization.

    PubMed

    Li, Yang; Wu, Chang-Ling; Liu, Jun; Zhu, Ying; Zhang, Xiao-Yuan; Jiang, Lian-Zhou; Qi, Bao-Kun; Zhang, Xiao-Nan; Wang, Zhong-Jiang; Teng, Fei

    2018-05-07

    The nanoemulsions of soy protein isolate-phosphatidylcholine (SPI-PC) with different emulsion conditions were studied. Homogenization pressure and homogenization cycle times were varied, along with SPI and PC concentration. Evaluations included turbidity, particle size, ζ-potential, particle distribution index, and turbiscan stability index (TSI). The nanoemulsions had the best stability when SPI was at 1.5%, PC was at 0.22%, the homogenization pressure was 100 MPa and homogenization was performed 4 times. The average particle size of the SPI-PC nanoemulsions was 217 nm, the TSI was 3.02 and the emulsification yield was 93.4% of nanoemulsions.

  19. Changes Caused by Fruit Extracts in the Lipid Phase of Biological and Model Membranes

    PubMed Central

    Pruchnik, Hanna; Oszmiański, Jan; Sarapuk, Janusz; Kleszczyńska, Halina

    2010-01-01

    The aim of the study was to determine changes incurred by polyphenolic compounds from selected fruits in the lipid phase of the erythrocyte membrane, in liposomes formed of erythrocyte lipids and phosphatidylcholine liposomes. In particular, the effect of extracts from apple, chokeberry, and strawberry on the red blood cell morphology, on packing order in the lipid hydrophilic phase, on fluidity of the hydrophobic phase, as well as on the temperature of phase transition in DPPC liposomes was studied. In the erythrocyte population, the proportions of echinocytes increased due to incorporation of polyphenolic compounds. Fluorimetry with a laurdan probe indicated increased packing density in the hydrophilic phase of the membrane in presence of polyphenolic extracts, the highest effect being observed for the apple extract. Using the fluorescence probes DPH and TMA-DPH, no effect was noted inside the hydrophobic phase of the membrane, as the lipid bilayer fluidity was not modified. The polyphenolic extracts slightly lowered the phase transition temperature of phosphatidylcholine liposomes. The studies have shown that the phenolic compounds contained in the extracts incorporate into the outer region of the erythrocyte membrane, affecting its shape and lipid packing order, which is reflected in the increasing number of echinocytes. The compounds also penetrate the outer part of the external lipid layer of liposomes formed of natural and DPPC lipids, changing its packing order. PMID:21423329

  20. Synthesis of a Novel Biodegradable Polyurethane with Phosphatidylcholines

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Jun; Chen, Niancao; Chen, Yuanwei; Luo, Xianglin

    2010-01-01

    A novel polyurethane was successfully synthesized by chain-extension of biodegradable poly (l-lactide) functionalized phosphatidylcholine (PC) with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as chain extender (PUR-PC). The molecular weights, glass transition temperature (Tg) increased significantly after the chain-extension. The hydrophilicity of PUR-PC was better than the one without PC, according to a water absorption test. Moreover, the number of adhesive platelets and anamorphic platelets on PUR-PC film were both less than those on PUR film. These preliminary results suggest that this novel polyurethane might be a better scaffold than traditional biodegradable polyurethanes for tissue engineering due to its better blood compatibility. Besides, this study also provides a new method to prepare PC-modified biodegradable polyurethanes. PMID:20480047

  1. Phosphatidylcholine synthesis is required for optimal function of Legionella pneumophila virulence determinants.

    PubMed

    Conover, Gloria M; Martinez-Morales, Fernando; Heidtman, Matthew I; Luo, Zhao-Qing; Tang, May; Chen, Cui; Geiger, Otto; Isberg, Ralph R

    2008-02-01

    The function of phosphatidylcholine (PC) in the bacterial cell envelope remains cryptic. We show here that productive interaction of the respiratory pathogen Legionella pneumophila with host cells requires bacterial PC. Synthesis of the lipid in L. pneumophila was shown to occur via either phospholipid N-methyltransferase (PmtA) or phosphatidylcholine synthase (PcsA), but the latter pathway was demonstrated to be of predominant importance. Loss of PC from the cell envelope caused lowered yields of L. pneumophila within macrophages as well as loss of high multiplicity cytotoxicity, while mutants defective in PC synthesis could be complemented either by reintroduction of PcsA or by overproduction of PmtA. The lowered yields and reduced cytotoxicity in mutants with defective PC biosynthesis were due to three related defects. First, there was a poorly functioning Dot/Icm apparatus, which delivers substrates required for intracellular growth into the cytosol of infected cells. Second, there was reduced bacterial binding to macrophages, possibly due to loss of PC or a PC derivative on the bacterium that is recognized by the host cell. Finally, strains lacking PC had low steady-state levels of flagellin protein, a deficit that had been previously associated with the phenotypes of lowered cytotoxicity and poor cellular adhesion.

  2. Stability of sonicated aqueous suspensions of phospholipids under air.

    PubMed

    Almog, R; Forward, R; Samsonoff, C

    1991-12-01

    The stability of phospholipids in liposomal aqueous suspension against oxidative degradation in air was investigated using spectrophotometric indices, glutathione peroxidase reactivity and thin layer chromatography. Zwitterionic phospholipid was found to be susceptible to degradation via oxidation of polyunsaturated hydrocarbon chains and ester hydrolysis, producing oxidized lysophosphatide and free fatty acid derivatives. These products were characterized as hydroperoxides based on their reactivity with the selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase isolated from human erythrocytes. Lecithin in Tris buffer was more resistant to hydrolysis than in water. The sonication of 8.0 mM of soybean phosphatidylcholine (SB-PC) suspension in 0.1 M Tris (pH 7.5) in the presence of air produced relatively high concentration of conjugated diene hydroperoxide, but a small amount of hydrolyzed products. Anionic phospholipids, such as egg-phosphatidylglycerol (egg-PG), demonstrated higher resistance to air oxidation than the zwitterionic lecithin, but its oxidation was promoted by sonication.

  3. Size-dependent extravasation and interstitial localization of polyethyleneglycol liposomes in solid tumor-bearing mice.

    PubMed

    Ishida, O; Maruyama, K; Sasaki, K; Iwatsuru, M

    1999-11-10

    We have examined the size dependence of extravasation and interstitial localization of polyethyleneglycol-coated liposomes (PEG-liposomes) in the solid tumor tissue by means of electron microscopic observation. Liposomes composed of distearoyl phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine derivative of polyethyleneglycol (PEG) were prepared in various size ranges. PEG-liposomes with an average diameter of 100-200 nm showed the most prolonged circulation time and the greatest tumor accumulation in all the solid tumors employed in this experiment. Although large PEG-liposomes with a diameter of 400 nm showed a short circulation time in normal mice, the results in splenectomized mice indicated that they do have an intrinsic prolonged circulation character in vivo. However, large PEG-liposomes could not extravasate into solid tumor tissue. These results indicate that the size of liposomes is critical for extravasation. The electron microscopic observations revealed the almost exclusive engulfment of extravasated liposomes by tumor-associated macrophages; very few were taken up by tumor cells.

  4. Rupture Pathway of Phosphatidylcholine Liposomes on Silicon Dioxide

    PubMed Central

    Reimhult, Erik; Kasemo, Bengt; Höök, Fredrik

    2009-01-01

    We have investigated the pathway by which unilamellar POPC liposomes upon adsorption undergo rupture and form a supported lipid bilayer (SLB) on a SiO2 surface. Biotinylated lipids were selectively incorporated in the outer monolayer of POPC liposomes to create liposomes with asymmetric lipid compositions in the outer and inner leaflets. The specific binding of neutravidin and anti-biotin to SLBs formed by liposome fusion, prior to and after equilibrated flip-flop between the upper and lower monolayers in the SLB, were then investigated. It was concluded that the lipids in the outer monolayer of the vesicle predominantly end up on the SLB side facing the SiO2 substrate, as demonstrated by having maximum 30–40% of lipids in the liposome outer monolayer orienting towards the bulk after forming the SLB. PMID:19468333

  5. Adsorption of benzo(a)pyrene on to asbestos and manmade mineral fibres in an aqueous solution and in a biological model solution.

    PubMed Central

    Gerde, P; Scholander, P

    1988-01-01

    The adsorption of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on to three types of asbestos (chrysotile antophyllite, and amosite) and three types of manmade mineral fibres (MMMF) (rock wool, slag wool, and glass wool) in a physiological water solution was studied. Adsorption was determined from the decrease in the liquid concentration of BaP on the addition of the solid material. Results show that all the fibres weakly adsorb BaP, approximately within the same order of magnitude. The combined adsorption of BaP and phosphatidylcholine (PC) on to chrysotile and amosite asbestos and on to rock wool in aqueous solution was also studied. PC, one of the major constituents in lung surfactant, forms a separate lipid phase in water consisting of micellar liposomes or lipid bilayers. A decrease in the liquid concentration of PC was found when any of the three materials was added, indicating adsorption of the lipid phase on to the fibres. A coincident decrease in the liquid concentration of BaP was also found indicating that BaP is readily solubilised in PC and will accompany the adsorption of this compound on to the fibres. Owing to the high lipid aqueous partition coefficient of BaP, it is concluded that the direct adsorption of BaP on to the fibres will be negligible when PC is present in the system even at low concentrations. Phospholipid adsorption by the fibres and not their direct adsorption of aromatic hydrocarbons should therefore be the crucial parameter for this indirect interaction between fibres and aromatic hydrocarbons. PMID:3196662

  6. Photopolymerization of dienoyl lipids creates planar supported poly(lipid) membranes with retained fluidity

    PubMed Central

    Orosz, Kristina S.; Jones, Ian W.; Keogh, John P.; Smith, Christopher M.; Griffin, Kaitlyn R.; Xu, Juhua; Comi, Troy J.; Hall, H. K.

    2016-01-01

    Polymerization of substrate-supported bilayers composed of dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (PC) lipids is known to greatly enhance their chemical and mechanical stability, however the effects of polymerization on membrane fluidity have not been investigated. Here planar supported lipid bilayers (PSLBs) composed of dienoyl PCs on glass substrates were examined to assess the degree to which UV-initiated polymerization affects lateral lipid mobility. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) was used to measure the diffusion coefficients (D) and mobile fractions of rhodamine-DOPE in unpolymerized and polymerized PSLBs composed of bis-sorbyl phosphatidylcholine (bis-SorbPC), mono-sorbyl phosphatidylcholine (mono-SorbPC), bis-dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (bis-DenPC) and mono-dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (mono-DenPC). Polymerization was performed in both the Lα and Lβ phase for each lipid. In all cases, polymerization reduced membrane fluidity, however measurable lateral diffusion was retained which is attributed to a low degree of polymerization. The D values for sorbyl lipids were less than those of the denoyl lipids; this may be a consequence of the distal location of polymerizable group in the sorbyl lipids which may facilitate inter-leaflet bonding. The D values measured after polymerization were 0.1 to 0.8 of those measured before polymerization, a range that corresponds to fluidity intermediate between that of a Lα phase and a Lβ phase. This D range is comparable to ratios of D values reported for liquid-disordered (Ld) and liquid-ordered (Lo) lipid phases, and indicates that the effect of UV polymerization on lateral diffusion in a dienoyl PSLB is similar to the transition from a Ld phase to a Lo phase. The partial retention of fluidity in UV polymerized PSLBs, their enhanced stability, and the activity of incorporated transmembrane proteins and peptides is discussed. PMID:26794208

  7. [Influencing factors in preparation of brucine liposomes by ammonium sulfate transmembrane gradients].

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei; Chen, Jun; Cai, Bao-Chang; Fang, Yun

    2008-09-01

    To study the influencing factors in preparation of brucine liposomes by ammonium sulfate transmembrane gradients. The brucine liposomes were separated by Sephadex G-50, and the influence of various factors on the entrapment efficiencies were investigated. The entrapment efficiency was enhanced by increased ammonium sulfate concentration, ethanol volume and PC concentration. Burcine liposomes prepared by ammonium sulfate transmembrance gradients can get a high entrapment efficiency, the main influencing factors were ammonium sulfate concentration, ethanol volume and PC concentration.

  8. Skin penetration and retention of L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate using multilamellar vesicles.

    PubMed

    Yoo, Juno; Shanmugam, Srinivasan; Song, Chung-Kil; Kim, Dae-Duk; Choi, Han-Gon; Yong, Chul-Soon; Woo, Jong-Soo; Yoo, Bong Kyu

    2008-12-01

    Transdermal formulation of L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate magnesium salt (A2P) was prepared using multilamellar vesicles (MLV). A2P was either physically mixed with or entrapped into three different MLVs of neutral, cationic, and anionic liposome vesicles. For the preparation of neutral MLVs, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol (CH) were used. For cationic and anionic MLVs, dioleoyl-trimethylammonium-propane and dimyristoyl glycerophosphate were added as surface charge inducers, respectively, in addition to PC and CH. Particle size of the three A2P-loaded MLVs was submicron, and polydispersity index revealed homogenous distribution of the prepared MLVs except neutral ones. Skin penetration study with hairless mouse skin showed that both physical mixtures of A2P with empty MLVs and A2P-loaded MLVs increased penetration of the drug compared to aqueous A2P solution. During the penetration, however, significant amount of the drug was metabolized into L-ascorbic acid, which has no beneficial effect on stimulation of hair growth. Out of the physical mixtures and A2P-loaded MLVs tested, physical mixture of A2P with empty cationic MLV resulted in the greatest skin penetration and retention in hairless mouse skin.

  9. Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein interacts with thioesterase superfamily member 2 to attenuate insulin signaling.

    PubMed

    Ersoy, Baran A; Tarun, Akansha; D'Aquino, Katharine; Hancer, Nancy J; Ukomadu, Chinweike; White, Morris F; Michel, Thomas; Manning, Brendan D; Cohen, David E

    2013-07-30

    Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP) is a phospholipid-binding protein that is enriched in liver and that interacts with thioesterase superfamily member 2 (THEM2). Mice lacking either protein exhibit improved hepatic glucose homeostasis and are resistant to diet-induced diabetes. Insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) are key effectors of insulin signaling, which is attenuated in diabetes. We found that PC-TP inhibited IRS2, as evidenced by insulin-independent IRS2 activation after knockdown, genetic ablation, or chemical inhibition of PC-TP. In addition, IRS2 was activated after knockdown of THEM2, providing support for a role for the interaction of PC-TP with THEM2 in suppressing insulin signaling. Additionally, we showed that PC-TP bound to tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) and stabilized the components of the TSC1-TSC2 complex, which functions to inhibit mTORC1. Preventing phosphatidylcholine from binding to PC-TP disrupted interactions of PC-TP with THEM2 and TSC2, and disruption of the PC-TP-THEM2 complex was associated with increased activation of both IRS2 and mTORC1. In livers of mice with genetic ablation of PC-TP or that had been treated with a PC-TP inhibitor, steady-state amounts of IRS2 were increased, whereas those of TSC2 were decreased. These findings reveal a phospholipid-dependent mechanism that suppresses insulin signaling downstream of its receptor.

  10. Phosphatidylcholine Transfer Protein Interacts with Thioesterase Superfamily Member 2 to Attenuate Insulin Signaling

    PubMed Central

    Ersoy, Baran A.; Tarun, Akansha; D’Aquino, Katharine; Hancer, Nancy J.; Ukomadu, Chinweike; White, Morris F.; Michel, Thomas; Manning, Brendan D.; Cohen, David E.

    2014-01-01

    Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP) is a phospholipid-binding protein that is enriched in liver and that interacts with thioesterase superfamily member 2 (THEM2). Mice lacking either protein exhibit improved hepatic glucose homeostasis and are resistant to diet-induced diabetes. Insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) are key effectors of insulin signaling, which is attenuated in diabetes. We found that PC-TP inhibited IRS2, as evidenced by insulin-independent IRS2 activation following knockdown, genetic ablation, or chemical inhibition of PC-TP. In addition, IRS2 was activated after knockdown of THEM2, providing support for a role for the interaction of PC-TP with THEM2 in suppressing insulin signaling. Additionally, we showed that PC-TP bound to tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) and stabilized the components of the TSC1-TSC2 complex, which functions to inhibit mTORC1. Preventing phosphatidylcholine from binding to PC-TP disrupted interactions of PC-TP with THEM2 and TSC2, and disruption of the PC-TP–THEM2 complex was associated with increased activation of both IRS2 and mTORC1. In livers of mice with genetic ablation of PC-TP or that had been treated with a PC-TP inhibitor, steady-state amounts of IRS2 were increased, whereas those of TSC2 were decreased. These findings reveal a phospholipid-dependent mechanism that suppresses insulin signaling downstream of its receptor. PMID:23901139

  11. Evaluation of pH-responsive liposomes containing amino acid-based zwitterionic lipids for improving intracellular drug delivery in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Obata, Yosuke; Tajima, Shoji; Takeoka, Shinji

    2010-03-03

    We developed pH-responsive liposomes containing synthetic glutamic acid-based zwitterionic lipids and evaluated their properties both in vitro and in vivo with the aim of constructing an efficient liposome-based systemic drug delivery system. The glutamic acid-based lipids; 1,5-dihexadecyl N-glutamyl-L-glutamate (L1) and 1,5-dihexadecyl N,N-diglutamyl-lysyl-L-glutamate (L2) were synthesized as a pH-responsive component of liposomes that respond to endosomal pH. The zeta potential of liposomes containing L1 or L2 was positive when the solution pH was below 4.6 or 5.6, respectively, but negative at higher pH values. The pH-responsive liposomes showed improved fusogenic potential to an endosome-mimicking anionic membrane at acidic pH, where the zeta potential of the liposomes was positive. We then prepared doxorubicin (DOX)-encapsulating liposomes containing L1 or L2, and clarified by confocal microscopic studies that the contents were rapidly transferred into both the cytoplasm and nucleus. Release of DOX from the endosomes mediated by the pH-responsive liposomes dramatically inhibited cancer cell growth. The L2-liposomes were slightly more effective than L1-liposomes as a drug delivery system. Intravenously injected L2-liposomes displayed blood persistence comparable to that of conventional phospholipid (PC)-based liposomes. Indeed, the antitumor efficacy of L2-liposomes was higher than that of PC-based liposomes against a xenograft breast cancer tumor in vivo. Thus, the high performance of L2-liposomes results from both efficient intracellular drug delivery and comparable blood persistence in comparison with the conventional PC-based liposomes in vitro and in vivo. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. [Antioxidant properties of benzofurocaine, phenycaberan and orthophen].

    PubMed

    Lebedev, A V; Kuz'min, A V; Levitskiĭ, D O; Stepaniuk, G I

    1989-01-01

    The antioxidant properties of benzofurocaine, phenycaberan, crithophen, alpha-tocopherol and ionol were evaluated by inhibition of oxygen absorption by liposomes from egg phosphatidylcholine induced by the addition of an prooxidant. The activity of the tested agents at inhibition of Fe2+-ascorbater-initiated oxidation decreases in the order: ionol, benzofurocaine, phenycaberan, orthophen, alpha-tocopherol; emine-initiated (EDTA-independent) oxidation of phosphatidylcholine is inhibited only by ionol, orthophen and alpha-tocopherol. Phenycaberan exerts no effect on oxidation and benzofurocaine increases the rate of emine-initiated absorption of oxygen. Thus, benzofurocaine, phenycaberan and orthophen may be referred to as selective inhibitors of Fe2+-initiated peroxidation of phosphatidylcholine.

  13. Legionella bozemanae synthesizes phosphatidylcholine from exogenous choline.

    PubMed

    Palusinska-Szysz, Marta; Janczarek, Monika; Kalitynski, Rafal; Dawidowicz, Andrzej L; Russa, Ryszard

    2011-02-20

    The phospholipid class and fatty acid composition of Legionella bozemanae were determined using thin-layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and diphosphatidylglycerol were the predominant phospholipids, while phosphatidyl-N-monomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidyl-N,N-dimethylethanolamine were present at low concentrations. With the use of the LC/MS technique, PC16:0/15:0, PC17:/15:0, and PE16:1/15:0 were shown to be the dominant phospholipid constituents, which may be taxonomically significant. Two independent phosphatidylcholine synthesis pathways (the three-step methylation and the one-step CDP-choline pathway) were present and functional in L. bozemanae. In the genome of L. bozemanae, genes encoding two potential phosphatidylcholine forming enzymes, phospholipid N-methyl transferase (PmtA) and phosphatidylcholine synthase (Pcs), homologous to L. longbeachae, L. drancourtii, and L. pneumophila pmtA and pcs genes were identified. Genes pmtA and pcs from L. bozemanae were sequenced and analyzed on nucleotide and amino acid levels. Bacteria grown on an artificial medium with labelled choline synthesized phosphatidylcholine predominantly via the phosphatidylcholine synthase pathway, which indicates that L. bozemanae phosphatidylcholine, similarly as in other bacteria associated with eukaryotes, is an important determinant of host-microbe interactions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  14. Enhancement by cytidine of membrane phospholipid synthesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    G-Coviella, I. L.; Wurtman, R. J.

    1992-01-01

    Cytidine, as cytidine 5'-diphosphate choline, is a major precursor in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine in cell membranes. In the present study, we examined the relationships between extracellular levels of cytidine, the conversion of [14C]choline to [14C]phosphatidylcholine, and the net syntheses of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine by PC12 cells. The rate at which cytidine (as [3H]cytidine) was incorporated into the PC12 cells followed normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics (Km = 5 microM; Vmax = 12 x 10(-3) mmol/mg of protein/min) when the cytidine concentrations in the medium were below 50 microM; at higher concentrations, intracellular [3H]cytidine nucleotide levels increased linearly. Once inside the cell, cytidine was converted mainly into cytidine triphosphate. In pulse-chase experiments, addition of cytidine to the medium caused a time- and dose-dependent increase (by up to 30%) in the incorporation of [14C]choline into membrane [14C]-phosphatidylcholine. When the PC12 cells were supplemented with both cytidine and choline for 14 h, small but significant elevations (p less than 0.05) were observed in their absolute contents of membrane phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylserine, all increasing by 10-15% relative to their levels in cells incubated with choline alone. Exogenous cytidine, acting via cytidine triphosphate, can thus affect the synthesis and levels of cell membrane phospholipids.

  15. Adenosine Triphosphate-Encapsulated Liposomes with Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering-Based Immunoassays.

    PubMed

    Pham, Xuan-Hung; Hahm, Eunil; Kim, Tae Han; Kim, Hyung-Mo; Lee, Sang Hun; Lee, Yoon-Sik; Jeong, Dae Hong; Jun, Bong-Hyun

    2017-06-23

    In this study, we prepared adenosine triphosphate (ATP) encapsulated liposomes, and assessed their applicability for the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based assays with gold-silver alloy (Au@Ag)-assembled silica nanoparticles (NPs; SiO₂@Au@Ag). The liposomes were prepared by the thin film hydration method from a mixture of l-α-phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, and PE-PEG2000 in chloroform; evaporating the solvent, followed by hydration of the resulting thin film with ATP in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Upon lysis of the liposome, the SERS intensity of the SiO₂@Au@Ag NPs increased with the logarithm of number of ATP-encapsulated liposomes after lysis in the range of 8 × 10⁶ to 8 × 10 10 . The detection limit of liposome was calculated to be 1.3 × 10 -17 mol. The successful application of ATP-encapsulated liposomes to SiO₂@Au@Ag NPs based SERS analysis has opened a new avenue for Raman label chemical (RCL)-encapsulated liposome-enhanced SERS-based immunoassays.

  16. Acyl transfer from membrane lipids to peptides is a generic process.

    PubMed

    Dods, Robert H; Bechinger, Burkhard; Mosely, Jackie A; Sanderson, John M

    2013-11-15

    The generality of acyl transfer from phospholipids to membrane-active peptides has been probed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of peptide-lipid mixtures. The peptides examined include melittin, magainin II, PGLa, LAK1, LAK3 and penetratin. Peptides were added to liposomes with membrane lipid compositions ranging from pure phosphatidylcholine (PC) to mixtures of PC with phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol. Experiments were typically conducted at pH7.4 at modest salt concentrations (90 mM NaCl). In favorable cases, lipidated peptides were further characterized by tandem mass spectrometry methods to determine the sites of acylation. Melittin and magainin II were the most reactive peptides, with significant acyl transfer detected under all conditions and membrane compositions. Both peptides were lipidated at the N-terminus by transfer from PC, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol, as well as at internal sites: lysine for melittin; serine and lysine for magainin II. Acyl transfer could be detected within 3h of melittin addition to negatively charged membranes. The other peptides were less reactive, but for each peptide, acylation was found to occur in at least one of the conditions examined. The data demonstrate that acyl transfer is a generic process for peptides bound to membranes composed of diacylglycerophospholipids. Phospholipid membranes cannot therefore be considered as chemically inert toward peptides and by extension proteins. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine during LDL oxidation is mediated by platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase.

    PubMed

    Steinbrecher, U P; Pritchard, P H

    1989-03-01

    Degradation of phosphatidylcholine to lysophosphatidylcholine occurs during oxidative modification of low density lipoproteins (LDL). In this study, we have shown that this phospholipid hydrolysis is brought about by an LDL-associated phospholipase A2 that can hydrolyze oxidized but not intact LDL phosphatidylcholine. The chemical nature of the oxidized phospholipids that can act as substrates for this enzyme was not fully characterized, but we hypothesized that the specificity of the enzyme for oxidized LDL phosphatidylcholine might be explained by fragmentation of polyunsaturated sn-2 fatty acyl groups in LDL phosphatidylcholine during oxidation. To facilitate characterization of this enzyme, we therefore selected a fluorescent phosphatidylcholine substrate that had a short-chain, polar residue in the sn-2 position: 1-palmitoyl 2-(6-[7-nitrobenzoxadiazolyl]amino) caproyl phosphatidylcholine, (C6NBD PC). This substrate was efficiently hydrolyzed by LDL, but the dodecanoyl analogue of C6NBD PC, which differed only in that a 12-carbon rather than a 6-carbon acyl derivative was present in the sn-2 position, was not hydrolyzed. The phospholipase activity was heat-stable, calcium-independent, and was inhibited by the serine esterase inhibitors phenylmethylsulfonyl-fluoride and diisopropylfluorophosphate, but was resistant to p-bromophenacylbromide and dithiobisnitrobenzoic acid. The phospholipid hydrolysis could not be attributed to the action of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase or lipoprotein lipase. Nearly all of the activity in EDTA-anticoagulated normal plasma was physically associated with apoB-containing lipoproteins, but this apoprotein was not essential as enzyme activity was present in plasma from abetalipoproteinemic patients. These properties are very similar to those recently reported for human plasma platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetylhydrolase. In the present study, we found that acylhydrolase activity against C6NBD PC, PAF, and oxidized phosphatidylcholine copurfied through gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Substrate competition was demonstrated between C6NBD PC, PAF, and oxidized 2-arachidonyl phosphatidylcholine, suggesting that a single enzyme was active against all three substrates. The enzyme had an apparent molecular weight of 40,000-45,000 by high pressure gel exclusion chromatography. Inhibition of this activity with disopropyfluorophosphate prior to oxidative modification of LDL prevented phospholipid hydrolysis but did not affect the production of thiobarbituric acid reactive compounds or the change in electrophoretic mobility. In addition, this inhibition of phospholipase did not prevent the rapid degradati

  18. Formation of Aldehydic Phosphatidylcholines during the Anaerobic Decomposition of a Phosphatidylcholine Bearing the 9-Hydroperoxide of Linoleic Acid

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Lipid oxidation-derived carbonyl compounds are associated with the development of various physiological disorders. Formation of most of these products has recently been suggested to require further reactions of oxygen with lipid hydroperoxides. However, in rat and human tissues, the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal is greatly elevated during hypoxic/ischemic conditions. Furthermore, a previous study found an unexpected result that the decomposition of a phosphatidylcholine (PC) bearing the 13-hydroperoxide of linoleic acid under a nitrogen atmosphere afforded 9-oxononanoyl-PC rather than 13-oxo-9,11-tridecadienoyl-PC as the main aldehydic PC. In the present study, products of the anaerobic decomposition of a PC bearing the 9-hydroperoxide of linoleic acid were analysed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. 9-Oxononanoyl-PC (ONA-PC) and several well-known bioactive aldehydes including 12-oxo-9-hydroperoxy-(or oxo or hydroxy)-10-dodecenoyl-PCs were detected. Hydrolysis of the oxidized PC products, methylation of the acids obtained thereby, and subsequent gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy with electron impact ionization further confirmed structures of some of the key aldehydic PCs. Novel, hydroxyl radical-dependent mechanisms of formation of ONA-PC and peroxyl-radical dependent mechanisms of formation of the rest of the aldehydes are proposed. The latter mechanisms will mainly be relevant to tissue injury under hypoxic/anoxic conditions, while the former are relevant under both normoxia and hypoxia/anoxia. PMID:27366754

  19. Microspectroscopic Study of Liposome-to-cell Interaction Revealed by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer.

    PubMed

    Yefimova, Svetlana L; Kurilchenko, Irina Yu; Tkacheva, Tatyana N; Kavok, Nataliya S; Todor, Igor N; Lukianova, Nataliya Yu; Chekhun, Vasyl F; Malyukin, Yuriy V

    2014-03-01

    We report the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-labeling of liposomal vesicles as an effective approach to study in dynamics the interaction of liposomes with living cells of different types (rat hepatocytes, rat bone marrow, mouse fibroblast-like cells and human breast cancer cells) and cell organelles (hepatocyte nuclei). The in vitro experiments were performed using fluorescent microspectroscopic technique. Two fluorescent dyes (DiO as the energy donor and DiI as an acceptor) were preloaded in lipid bilayers of phosphatidylcholine liposomes that ensures the necessary distance between the dyes for effective FRET. The change in time of the donor and acceptor relative fluorescence intensities was used to visualize and trace the liposome-to-cell interaction. We show that FRET-labeling of liposome vesicles allows one to reveal the differences in efficiency and dynamics of these interactions, which are associated with composition, fluidity, and metabolic activity of cell plasma membranes.

  20. Comparative study of the effects of phosphatidylcholine rich in DHA and EPA on Alzheimer's disease and the possible mechanisms in CHO-APP/PS1 cells and SAMP8 mice.

    PubMed

    Che, Hongxia; Zhou, Miaomiao; Zhang, Tiantian; Zhang, Lingyu; Ding, Lin; Yanagita, Teruyoshi; Xu, Jie; Xue, Changhu; Wang, Yuming

    2018-01-24

    Metabolic stress induced by a high-fat (HF) diet leads to cognitive dysfunction and aging. In the present study, Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1) (CHO-APP/PS1 cells) and SAMP8 mice fed with an HF diet were used to study the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched phosphatidylcholine (DHA-PC) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-enriched phosphatidylcholine (EPA-PC) on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the possible mechanisms involved in these effects. Behavior test results indicated that DHA-PC exerted better effects than EPA-PC on improving memory and cognitive deficiency. Further analysis showed that DHA-PC and EPA-PC could significantly decrease β-amyloid (Aβ) concentrations in CHO-APP/PS1 cells and SAMP8 mice by inhibiting APP, PS1, and BACE1 expression. Moreover, both DHA-PC and EPA-PC can increase the activities of the antioxidant index, including SOD, T-AOC, GSH, and GSH-PX, and inhibit levels of MDA, NO, and NOS. In addition, the expressions of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β) and apoptosis were significantly suppressed via improving the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and decreasing the expression of pro-apoptosis factors. Interestingly, only DHA-PC could improve the expression of neurotrophic factors, including BDNF, synaptophysin, and growth associated protein 43. DHA-PC and EPA-PC could ameliorate memory and cognitive function of HF diet-fed SAMP8 mice via inhibiting Aβ generation, suppressing oxidative stress and apoptosis, down-regulating inflammatory response, and improving neurotrophic activity. Therefore, DHA-PC and EPA-PC may be applied as food supplements and/or functional ingredients to relieve neurodegenerative disease.

  1. Comparison of bile salt/phosphatidylcholine mixed micelles in solubilization to sterols and stability.

    PubMed

    Guo, Qin; Cai, Jie; Li, Pengyu; Xu, Dongling; Ni, Xiaomin; Wen, Hui; Liu, Dan; Lin, Suizhen; Hu, Haiyan

    2016-01-01

    Androst-3β,5α,6β-triol (Triol) is a promising neuroprotective agent, but its poor solubility restricts its development into parenteral preparations. In this study, Triol is significantly solubilized by bile salt/phosphatidylcholine mixed micelles (BS/PC-MM). All BS/PC-MM systems are tested to remarkably improve the drug solubility with various stabilities after drug loading. Among them, the sodium glycocholate (SGC)/egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) system with 2:1 ratio in weight and the total concentration of SGC and EPC of 100 mg/mL is proved to produce stable mixed micelles with high drug loading. It is found that the stability of drug-loaded mixed micelles is quite different, which might be related to the change in critical micelle concentration (CMC) after incorporating drugs. SGC/EPC and SGC/soya phosphatidylcholine (SPC) remain transparent under accelerated conditions and manifest a decreased CMC (dropping from 0.105 to 0.056 mg/mL and from 0.067 to 0.024 mg/mL, respectively). In contrast, swine bile acid-sodium salt (SBA-Na)/PC and sodium deoxycholate (SDC)/PC are accompanied by drug precipitation and reached the maximum CMC on the first and the third days, respectively. Interestingly, the variation of CMC under accelerated testing conditions highly matches the drug-precipitating event in the primary stability experiment. In brief, the bile salt/phosphatidylcholine system exists as a potential strategy of improving sterol drug solubility. CMC variation under accelerated testing conditions might be a simple and easy method to predict the stability of drug-loaded mixed micelles.

  2. Synthesis of phosphatidylcholine: an improved method without using the cadmium chloride complex of sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine.

    PubMed

    Ichihara, Ken'ichi; Iwasaki, Hitomi; Ueda, Kaori; Takizawa, Ryoko; Naito, Hideko; Tomosugi, Mitsuhiro

    2005-10-01

    An improved safe method that does not contaminate the environment with cadmium chloride, a toxic heavy metal salt, was developed for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC). PC was synthesized from sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (GPC) and fatty acid in one step under mild conditions without the use of cadmium chloride. GPC was prepared from egg yolk PC and adsorbed by kieselguhr in a Teflon vessel. The GPC on kieselguhr was acylated with fatty acid in the presence of two reagents, dicyclohexylcarbodiimide for synthesis of fatty acid anhydride and 4-dimethylaminopyridine as an acylating catalyst, at 30 degrees C overnight. The PC thus produced was purified by silica gel column chromatography. The yield of dioleoyl PC was 90% based on the starting material, GPC.

  3. Ultrasound Induced Fluorescence of Nanoscale Liposome Contrast Agents

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Qimei; Morgan, Stephen P.; O’Shea, Paul; Mather, Melissa L.

    2016-01-01

    A new imaging contrast agent is reported that provides an increased fluorescent signal upon application of ultrasound (US). Liposomes containing lipids labelled with pyrene were optically excited and the excimer fluorescence emission intensity was detected in the absence and presence of an ultrasound field using an acousto-fluorescence setup. The acousto-fluorescence dynamics of liposomes containing lipids with pyrene labelled on the fatty acid tail group (PyPC) and the head group (PyPE) were compared. An increase in excimer emission intensity following exposure to US was observed for both cases studied. The increased intensity and time constants were found to be different for the PyPC and PyPE systems, and dependent on the applied US pressure and exposure time. The greatest change in fluorescence intensity (130%) and smallest rise time constant (0.33 s) are achieved through the use of PyPC labelled liposomes. The mechanism underlying the observed increase of the excimer emission intensity in PyPC labelled liposomes is proposed to arise from the “wagging” of acyl chains which involves fast response and requires lower US pressure. This is accompanied by increased lipid lateral diffusivity at higher ultrasound pressures, a mechanism that is also active in the PyPE labelled liposomes. PMID:27467748

  4. Bilayer properties of hydroxytyrosol- and tyrosol-phosphatidylcholine lipids

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol are the phytochemicals abundantly found in olive oil. Transphosphatidylation of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol with dioleoylphosphocholine resulted in phospholipids with antioxidant properties. The ability of these phyto-phospholipids to form liposomes and supported bilayers w...

  5. Miscibility and interactions of animal and plant sterols with choline plasmalogen in binary and multicomponent model systems.

    PubMed

    Hąc-Wydro, Katarzyna; Luty, Katarzyna

    2014-04-01

    In this work miscibility and interactions of sterols with choline plasmalogen (PC-plasm) in Langmuir monolayers were studied. Moreover, the properties of cholesterol/phosphatidylcholine/plasmalogen mixtures of different PC-plasm concentration were investigated. The foregoing systems were treated as a model of cancer cell membranes, which are of higher plasmalogen level than normal cells. Finally, the influence of β-sitosterol and stigmasterol (phytosterols differing in anticancer potency) on these mixtures was verified. The properties of monolayers were analyzed based on the parameters derived from the surface pressure-area isotherms and images taken with Brewster Angle Microscope. It was found that at 30% of sterol in sterol/plasmalogen monolayer the lipids are immiscible and 3D crystallites are formed within the film. Cholesterol molecules mix favorably with PC-plasm at Xchol ≥ 0.5, while the investigated phytosterols only at their prevailing proportion in binary system. The increase of choline plasmalogen in cholesterol/phosphatidylcholine monolayer causes destabilization of the system. Moreover, the incorporation of phytosterols into cholesterol/phosphatidylcholine+PC-plasm mixtures disturbed membrane morphology and this effect was stronger for β-sitosterol as compared to stigmasterol. It was concluded that the presence of vinyl ether bond at sn-1 position in PC-plasm molecule strongly affects miscibility of choline plasmalogen with sterols. The comparison of the collected data with those reported in literature allowed one to conclude that miscibility and interactions of sterols with PC-plasm are less favorable than those with phosphatidylcholine. It was also suggested that overexpression of plasmalogens in cancer cell membranes may be a factor differentiating sensitivity of cells to anticancer effect of phytosterols. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Activation of Phosphatidylcholine-Specific Phospholipase C in Breast and Ovarian Cancer: Impact on MRS-Detected Choline Metabolic Profile and Perspectives for Targeted Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Podo, Franca; Paris, Luisa; Cecchetti, Serena; Spadaro, Francesca; Abalsamo, Laura; Ramoni, Carlo; Ricci, Alessandro; Pisanu, Maria Elena; Sardanelli, Francesco; Canese, Rossella; Iorio, Egidio

    2016-01-01

    Elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying the aberrant phosphatidylcholine cycle in cancer cells plays in favor of the use of metabolic imaging in oncology and opens the way for designing new targeted therapies. The anomalous choline metabolic profile detected in cancer by magnetic resonance spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging provides molecular signatures of tumor progression and response to therapy. The increased level of intracellular phosphocholine (PCho) typically detected in cancer cells is mainly attributed to upregulation of choline kinase, responsible for choline phosphorylation in the biosynthetic Kennedy pathway, but can also be partly produced by activation of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC). This hydrolytic enzyme, known for implications in bacterial infection and in plant survival to hostile environmental conditions, is reported to be activated in mitogen- and oncogene-induced phosphatidylcholine cycles in mammalian cells, with effects on cell signaling, cell cycle regulation, and cell proliferation. Recent investigations showed that PC-PLC activation could account for 20–50% of the intracellular PCho production in ovarian and breast cancer cells of different subtypes. Enzyme activation was associated with PC-PLC protein overexpression and subcellular redistribution in these cancer cells compared with non-tumoral counterparts. Moreover, PC-PLC coimmunoprecipitated with the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) and EGFR in HER2-overexpressing breast and ovarian cancer cells, while pharmacological PC-PLC inhibition resulted into long-lasting HER2 downregulation, retarded receptor re-expression on plasma membrane and antiproliferative effects. This body of evidence points to PC-PLC as a potential target for newly designed therapies, whose effects can be preclinically and clinically monitored by metabolic imaging methods. PMID:27532027

  7. Detection of microlesions induced by heavy ions using liposomes filled with fluorescent dye

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Koniarek, J. P.; Thomas, J. L.; Vazquez, M.

    2004-01-01

    In cells irradiation by heavy ions has been hypothesized to produce microlesions, regions of local damage. In cell membranes this damage is thought to manifest itself in the form of holes. The primary evidence for microlesions comes from morphological studies of cell membranes, but this evidence is still controversial, especially since holes also have been observed in membranes of normal, nonirradiated, cells. However, it is possible that damage not associated with histologically discernable disruptions may still occur. In order to resolve this issue, we developed a system for detecting microlesions based on liposomes filled with fluorescent dye. We hypothesized that if microlesions form in these liposomes as the result of irradiation, then the entrapped dye will leak out into the surrounding medium in a measurable way. Polypropylene vials containing suspensions of vesicles composed of either dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine, or a combination of egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol were irradiated at the Brookhaven National Laboratory using 56Fe ions at 1 GeV/amu. In several cases we obtained a significant loss of the entrapped dye above the background level. Our results suggest that holes may form in liposomes as the result of heavy ion irradiation, and that these holes are large enough to allow leakage of cell internal contents that are at least as large as a 1 nm diameter calcein molecule. c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. A liposome-based antigen delivery system using pH-sensitive fusogenic polymers for cancer immunotherapy.

    PubMed

    Yuba, Eiji; Harada, Atsushi; Sakanishi, Yuichi; Watarai, Shinobu; Kono, Kenji

    2013-04-01

    Highly pH-sensitive liposomes that deliver antigenic molecules into cytosol through fusion with or destabilization of endosome were prepared by surface modification of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine/dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (1/1, mol/mol) liposomes with 3-methylglutarylated poly(glycidol) of linear (MGlu-LPG) or hyperbranched structure (MGlu-HPG). These polymer-modified liposomes were stable at neutral pH, but they became strongly destabilized below pH 6, which corresponds to the pH of endosome. These polymer-modified liposomes were taken up by murine dendritic cells (DCs) more efficiently than the unmodified liposomes were through an endocytic pathway. They introduced entrapped ovalbumin (OVA) molecules into cytosol. Subcutaneous or nasal administration of the polymer-modified liposomes loaded with OVA induced generation of OVA-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) much more effectively than the unmodified liposomes loaded with OVA. Furthermore, administration of the polymer-modified OVA-loaded liposomes to mice bearing E.G7-OVA tumor significantly reduced the tumor burden, although the OVA-loaded unmodified liposomes only slightly affected tumor growth. Results suggest that the polymer-modified liposomes with highly pH-sensitive destabilizing property are promising as antigen carriers for efficient cancer immunotherapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Mechanism of membrane damage by El Tor hemolysin of Vibrio cholerae O1.

    PubMed

    Ikigai, H; Akatsuka, A; Tsujiyama, H; Nakae, T; Shimamura, T

    1996-08-01

    El Tor hemolysin (ETH; molecular mass, 65 kDa) derived from Vibrio cholerae O1 spontaneously assembled oligomeric aggregates on the membranes of rabbit erythrocyte ghosts and liposomes. Membrane-associated oligomers were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting into two to nine bands with apparent molecular masses of 170 to 350 kDa. ETH assembled oligomers on a liposomal membrane consisting of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol, but not on a membrane of phosphatidylcholine alone. Cholesterol could be replaced with diosgenin or ergosterol but not with 5alpha-cholestane-3-one, suggesting that sterol is essential for the oligomerization. The treatment of carboxyfluorescein-encapsulated liposomes with ETH caused a rapid release of carboxyfluorescein into the medium. Because dextrin 20 (molecular mass, 900 Da) osmotically protected ETH-mediated hemolysis, this hemolysis is likely to be caused by pore formation on the membrane. The pore size(s) estimated from osmotic protection assays was in the range of 1.2 to 1.6 nm. The pore formed on a rabbit erythrocyte membrane was confirmed morphologically by electron microscopy. Thus, we provide evidence that ETH damages the target by the assembly of hemolysin oligomers and pore formation on the membrane.

  10. Mechanism of membrane damage by El Tor hemolysin of Vibrio cholerae O1.

    PubMed Central

    Ikigai, H; Akatsuka, A; Tsujiyama, H; Nakae, T; Shimamura, T

    1996-01-01

    El Tor hemolysin (ETH; molecular mass, 65 kDa) derived from Vibrio cholerae O1 spontaneously assembled oligomeric aggregates on the membranes of rabbit erythrocyte ghosts and liposomes. Membrane-associated oligomers were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting into two to nine bands with apparent molecular masses of 170 to 350 kDa. ETH assembled oligomers on a liposomal membrane consisting of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol, but not on a membrane of phosphatidylcholine alone. Cholesterol could be replaced with diosgenin or ergosterol but not with 5alpha-cholestane-3-one, suggesting that sterol is essential for the oligomerization. The treatment of carboxyfluorescein-encapsulated liposomes with ETH caused a rapid release of carboxyfluorescein into the medium. Because dextrin 20 (molecular mass, 900 Da) osmotically protected ETH-mediated hemolysis, this hemolysis is likely to be caused by pore formation on the membrane. The pore size(s) estimated from osmotic protection assays was in the range of 1.2 to 1.6 nm. The pore formed on a rabbit erythrocyte membrane was confirmed morphologically by electron microscopy. Thus, we provide evidence that ETH damages the target by the assembly of hemolysin oligomers and pore formation on the membrane. PMID:8757822

  11. CDP-choline liposomes provide significant reduction in infarction over free CDP-choline in stroke

    PubMed Central

    Adibhatla, Rao Muralikrishna; Hatcher, J.F.; Tureyen, K.

    2007-01-01

    Cytidine-5′-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline, Citicoline, Somazina) is in clinical use (intravenous administration) for stroke treatment in Europe and Japan, while USA phase III stroke clinical trials (oral administration) were disappointing. Others showed that CDP-choline liposomes significantly increased brain uptake over the free drug in cerebral ischemia models. Liposomes were formulated as DPPC, DPPS, cholesterol, GM1 ganglioside; 7/4/7/1.57 molar ratio or 35.8/20.4/35.8/8.0 mol%. GM1 ganglioside confers long-circulating properties to the liposomes by suppressing phagocytosis. CDP-choline liposomes deliver the agent intact to the brain, circumventing the rate-limiting, cytidine triphosphate:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase in phosphatidylcholine synthesis. Our data show that CDP-choline liposomes significantly ( P < 0.01) decreased cerebral infarction (by 62%) compared to the equivalent dose of free CDP-choline (by 26%) after 1 h focal cerebral ischemia and 24 h reperfusion in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Beneficial effects of CDP-choline liposomes in stroke may derive from a synergistic effect between the phospholipid components of the liposomes and the encapsulated CDP-choline. PMID:16153613

  12. Increased adherence of sickled and phosphatidylserine-enriched human erythrocytes to cultured human peripheral blood monocytes.

    PubMed

    Schwartz, R S; Tanaka, Y; Fidler, I J; Chiu, D T; Lubin, B; Schroit, A J

    1985-06-01

    The precise mechanism by which sickle erythrocytes (RBC) are removed from the circulation is controversial, although it is possible that enhanced recognition of these cells by circulating mononuclear phagocytes could contribute to this process. We investigated this possibility by interacting sickle cells with cultured human peripheral blood monocytes. Our results show that both irreversibly sickled cells (ISC) and deoxygenated reversibly sickled cells (RSC) had a higher avidity for adherence to monocytes than did oxygenated sickle and normal RBC. ISC were the most adherent cell type. Adherence of RSC to monocytes was found to be reversible; reoxygenation of deoxygenated RSC resulted in a significant decrease in RSC--monocyte adherence. Concomitant with alterations in sickle RBC adherence were alterations in the organization and bilayer distribution of membrane phospholipids in these cells. Specifically, enhanced adherence was associated with increased exposure of RBC membrane outer leaflet phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine, whereas lack of adherence was associated with normal patterns of membrane phospholipid distribution. To investigate the possibility of whether the exposure of PS in the outer membrane leaflet of these cells might be responsible for their recognition by monocytes, the membranes of normal RBC were enriched with the fluorescent PS analogue 1-acyl-2[(N-4-nitro-benzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole)aminocaproyl]-phosphatidy lse rine (NBD-PS) via transfer of the exogenous lipid from a population of donor phospholipid vesicles (liposomes). RBC enriched with NBD-PS exhibited enhanced adherence to monocytes, whereas adherence of RBC enriched with similar amounts of NBD-phosphatidylcholine (NBD-PC) was not increased. Furthermore, preincubation of monocytes with PS liposomes resulted in a approximately 60% inhibition of ISC adherence to monocytes, whereas no inhibition occurred when monocytes were preincubated with PC liposomes. These findings strongly suggest that erythrocyte surface PS may be a ligand recognized by receptors on human peripheral blood monocytes and that abnormal exposure of PS in the outer leaflet of the RBC membrane, as found in sickle RBC, might serve to trigger their recognition by circulating monocytes. Our results further suggest that abnormalities in the organization of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids may have significant pathophysiologic implications, possibly including shortened cell survival.

  13. AhR and SHP regulate phosphatidylcholine and S-adenosylmethionine levels in the one-carbon cycle.

    PubMed

    Kim, Young-Chae; Seok, Sunmi; Byun, Sangwon; Kong, Bo; Zhang, Yang; Guo, Grace; Xie, Wen; Ma, Jian; Kemper, Byron; Kemper, Jongsook Kim

    2018-02-07

    Phosphatidylcholines (PC) and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) are critical determinants of hepatic lipid levels, but how their levels are regulated is unclear. Here, we show that Pemt and Gnmt, key one-carbon cycle genes regulating PC/SAM levels, are downregulated after feeding, leading to decreased PC and increased SAM levels, but these effects are blunted in small heterodimer partner (SHP)-null or FGF15-null mice. Further, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is translocated into the nucleus by insulin/PKB signaling in the early fed state and induces Pemt and Gnmt expression. This induction is blocked by FGF15 signaling-activated SHP in the late fed state. Adenoviral-mediated expression of AhR in obese mice increases PC levels and exacerbates steatosis, effects that are blunted by SHP co-expression or Pemt downregulation. PEMT, AHR, and PC levels are elevated in simple steatosis patients, but PC levels are robustly reduced in steatohepatitis-fibrosis patients. This study identifies AhR and SHP as new physiological regulators of PC/SAM levels.

  14. Towards boron neutron capture therapy: the formulation and preliminary in vitro evaluation of liposomal vehicles for the therapeutic delivery of the dequalinium salt of bis-nido-carborane.

    PubMed

    Theodoropoulos, Dimitrios; Rova, Aikaterini; Smith, James R; Barbu, Eugen; Calabrese, Gianpiero; Vizirianakis, Ioannis S; Tsibouklis, John; Fatouros, Dimitrios G

    2013-11-15

    Liposomes of phosphatidylcholine or of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine that incorporate bis-nido-carborane dequalinium salt are stable in physiologically relevant media and have in vitro toxicity profiles that appear to be compatible with potential therapeutic applications. These features render the structures suitable candidate boron-delivery vehicles for evaluation in the boron neutron capture therapy of cancer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Structural Characterization of Unsaturated Phosphatidylcholines Using Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hugh I.; Kim, Hyungjun; Pang, Eric S.; Ryu, Ernest K.; Beegle, Luther W.; Loo, Joseph A.; Goddard, William A.; Kanik, Isik

    2009-01-01

    A number of phosphatidylcholine (PC) cations spanning a mass range of 400 to 1000 Da are investigated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry coupled with traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry (TWIMS). A high correlation between mass and mobility is demonstrated with saturated phosphatidylcholine cations in N2. A significant deviation from this mass-mobility correlation line is observed for the unsaturated PC cation. We found that the double bond in the acyl chain causes a 5% reduction in drift time. The drift time is reduced at a rate of ~1% for each additional double bond. Theoretical collision cross sections of PC cations exhibit good agreement with experimentally evaluated values. Collision cross sections are determined using the recently derived relationship between mobility and drift time in TWIMS stacked ring ion guide (SRIG) and compared to estimate collision cross-sections using empiric calibration method. Computational analysis was performed using the modified trajectory (TJ) method with nonspherical N2 molecules as the drift gas. The difference between estimated collision cross-sections and theoretical collision cross-sections of PC cations is related to the sensitivity of the PC cation collision cross-sections to the details of the ion-neutral interactions. The origin of the observed correlation and deviation between mass and mobility of PC cations is discussed in terms of the structural rigidity of these molecules using molecular dynamic simulations. PMID:19764704

  16. Antibodies to Liposomal, Phosphatidylcholine and Phosphatidylsulfocholine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-01-01

    Biochim. Biophys. tidylcholine have also been induced by immuniz- Acta, 689: 319-326. ing mice with bromelain -treated mouse erythrocytes (Cox BISSERET, P...with lysolecithin and sphingomyelin, thus bromelain -modified RBC are specifically inhibited by a common indicating specificity for the phosphocholine

  17. A fluorescence study of liposomes entrapped in sol-gel materials

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yamanaka, S.A.; Singh, S.; Sasaki, D.Y.

    1997-12-31

    Liposomes of phosphatidylcholine lipids were successfully entrapped in silicates using the sol-gel method with complete retention of the molecular aggregates over long periods in aqueous solution. Fluorescent studies of the small unilamellar vesicles of 5% pyrene labeled lipid PSIDA with DSPC remobilized in the gel found significant lipid reorganization upon aging in aqueous solutions. Monitoring of pyrene excimer (470 nm) to monomer (375 nm) ratios in the bilayer reveals that the silicate matrix tends to disperse PSIDA lipid aggregates from that observed in free solution. On an interesting note, the liposomes in the gel at pH 7.5. The PSIDA/DSPC liposomes,more » sensitive to heavy metal ions in free solution, maintain similar sensitivity in the gel yet the sensor material can not be recycled.« less

  18. Design and evaluation of liposomal formulation of pilocarpine nitrate.

    PubMed

    Rathod, S; Deshpande, S G

    2010-03-01

    Prolonged release drug delivery system of pilocarpine nitrate was made by optimizing thin layer film hydration method. Egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol were used to make multilamellar vesicles. Effects of charges over the vesicles were studied by incorporating dicetylphosphate and stearylamine. Various factors, which may affect the size, shape, encapsulation efficiency and release rate, were studied. Liposomes in the size range 0.2 to 1 µm were obtained by optimizing the process. Encapsulation efficiency of neutral, positive and negatively charged liposomes were found to be 32.5, 35.4 and 34.2 percent, respectively. In vitro drug release rate was studied on specially designed model. Biological response in terms of reduction in intraocular pressure was observed on rabbit eyes. Pilocarpine nitrate liposomes were lyophilized and stability studies were conducted.

  19. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Arieen, A.; Goigoux, C.; Baquey, C.

    Factors affecting liposome transport to the blood compartment after oral administration to rats were evaluated. A high entrapment of calcitonin (CT) was obtained when the vesicles were prepared by sonication and were composed of egg phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and stearylamine. In vitro tests showed that the liposomes were stable in light acidic or basic buffers, but that they were partly lysed in pH 2.5, 10 mM bile salts and pancreatin. Oral administration of liposomes entrapping calcitonin in fasting rats showed that the vesicles facilitate transport of the hormone to the general circulation and that they increase the lifetime of [sup 125]I-CTmore » in blood. Oral administration of liposomes entrapping radioactive indium in fasting rats did not induce radioactivity in blood. This could be explained by disruption of most of the vesicles in the enterocytes.« less

  20. Mitogenic Effects of Phosphatidylcholine Nanoparticles on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Gándola, Yamila B.; Pérez, Sebastián E.; Irene, Pablo E.; Sotelo, Ana I.; Miquet, Johanna G.; Corradi, Gerardo R.; Carlucci, Adriana M.; Gonzalez, Lorena

    2014-01-01

    Lecithins, mainly composed of the phospholipids phosphatidylcholines (PC), have many different uses in the pharmaceutical and clinical field. PC are involved in structural and biological functions as membrane trafficking processes and cellular signaling. Considering the increasing applications of lecithin-based nanosystems for the delivery of therapeutic agents, the aim of the present work was to determine the effects of phosphatidylcholine nanoparticles over breast cancer cellular proliferation and signaling. PC dispersions at 0.01 and 0.1% (w/v) prepared in buffer pH 7.0 and 5.0 were studied in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Neutral 0.1% PC-derived nanoparticles induced the activation of the MEK-ERK1/2 pathway, increased cell viability and induced a 1.2 fold raise in proliferation. These biological effects correlated with the increase of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) content and its altered cellular localization. Results suggest that nanoparticles derived from PC dispersion prepared in buffer pH 7.0 may induce physicochemical changes in the plasma membrane of cancer cells which may affect EGFR cellular localization and/or activity, increasing activation of the MEK-ERK1/2 pathway and inducing proliferation. Results from the present study suggest that possible biological effects of delivery systems based on lecithin nanoparticles should be taken into account in pharmaceutical formulation design. PMID:24772432

  1. Investigation of natural phosphatidylcholine sources: separation and identification by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS2) of molecular species.

    PubMed

    Le Grandois, Julie; Marchioni, Eric; Zhao, Minjie; Giuffrida, Francesca; Ennahar, Saïd; Bindler, Françoise

    2009-07-22

    This study is a contribution to the exploration of natural phospholipid (PL) sources rich in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) with nutritional interest. Phosphatidylcholines (PCs) were purified from total lipid extracts of different food matrices, and their molecular species were separated and identified by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS(2)). Fragmentation of lithiated adducts allowed for the identification of fatty acids linked to the glycerol backbone. Soy PC was particularly rich in species containing essential fatty acids, such as (18:2-18:2)PC (34.0%), (16:0-18:2)PC (20.8%), and (18:1-18:2)PC (16.3%). PC from animal sources (ox liver and egg yolk) contained major molecular species, such as (16:0-18:2)PC, (16:0-18:1)PC, (18:0-18:2)PC, or (18:0-18:1)PC. Finally, marine source (krill oil), which was particularly rich in (16:0-20:5)PC and (16:0-22:6)PC, appeared to be an interesting potential source for food supplementation with LC-PUFA-PLs, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

  2. Evaluation of the protective effects of curcuminoid (curcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin)-loaded liposomes against bone turnover in a cell-based model of osteoarthritis.

    PubMed

    Yeh, Chih-Chang; Su, Yu-Han; Lin, Yu-Jhe; Chen, Pin-Jyun; Shi, Chung-Sheng; Chen, Cheng-Nan; Chang, Hsin-I

    2015-01-01

    Curcumin (Cur) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), extracted from Curcuma longa, are poorly water-soluble polyphenol compounds that have shown anti-inflammatory potential for the treatment of osteoarthritis. To increase cellular uptake of Cur and BDMC in bone tissue, soybean phosphatidylcholines were used for liposome formulation. In this study, curcuminoid (Cur and BDMC)-loaded liposomes were characterized in terms of particle size, encapsulation efficiency, liposome stability, and cellular uptake. The results show that there is about 70% entrapment efficiency of Cur and BDMC in liposomes and that particle sizes are stable after liposome formation. Both types of liposome can inhibit macrophage inflammation and osteoclast differential activities. In comparison with free drugs (Cur and BDMC), curcuminoid-loaded liposomes were less cytotoxic and expressed high cellular uptake of the drugs. Of note is that Cur-loaded liposomes can prevent liposome-dependent inhibition of osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, but BDMC-loaded liposomes could not. With interleukin (IL)-1β stimulation, curcuminoid-loaded liposomes can successfully downregulate the expression of inflammatory markers on osteoblasts, and show a high osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) ratio to prevent osteoclastogenesis. In the present study, we demonstrated that Cur and BDMC can be successfully encapsulated in liposomes and can reduce osteoclast activity and maintain osteoblast functions. Therefore, curcuminoid-loaded liposomes may slow osteoarthritis progression.

  3. Phospholipid-esterified eicosanoids are generated in agonist-activated human platelets and enhance tissue factor-dependent thrombin generation.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Christopher P; Morgan, Lloyd T; Maskrey, Benjamin H; Murphy, Robert C; Kühn, Hartmut; Hazen, Stanley L; Goodall, Alison H; Hamali, Hassan A; Collins, Peter W; O'Donnell, Valerie B

    2010-03-05

    Here, a group of specific lipids, comprising phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)- or phosphatidylcholine (PC)-esterified 12S-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12S-HETE), generated by 12-lipoxygenase was identified and characterized. 12S-HETE-PE/PCs were formed within 5 min of activation by thrombin, ionophore, or collagen. Esterified HETE levels generated in response to thrombin were 5.85 +/- 1.42 (PE) or 18.35 +/- 4.61 (PC), whereas free was 65.5 +/- 17.6 ng/4 x 10(7) cells (n = 5 separate donors, mean +/- S.E.). Their generation was stimulated by triggering protease-activated receptors-1 and -4 and signaling via Ca(2+) mobilization secretory phospholipase A2, platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase, src tyrosine kinases, and protein kinase C. Stable isotope labeling showed that they form predominantly by esterification that occurs on the same time scale as free acid generation. Unlike free 12S-HETE that is secreted, esterified HETEs remain cell-associated, with HETE-PEs migrating to the outside of the plasma membrane. 12-Lipoxygenase inhibition attenuated externalization of native PE and phosphatidylserine and HETE-PEs. Platelets from a patient with the bleeding disorder, Scott syndrome, did not externalize HETE-PEs, and liposomes supplemented with HETE-PC dose-dependently enhanced tissue factor-dependent thrombin generation in vitro. This suggests a role for these novel lipids in promoting coagulation. Thus, oxidized phospholipids form by receptor/agonist mechanisms, not merely as an undesirable consequence of vascular and inflammatory disease.

  4. Photopolymerization of Dienoyl Lipids Creates Planar Supported Poly(lipid) Membranes with Retained Fluidity.

    PubMed

    Orosz, Kristina S; Jones, Ian W; Keogh, John P; Smith, Christopher M; Griffin, Kaitlyn R; Xu, Juhua; Comi, Troy J; Hall, H K; Saavedra, S Scott

    2016-02-16

    Polymerization of substrate-supported bilayers composed of dienoylphosphatidylcholine (PC) lipids is known to greatly enhance their chemical and mechanical stability; however, the effects of polymerization on membrane fluidity have not been investigated. Here planar supported lipid bilayers (PSLBs) composed of dienoyl PCs on glass substrates were examined to assess the degree to which UV-initiated polymerization affects lateral lipid mobility. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) was used to measure the diffusion coefficients (D) and mobile fractions of rhodamine-DOPE in unpolymerized and polymerized PSLBs composed of bis-sorbyl phosphatidylcholine (bis-SorbPC), mono-sorbyl-phosphatidylcholine (mono-SorbPC), bis-dienoyl-phosphatidylcholine (bis-DenPC), and mono-dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (mono-DenPC). Polymerization was performed in both the Lα and Lβ phase for each lipid. In all cases, polymerization reduced membrane fluidity; however, measurable lateral diffusion was retained which is attributed to a low degree of polymerization. The D values for sorbyl lipids were less than those of the denoyl lipids; this may be a consequence of the distal location of polymerizable group in the sorbyl lipids which may facilitate interleaflet bonding. The D values measured after polymerization were 0.1-0.8 of those measured before polymerization, a range that corresponds to fluidity intermediate between that of a Lα phase and a Lβ phase. This D range is comparable to ratios of D values reported for liquid-disordered (Ld) and liquid-ordered (Lo) lipid phases and indicates that the effect of UV polymerization on lateral diffusion in a dienoyl PSLB is similar to the transition from a Ld phase to a Lo phase. The partial retention of fluidity in UV-polymerized PSLBs, their enhanced stability, and the activity of incorporated transmembrane proteins and peptides is discussed.

  5. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry-based profiling of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in the plasma and liver of acetaminophen-induced liver injured mice.

    PubMed

    Ming, Ya-Nan; Zhang, Jing-Yi; Wang, Xiao-Lin; Li, Chun-Min; Ma, Si-Cong; Wang, Zheng-Yang; Liu, Xiao-Lin; Li, Xiao-Bo; Mao, Yi-Min

    2017-08-14

    Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is one of the most common causes of acute liver failure in many countries. The aim of the study was to describe the profiling of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in the plasma and liver of Acetaminophen -induced liver injured mice. A time course study was carried out using C57BL/6 mice after intraperitoneal administration of 300 mg/kg Acetaminophen 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h. A high-throughput liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) lipidomic method was utilized to detect phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine species in the plasma and liver. The expressions of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine metabolism related genes in liver were detected by quantitative Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western-blot. Following Acetaminophen treatment, the content of many PC and PE species in plasma increased from 1 h time point, peaked at 3 h or 6 h, and tended to return to baseline at 24 h time point. The relative contents of almost all PC species in liver decreased from 1 h, appeared to be lowest at 6 h, and then return to normality at 24 h, which might be partly explained by the suppression of phospholipases mRNA expressions and the induction of choline kinase (Chka) expression. Inconsistent with PC profile, the relative contents of many PE species in liver increased upon Acetaminophen treatment, which might be caused by the down-regulation of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (Pemt). Acetaminophen overdose induced dramatic change of many PC and PE species in plasma and liver, which might be caused by damaging hepatocytes and interfering the phospholipid metabolism in Acetaminophen -injured liver.

  6. Modeling cell membrane transport: interaction of guanidinylated poly(propylene imine) dendrimers with a liposomal membrane consisting of phosphate-based lipids.

    PubMed

    Tsogas, Ioannis; Tsiourvas, Dimitris; Nounesis, George; Paleos, Constantinos M

    2006-12-19

    Mixed anionic liposomes consisting of dihexadecyl phosphate, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol were employed as model systems for assessing the ability of a series of functionalized dendrimers, bearing a varying number of guanidinium groups at their surface, to translocate across the liposomal bilayers. At low guanidinium/phosphate molar ratios or when weakly guanidinylated dendrimeric derivatives were employed, the dendrimeric derivative acted as a kind of "molecular glue" leading to a simple adhesion of the liposomes. Liposomal fusion occurred to a certain extent at high guanidinium/phosphate molar ratios or when highly guanidinylated dendrimeric derivatives were employed. Furthermore, translocation of these dendrimeric derivatives to the liposomal core was observed for low to medium guanidinylation and at low guanidinium/phosphate molar ratios which was, however, enhanced when the lipid bilayer was in its fluid liquid-crystalline phase. Thus, an optimum balance is required between the binding strength of guanidinium with the phosphate groups and the degree of hydrophilicity of the guanidinylated dendrimers for the transport of the latter to the liposomal core to occur.

  7. Iron ion and iron hydroxide adsorption to charge-neutral phosphatidylcholine templates

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Wenjie; Zhang, Honghu; Feng, Shuren; ...

    2016-07-13

    Surface-sensitive X-ray scattering and spectroscopy techniques reveal significant adsorption of iron ions and iron-hydroxide (Fe(III)) complexes to a charge-neutral zwitterionic template of phosphatidylcholine (PC). The PC template is formed by a Langmuir monolayer of dipalmitoyl-PC (DPPC) that is spread on the surface of 2 to 40 μM FeCl 3 solutions at physiological levels of KCl (100 mM). At 40 μM of Fe(III) as many as ~3 iron atoms are associated with each PC group. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements indicate a significant disruption in the in-plane ordering of DPPC molecules upon iron adsorption. The binding of iron-hydroxide complexes to amore » neutral PC surface is yet another example of nonelectrostatic, presumably covalent bonding to a charge-neutral organic template. Furthermore, the strong binding and the disruption of in-plane lipid structure has biological implications on the integrity of PC-derived lipid membranes, including those based on sphingomyelin.« less

  8. Characterization of heat-induced interaction of neutral liposome with lipid membrane of Streptomyces griseus cell.

    PubMed

    Ngo, Kien Xuan; Umakoshi, Hiroshi; Shimanouchi, Toshinori; Kuboi, Ryoichi

    2009-10-15

    The interaction between the neutral 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) liposomes and cell membrane of Streptomyces griseus induced by the heat treatment at specific temperature was investigated, focusing on the internalization of the neutral POPC liposomes with S. griseus cells. In an attempt to clarify the modes of liposome internalization, various kinds of inhibitors of endocytotic pathways were used to treat S. griseus cells. The efficiency of the heat treatment on liposome-cell membrane interactions was finally characterized based on the hydrophobic, electrostatic interactions and hydration effect. In fact, the internalization of the neutral liposomes into these cells was found to show higher rate and greater amount at higher temperatures. The kinetic study showed that the maximum amount of the internalized liposomes was, respectively, 469 x 10(5) and 643 x 10(5) liposomes/cell at 37 and 41 degrees C. The internalization of the neutral liposomes induced by the heat treatment was characterized, implying that the endocytosis occurred. The interactions involving the internalization, adsorption, and fusion of these liposomes with S. griseus cells were mainly contributed by the hydrophobic interaction and the unstable hydrogen bonds caused by the loss of water of surface hydration of cell membrane rather than the electrostatic interaction under the specific heat condition.

  9. Characterization of interactions of eggPC lipid structures with different biomolecules.

    PubMed

    Corrales Chahar, F; Díaz, S B; Ben Altabef, A; Gervasi, C; Alvarez, P E

    2018-01-01

    In this paper we study the interactions of two biomolecules (ascorbic acid and Annonacin) with a bilayer lipid membrane. Egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (eggPC) liposomes (in crystalline liquid state) were prepared in solutions of ascorbic acid (AA) at different concentration levels. On the other hand, liposomes were doped with Annonacin (Ann), a mono-tetrahydrofuran acetogenin (ACG), which is an effective citotoxic substance. While AA pharmacologic effect and action mechanisms are widely known, those of Ann's are only very recently being studied. Both Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopic techniques were used to study the participation of the main functional groups of the lipid bilayer involved in the membrane-solution interaction. The obtained spectra were comparatively analyzed, studying the spectral bands corresponding to both the hydrophobic and the hydrophilic regions in the lipid bilayer. Electrochemical experiments namely; impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltamperometry (CV) were used as the main characterization techniques to analyse stability and structural changes of a model system of supported EggPC bilayer in connection with its interactions with AA and Ann. At high molar ratios of AA, there is dehydration in both populations of the carbonyl group of the polar head of the lipid. On the other hand, Ann promotes the formation of hydrogen bonds with the carbonyl groups. No interaction between AA and phosphate groups is observed at low and intermediate molar ratios. Ann is expected to be able to induce the dehydration of the phosphate groups without the subsequent formation of H bonds with them. According to the electrochemical analysis, the interaction of AA with the supported lipid membrane does not alter its dielectric properties. This fact can be related to the conservation of structured water of the phosphate groups in the polar heads of the lipid. On the other hand, the incorporation of Ann into the lipid membrane generates an increase in the number of defects while changes the dielectric constant. This, in turn, can be associated with the induced dehydration of the phosphate groups. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Dextran derivative-based pH-sensitive liposomes for cancer immunotherapy.

    PubMed

    Yuba, Eiji; Tajima, Naoki; Yoshizaki, Yuta; Harada, Atsushi; Hayashi, Hiroshi; Kono, Kenji

    2014-03-01

    pH-Sensitive dextran derivatives having 3-methylglutarylated residues (MGlu-Dex) were prepared by reacting dextran with 3-methyl-glutaric anhydride. MGlu-Dex changed the protonation state and their characteristics from hydrophilic to hydrophobic in neutral and acidic pH regions. Surface modification of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine liposomes with MGlu-Dex produced highly pH-sensitive liposomes that were stable at neutral pH but which were destabilized strongly in the weakly acidic pH region. MGlu-Dex-modified liposomes were taken up efficiently by dendritic cells and delivered entrapped ovalbumin (OVA) molecules into the cytosol. When MGlu-Dex-modified liposomes loaded with OVA were administered subcutaneously to mice, the antigen-specific humoral and cellular immunity was induced more effectively than the unmodified liposomes loaded with OVA. Furthermore, administration of MGlu-Dex-modified liposomes loaded with OVA to mice bearing E.G7-OVA tumor significantly suppressed tumor growth and extended the mice survival. Results suggest that MGlu-Dex-modified liposomes are promising for the production of safe and potent antigen delivery systems that contribute to the establishment of efficient cancer immunotherapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Innovative bionanocomposite films of edible proteins containing liposome-encapsulated nisin and halloysite nanoclay.

    PubMed

    Boelter, Juliana Ferreira; Brandelli, Adriano

    2016-09-01

    Films and coatings based on natural polymers have gained increased interest for food packaging applications. In this work, halloysite and phosphatidylcholine liposomes encapsulating nisin were used to develop nanocomposite films of gelatin and casein. Liposomes prepared with either soybean lecithin or Phospholipon(®) showed particle size ranging from 124 to 178nm and high entrapment efficiency (94-100%). Considering their stability, Phospholipon(®) liposomes with 1.0mg/ml nisin were selected for incorporation into nanocomposite films containing 0.5g/l halloysite. The films presented antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the films had a smooth surface, but showed increased roughness with addition of liposomes and halloysite. Casein films were thinner and slightly yellowish, less rigid and very elastic as compared with gelatin films. Thermogravimetric analysis showed a decrease of the degradation temperature for casein films added with liposomes. The glass transition temperature decreased with addition of liposomes and halloysite. Gelatin and casein films containing nisin-loaded liposomes and halloysite represent an interesting alternative for development of active food packaging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Cytotoxic effect induced by retinoic acid loaded into galactosyl-sphingosine containing liposomes on human hepatoma cell lines.

    PubMed

    Díaz, Cecilia; Vargas, Ernesto; Gätjens-Boniche, Omar

    2006-11-15

    Two retinoids, ATRA and 13cisRA, were incorporated into liposomes of different composition and charge and added to two hepatoma cell lines with different degree of transformation to measure cytotoxicity by MTT assay. Retinoid-free cationic liposomes were more toxic than the other kinds (anionic and made only of PC) but were also the best delivery system for retinoic acid to induce specific cytotoxic effects on these tumor hepatoma cell lines. Galactosyl-sphingosine containing cationic liposomes increased the cytotoxic effect induced by ATRA on Hep3B cells when compared to glucosyl-sphingosine cationic liposomes, but did not improve the effect induced by free retinoid or ATRA loaded into liposomes without glycolipids. This suggests that in this cell line, ATRA is being incorporated by a mechanism mediated by the asialoglycoprotein receptor, but at the same time, non-specific sugar-independent capture is also taking place as well as free diffusion of ATRA directly through the membrane. Galactose-specific effect was not observed in HepG2 cells treated with ATRA or both cell lines treated with 13cisRA. In fact, treatment of HepG2 cells with retinoids entrapped into liposomes likely induces proliferation instead of cytotoxicity, a result that interferes with the measurement of cell death by MTT. Compared to the specific effect of ATRA entrapped into cationic liposomes, vesicles made only by PC, did not mediate a specific mechanism, since differences between ATRA in galactosyl- and glucosyl-shpingosine PC-liposomes were not statistically significant. The specific mechanism was not present in the myoblastic cell line C2C12, where ATRA incorporated into galactosyl- and glucosyl-sphingosine containing cationic and PC-liposomes, was able to induce cytotoxicity at the same extent. Micelles containing ATRA and galactosyl-sphingosine had a significantly more toxic effect than the retinoid administered together with glucosyl-sphingosine, in Hep3B cells. Also, micelles containing ATRA were more toxic than glycolipid-containing liposomes with ATRA, for both kinds of sphingosines. The same effect was not observed in C2C12 cells, where glycolipid-containing liposomes worked better than micelles, and a sugar-specific mechanism was not seen. This suggests that, even though galactose-containing cationic liposomes could be a promising approach, a galactose-specific emulsion system could be the best strategy to specifically deliver retinoic acid to liver tumor cells, since it shows tissue specificity (perhaps induced by ASGPR-mediated internalization) and a stronger cytotoxic effect than the retinoid incorporated into liposomes.

  13. Antibodies to Liposomal Phosphatidylcholine and Phosphatidylsulfocholine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-01-01

    689: 319-326. ing mice with bromelain -treated mouse erythrocytes (Cox BiSSERET, P., ITO, S., TREMBLAY, P.-A., VOLCANI, B.E., and Hardy 1985), and...Cox, K.O., and HARDY, S.J. 1985. Autoantibodies against mouse and cross-reacted with lysolecithin and sphingomyelin, thus bromelain -modified RBC are

  14. Isolation and identification of molecular species of phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine from jojoba seed meal (Simmondsia chinensis).

    PubMed

    Léon, Fabian; Van Boven, Maurits; de Witte, Peter; Busson, Roger; Cokelaere, Marnix

    2004-03-10

    A mixture of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) has been isolated by column chromatography from a jojoba meal (Simmondsia chinensis) extract. The molecular species of both classes could be separated and isolated by C18 reversed phase HPLC. The two major compounds were identified by 1D and 2D (1)H and (13)C NMR, by MS, and by GC-MS as 1-oleoyl-3-lysophosphatidylcholine and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-phosphatidylcholine. Eight other molecular species of LPC and four other molecular species of PC could be assigned by comparison of the mass spectra of the isolated compounds with the spectra of the two major compounds. Complete characterization of the individual molecular species was achieved by GC and GC-MS analysis of the fatty acyl composition from the isolated compounds. The PC/LPC proportion in the phospholipid mixture from three different samples is 1.6 +/- 0.1. LPC is considered to be an important bioactive compound; the results of this study suggest further research for the evaluation of potential health benefits of jojoba meal phospholipids.

  15. Phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis and c-myc expression are in collaborating mitogenic pathways activated by colony-stimulating factor 1.

    PubMed

    Xu, X X; Tessner, T G; Rock, C O; Jackowski, S

    1993-03-01

    Stimulation of diglyceride production via phospholipase C (PLC) hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine was an early event in the mitogenic action of colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) in the murine macrophage cell line BAC1.2F5 and was followed by a second phase of diglyceride production that persisted throughout the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Addition of phosphatidylcholine-specific PLC (PC-PLC) from Bacillus cereus to the medium of quiescent cells raised the intracellular diglyceride concentration and stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation, although PC-PLC did not support continuous proliferation. PC-PLC treatment did not induce tyrosine phosphorylation or turnover of the CSF-1 receptor. The major protein kinase C (PKC) isotype in BAC1.2F5 cells was PKC-delta. Diglyceride production from PC-PLC did not target PKC-delta, since unlike phorbol esters, PC-PLC treatment neither decreased the electrophoretic mobility of PKC-delta nor increased the amount of GTP bound to Ras, and PC-PLC was mitogenically active in BAC1.2F5 cells in which PKC-delta was downregulated by prolonged treatment with phorbol ester. PC-PLC mimicked CSF-1 action by elevating c-fos and junB mRNAs to 40% of the level induced by CSF-1; however, PC-PLC induced c-myc mRNA to only 5% of the level in CSF-1-stimulated cells. PC-PLC addition to CSF-1-dependent BAC1.2F5 clones that constitutively express c-myc increased [3H]thymidine incorporation to 86% of the level evoked by CSF-1 and supported slow growth in the absence of CSF-1. Therefore, PC-PLC is a component of a signal transduction pathway leading to transcription of c-fos and junB that collaborates with c-myc and is independent of PKC-delta and Ras activation.

  16. Light-triggered liposomal cargo delivery platform incorporating photosensitizers and gold nanoparticles for enhanced singlet oxygen generation and increased cytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Kautzka, Zofia; Clement, Sandhya; Goldys, Ewa M; Deng, Wei

    2017-01-01

    We developed light-triggered liposomes incorporating 3-5 nm hydrophobic gold nanoparticles and Rose Bengal (RB), a well-known photosensitizer used for photodynamic therapy. Singlet oxygen generated by these liposomes with 532 nm light illumination was characterized for varying the molar ratio of lipids and gold nanoparticles while keeping the amount of RB constant. Gold nanoparticles were found to enhance the singlet oxygen generation rate, with a maximum enhancement factor of 1.75 obtained for the molar ratio of hydrogenated soy l-α-phosphatidylcholine:1,2-dioleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine- N -(hexanoylamine):gold of 57:5:17 compared with liposomes loaded with RB alone. The experimental results could be explained by the local electric field enhancement caused by gold nanoparticles. We further assessed cellular cytotoxicity of gold-loaded liposomes by encapsulating an antitumor drug, doxorubicin (Dox); such Dox-loaded liposomes were applied to human colorectal cancer cells (HCT116) and exposed to light. Gold-loaded liposomes containing RB and Dox where Dox release was triggered by light were found to exhibit higher cytotoxicity compared with the liposomes loaded with RB and Dox alone. Our results indicate that gold-loaded liposomes incorporating photosensitizers may serve as improved agents in photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy.

  17. Liposomal lidocaine gel for topical use at the oral mucosa: characterization, in vitro assays and in vivo anesthetic efficacy in humans.

    PubMed

    Franz-Montan, Michelle; Baroni, Daniela; Brunetto, Giovana; Sobral, Viviane Roberta Vieira; da Silva, Camila Morais Gonçalves; Venâncio, Paulo; Zago, Patricia Wiziack; Cereda, Cintia Maria Saia; Volpato, Maria Cristina; de Araújo, Daniele Ribeiro; de Paula, Eneida; Groppo, Francisco Carlos

    2015-03-01

    To characterize liposomal-lidocaine formulations for topical use on oral mucosa and to compare their in vitro permeation and in vivo anesthetic efficacy with commercially available lidocaine formulations. Large unilamellar liposomes (400 nm) containing lidocaine were prepared using phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, and α-tocoferol (4:3:0.07, w:w:w) and were characterized in terms of membrane/water partition coefficient, encapsulation efficiency, size, polydispersity, zeta potential, and in vitro release. In vitro permeation across pig palatal mucosa and in vivo topical anesthetic efficacy on the palatal mucosa in healthy volunteers (double-blinded cross-over, placebo controlled study) were performed. The following formulations were tested: liposome-encapsulated 5% lidocaine (Liposome-Lido5); liposome-encapsulated 2.5% lidocaine (Liposome-Lido2.5); 5% lidocaine ointment (Xylocaina®), and eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine 2.5% (EMLA®). The Liposome-Lido5 and EMLA showed the best in vitro permeation parameters (flux and permeability coefficient) in comparison with Xylocaina and placebo groups, as well as the best in vivo topical anesthetic efficacy. We successfully developed and characterized a liposome encapsulated 5% lidocaine gel. It could be considered an option to other topical anesthetic agents for oral mucosa.

  18. Light-triggered liposomal cargo delivery platform incorporating photosensitizers and gold nanoparticles for enhanced singlet oxygen generation and increased cytotoxicity

    PubMed Central

    Kautzka, Zofia; Clement, Sandhya; Goldys, Ewa M; Deng, Wei

    2017-01-01

    We developed light-triggered liposomes incorporating 3–5 nm hydrophobic gold nanoparticles and Rose Bengal (RB), a well-known photosensitizer used for photodynamic therapy. Singlet oxygen generated by these liposomes with 532 nm light illumination was characterized for varying the molar ratio of lipids and gold nanoparticles while keeping the amount of RB constant. Gold nanoparticles were found to enhance the singlet oxygen generation rate, with a maximum enhancement factor of 1.75 obtained for the molar ratio of hydrogenated soy l-α-phosphatidylcholine:1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-(hexanoylamine):gold of 57:5:17 compared with liposomes loaded with RB alone. The experimental results could be explained by the local electric field enhancement caused by gold nanoparticles. We further assessed cellular cytotoxicity of gold-loaded liposomes by encapsulating an antitumor drug, doxorubicin (Dox); such Dox-loaded liposomes were applied to human colorectal cancer cells (HCT116) and exposed to light. Gold-loaded liposomes containing RB and Dox where Dox release was triggered by light were found to exhibit higher cytotoxicity compared with the liposomes loaded with RB and Dox alone. Our results indicate that gold-loaded liposomes incorporating photosensitizers may serve as improved agents in photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy. PMID:28203076

  19. Phosphatidylcholine from "Healthful" Egg Yolk Varieties: An Organic Laboratory Experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hodges, Linda C.

    1995-12-01

    I have added an investigative element to a popular undergraduate experiment. the characterization of phosphatidylcholine (PC) from egg yolks. Varieties of eggs are commercially available which have been obtained from chickens fed a diet containing no animal fat. Presumably, less saturated fat in the diet of the chickens could be reflected in the fatty acid composition of various classes of biological lipids, including phospholipids, in the eggs from these chickens. PC is extracted using conventional methods, the extract is further purified by chromatography on silicic acid, and the column fractions are assayed for the presence and purity of PC by TLC. Fractions containing pure PC are pooled, concentrated, hydrolyzed, and esterified to obtain the fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) which are identified by GLC. Comparing FAMEs derived from PC of yolks of regular eggs to those obtained from the other special brands adds a novel twist to the students' work and generates greater student interest and involvement in both the interpretation of data than a simple isolation of a biological compound alone evokes.

  20. Mutations disrupting the Kennedy phosphatidylcholine pathway in humans with congenital lipodystrophy and fatty liver disease.

    PubMed

    Payne, Felicity; Lim, Koini; Girousse, Amandine; Brown, Rebecca J; Kory, Nora; Robbins, Ann; Xue, Yali; Sleigh, Alison; Cochran, Elaine; Adams, Claire; Dev Borman, Arundhati; Russel-Jones, David; Gorden, Phillip; Semple, Robert K; Saudek, Vladimir; O'Rahilly, Stephen; Walther, Tobias C; Barroso, Inês; Savage, David B

    2014-06-17

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the major glycerophospholipid in eukaryotic cells and is an essential component in all cellular membranes. The biochemistry of de novo PC synthesis by the Kennedy pathway is well established, but less is known about the physiological functions of PC. We identified two unrelated patients with defects in the Kennedy pathway due to biallellic loss-of-function mutations in phosphate cytidylyltransferase 1 alpha (PCYT1A), the rate-limiting enzyme in this pathway. The mutations lead to a marked reduction in PCYT1A expression and PC synthesis. The phenotypic consequences include some features, such as severe fatty liver and low HDL cholesterol levels, that are predicted by the results of previously reported liver-specific deletion of murine Pcyt1a. Both patients also had lipodystrophy, severe insulin resistance, and diabetes, providing evidence for an additional and essential role for PCYT1A-generated PC in the normal function of white adipose tissue and insulin action.

  1. Mutations disrupting the Kennedy phosphatidylcholine pathway in humans with congenital lipodystrophy and fatty liver disease

    PubMed Central

    Payne, Felicity; Lim, Koini; Girousse, Amandine; Brown, Rebecca J.; Kory, Nora; Robbins, Ann; Xue, Yali; Sleigh, Alison; Cochran, Elaine; Adams, Claire; Dev Borman, Arundhati; Russel-Jones, David; Gorden, Phillip; Semple, Robert K.; Saudek, Vladimir; O’Rahilly, Stephen; Walther, Tobias C.; Barroso, Inês; Savage, David B.

    2014-01-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the major glycerophospholipid in eukaryotic cells and is an essential component in all cellular membranes. The biochemistry of de novo PC synthesis by the Kennedy pathway is well established, but less is known about the physiological functions of PC. We identified two unrelated patients with defects in the Kennedy pathway due to biallellic loss-of-function mutations in phosphate cytidylyltransferase 1 alpha (PCYT1A), the rate-limiting enzyme in this pathway. The mutations lead to a marked reduction in PCYT1A expression and PC synthesis. The phenotypic consequences include some features, such as severe fatty liver and low HDL cholesterol levels, that are predicted by the results of previously reported liver-specific deletion of murine Pcyt1a. Both patients also had lipodystrophy, severe insulin resistance, and diabetes, providing evidence for an additional and essential role for PCYT1A-generated PC in the normal function of white adipose tissue and insulin action. PMID:24889630

  2. [Spectrophotometric study of the interaction between rhenium complexes and phosphatidylcholine during liposome formation].

    PubMed

    Shtemenko, O V; Zeleniuk, M A; Shtemenko, N I; Verbyts'ka, Ia S

    2002-01-01

    The electron absorption spectra of halogenides and halogencarboxylate complex compounds of rhenium (III) having cluster structure with phosphatydilcholine and their lyposome forms were investigated. Some results which evidence for the interaction of these compounds with phosphatydilcholine were obtained. The possible mechanism of this interaction is discussed.

  3. Design of liposomal colloidal systems for ocular delivery of ciprofloxacin

    PubMed Central

    Taha, Ehab I.; El-Anazi, Magda H.; El-Bagory, Ibrahim M.; Bayomi, Mohsen A.

    2013-01-01

    Ophthalmic drug bioavailability is limited due to protective mechanisms of the eye which require the design of a system to enhance ocular delivery. In this study several liposomal formulations containing ciprofloxacin (CPX) have been formulated using reverse phase evaporation technique with final dispersion of pH 7.4. Different types of phospholipids including Phosphatidylcholine, Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and Dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine were utilized. The effect of formulation factors such as type of phospholipid, cholesterol content, incorporation of positively charging inducing agents and ultrasonication on the properties of the liposomal vesicles was studied. Bioavailability of selected liposomal formulations in rabbit eye aqueous humor has been investigated and compared with that of commercially available CPX eye drops (Ciprocin®). Pharmacokinetic parameters including Cmax, Tmax, elimination rate constant, t1/2, MRT and AUC0–∞, were determined. The investigated formulations showed more than three folds of improvement in CPX ocular bioavailability compared with the commercial product. PMID:25061409

  4. The use of zeta potential as a tool to study phase transitions in binary phosphatidylcholines mixtures.

    PubMed

    Sierra, M B; Pedroni, V I; Buffo, F E; Disalvo, E A; Morini, M A

    2016-06-01

    Temperature dependence of the zeta potential (ZP) is proposed as a tool to analyze the thermotropic behavior of unilamellar liposomes prepared from binary mixtures of phosphatidylcholines in the absence or presence of ions in aqueous suspensions. Since the lipid phase transition influences the surface potential of the liposome reflecting a sharp change in the ZP during the transition, it is proposed as a screening method for transition temperatures in complex systems, given its high sensitivity and small amount of sample required, that is, 70% less than that required in the use of conventional calorimeters. The sensitivity is also reflected in the pre-transition detection in the presence of ions. Plots of phase boundaries for these mixed-lipid vesicles were constructed by plotting the delimiting temperatures of both main phase transition and pre-transition vs. the lipid composition of the vesicle. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies, although subject to uncertainties in interpretation due to broad bands in lipid mixtures, allowed the validation of the temperature dependence of the ZP method for determining the phase transition and pre-transition temperatures. The system chosen was dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC/DPPC), the most common combination in biological membranes. This work may be considered as a starting point for further research into more complex lipid mixtures with functional biological importance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Distribution of phospholipid based formulations in the skin investigated by combined ATR-FTIR and tape stripping experiments.

    PubMed

    Wolf, Martin; Halper, Maria; Pribyl, Raffaela; Baurecht, Dieter; Valenta, Claudia

    2017-03-15

    The spatial distribution of exogenous substances in the stratum corneum (SC) could have an influence on their skin irritation potential. In this study it was possible to monitor the distribution of phospholipids with their phosphatidylcholine scaffold on porcine ear skin by combining tape stripping and in vitro ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Significant vibrational modes in the spectra could be successfully assigned to the functional groups of the molecules. Thus it was possible to track the phospholipids without the need of their deuterated form by calculating difference spectra from the treated - untreated skin samples. The correlation between four characteristic bands (R 2 ≥0.9909) revealed the excellent suitability of this semi-quantitative method for deep profiling analysis. The penetration capabilities of aqueous suspensions of the different phospholipid compositions as well as two monoacyl-phosphatidylcholine based liposome formulations were investigated using this method. Nevertheless, differences in the distribution of the investigated phospholipid species, having different amounts of monoacyl-phosphatidylcholine, could not be found. It could be clearly shown that the deepest skin penetration was seen in the irritating anionic SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) out of the aqueous solution. The aqueous suspensions based on different phospholipid surfactants showed the same range of penetration depth (10-15% of SC), whereas the smallest skin penetration depth was observed after the application of liposomal formulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Plant phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipases C NPC3 and NPC4 with roles in root development and brassinolide signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Wimalasekera, Rinukshi; Pejchar, Premysl; Holk, André; Martinec, Jan; Scherer, Günther F E

    2010-05-01

    Phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipase C (PC-PLC) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to generate phosphocholine and diacylglycerol (DAG). PC-PLC has a long tradition in animal signal transduction to generate DAG as a second messenger besides the classical phosphatidylinositol splitting phospholipase C (PI-PLC). Based on amino acid sequence similarity to bacterial PC-PLC, six putative PC-PLC genes (NPC1 to NPC6) were identified in the Arabidopsis genome. RT-PCR analysis revealed overlapping expression pattern of NPC genes in root, stem, leaf, flower, and silique. In auxin-treated P(NPC3):GUS and P(NPC4):GUS seedlings, strong increase of GUS activity was visible in roots, leaves, and shoots and, to a weaker extent, in brassinolide-treated (BL) seedlings. P(NPC4):GUS seedlings also responded to cytokinin with increased GUS activity in young leaves. Compared to wild-type, T-DNA insertional knockouts npc3 and npc4 showed shorter primary roots and lower lateral root density at low BL concentrations but increased lateral root densities in response to exogenous 0.05-1.0 μM BL. BL-induced expression of TCH4 and LRX2, which are involved in cell expansion, was impaired but not impaired in repression of CPD, a BL biosynthesis gene, in BL-treated npc3 and npc4. These observations suggest NPC3 and NPC4 are important in BL-mediated signaling in root growth. When treated with 0.1 μM BL, DAG accumulation was observed in tobacco BY-2 cell cultures labeled with fluorescent PC as early as 15 min after application. We hypothesize that at least one PC-PLC is a plant signaling enzyme in BL signal transduction and, as shown earlier, in elicitor signal transduction.

  7. Comparative Study of EPA-enriched Phosphatidylcholine and EPA-enriched Phosphatidylserine on Lipid Metabolism in Mice.

    PubMed

    Ding, Lin; Wang, Dan; Zhou, Miaomiao; Du, Lei; Xu, Jie; Xue, Changhu; Wang, Yuming

    2016-07-01

    Recent studies have shown that EPA enriched PLs have beneficial effects on lipid metabolism. Our previous study has demonstrated that the anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects of EPA-PL were superior to DHA-PL. In the present study, we comparatively evaluated the effects of EPA-enriched phosphatidylcholine (EPA-PC) and EPA-enriched phosphatidylserine (EPA-PS) on lipid metabolism in mice. Both 2% dietary EPA-PC and EPA-PS significantly improved serum and hepatic lipid levels in mice. The HDL-c level in mice on EPA-PC diet was significantly higher than the other two groups. The level of DHA in hepatic TG and PL were significantly increased in both EPA-PC and EPA-PS fed groups (98.3 and 117.8%, respectively; p < 0.05). Notably, the proportion of DHA in EPA-PS group was significantly higher than the EPA-PC group. EPA-PC and EPA-PS suppressed hepatic SREBP-1c mediated lipogenesis and activated PPARα mediated fatty acid β-oxidation in the liver. These data are the first to indicate that EPA-PS has beneficial effects on lipid metabolism.

  8. Determination of drug lipophilicity by phosphatidylcholine-modified microemulsion high-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Xuan, Xueyi; Xu, Liyuan; Li, Liangxing; Gao, Chongkai; Li, Ning

    2015-07-25

    A new biomembrane-mimetic liquid chromatographic method using a C8 stationary phase and phosphatidylcholine-modified (PC-modified) microemulsion mobile phase was used to estimate unionized and ionized drugs lipophilicity expressed as an n-octanol/water partition coefficient (logP and logD). The introduction of PC into sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) microemulsion yielded a good correlation between logk and logD (R(2)=0.8). The optimal composition of the PC-modified microemulsion liquid chromatography (PC-modified MELC) mobile phase was 0.2% PC-3.0% SDS-6.0% n-butanol-0.8% ethyl acetate-90.0% water (pH 7.0) for neutral and ionized molecules. The interactions between the analytes and system described by this chromatographic method is more similar to biological membrane than the n-octanol/water partition system. The result in this paper suggests that PC-modified MELC can serve as a possible alternative to the shake-flask method for high-throughput unionized and ionized drugs lipophilicity determination and simulation of biological processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Effect of cholesterol on the interaction of the amphibian antimicrobial peptide DD K with liposomes.

    PubMed

    Verly, Rodrigo M; Rodrigues, Magali A; Daghastanli, Katia Regina P; Denadai, Angelo Márcio L; Cuccovia, Iolanda M; Bloch, Carlos; Frézard, Frédéric; Santoro, Marcelo M; Piló-Veloso, Dorila; Bemquerer, Marcelo P

    2008-01-01

    DD K is an antimicrobial peptide previously isolated from the skin of the amphibian Phyllomedusa distincta. The effect of cholesterol on synthetic DD K binding to egg lecithin liposomes was investigated by intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan residue, measurements of kinetics of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF) leakage, dynamic light scattering and isothermal titration microcalorimetry. An 8 nm blue shift of tryptophan maximum emission fluorescence was observed when DD K was in the presence of lecithin liposomes compared to the value observed for liposomes containing 43 mol% cholesterol. The rate and the extent of CF release were also significantly reduced by the presence of cholesterol. Dynamic light scattering showed that lecithin liposome size increase from 115 to 140 nm when titrated with DD K but addition of cholesterol reduces the liposome size increments. Isothermal titration microcalorimetry studies showed that DD K binding both to liposomes containing cholesterol as to liposomes devoid of it is more entropically than enthalpically favored. Nevertheless, the peptide concentration necessary to furnish an adjustable titration curve is much higher for liposomes containing cholesterol at 43 mol% (2 mmol L(-1)) than in its absence (93 micromol L(-1)). Apparent binding constant values were 2160 and 10,000 L mol(-1), respectively. The whole data indicate that DD K binding to phosphatidylcholine liposomes is significantly affected by cholesterol, which contributes to explain the low hemolytic activity of the peptide.

  10. An egg injection method for assessing early life stage mortality of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and biphenyls in rainbow trout, (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Walker, M.K.; Hufnagle, L.C.; Clayton, M.K.; Peterson, R.E.

    1992-01-01

    To characterize the risk that polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and biphenyls (PCBs) pose to salmonid early life stage survival, we developed a method to expose rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs to graded doses of PCDD, PCDF, and PCB congeners, using 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) as a prototype. Rainbow trout eggs were injected 24–50 h post-fertilization with 0.2 μl of 50 mM phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes (control) or 0.2 μl of 5–7 graded doses of TCDD incorporated into 50 mM PC liposomes. Injection volume never exceeded 0.6% egg volume. Immediately following injection, the injection site was sealed with Super glue®, resulting in 92–97% of TCDD dose retained by the egg. Following both egg injection and waterborne egg exposure. TCDD toxicity in rainbow trout was manifested by half-hatching mortality but predominantly by sac fry mortality associated with hemorrhages, pericardial edema, and yolk sac edema. TCDD LD50s, following injection and waterborne exposure of rainbow trout eggs, were 421 (331–489) and 439 (346–519) pg TCDD/g egg (LD50, 95% fiducial limits), respectively. As in rainbow trout, TCDD toxicity in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) following the same two routes of exposure was manifested by half-hatching mortality but predominantly by sac fry mortality preceded by hemorrhages and yolk sac edema. LD50s, based on the dose of TCDD in lake trout eggs, were 47 (21–65) and 65 (60–71) pg/g following injection and waterborne exposure, respectively. The egg injection method is ideal for assessing the relationship between early life stage mortality in rainbow trout and graded egg doses of individual PCDD, PCDF, or PCB congeners.

  11. Phospholipase C-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine is a target of transforming growth factor beta 1 inhibitory signals.

    PubMed Central

    Diaz-Meco, M T; Dominguez, I; Sanz, L; Municio, M M; Berra, E; Cornet, M E; Garcia de Herreros, A; Johansen, T; Moscat, J

    1992-01-01

    Cell growth and tumor transformation can be restrained in certain cell systems by the action of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). It has been established that the mechanism whereby TGF-beta 1 inhibits cell growth does not interfere with the triggering of early mitogenic signal transduction mechanisms. Phospholipase C-catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a relatively late step in the cascade activated by growth factors. Therefore, conceivably activation of phospholipase C-catalyzed hydrolysis of PC could be the target of TGF-beta 1 action. In the study reported here, we demonstrate that TGF-beta 1 inhibits the coupling of ras p21 to the activation of PC hydrolysis, which appears to be critical for the antiproliferative effects of TGF-beta 1. Images PMID:1309592

  12. Permeation of halide anions through phospholipid bilayers occurs by the solubility-diffusion mechanism

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Paula, S.; Volkov, A. G.; Deamer, D. W.

    1998-01-01

    Two alternative mechanisms are frequently used to describe ionic permeation of lipid bilayers. In the first, ions partition into the hydrophobic phase and then diffuse across (the solubility-diffusion mechanism). The second mechanism assumes that ions traverse the bilayer through transient hydrophilic defects caused by thermal fluctuations (the pore mechanism). The theoretical predictions made by both models were tested for halide anions by measuring the permeability coefficients for chloride, bromide, and iodide as a function of bilayer thickness, ionic radius, and sign of charge. To vary the bilayer thickness systematically, liposomes were prepared from monounsaturated phosphatidylcholines (PC) with chain lengths between 16 and 24 carbon atoms. The fluorescent dye MQAE (N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide) served as an indicator for halide concentration inside the liposomes and was used to follow the kinetics of halide flux across the bilayer membranes. The observed permeability coefficients ranged from 10(-9) to 10(-7) cm/s and increased as the bilayer thickness was reduced. Bromide was found to permeate approximately six times faster than chloride through bilayers of identical thickness, and iodide permeated three to four times faster than bromide. The dependence of the halide permeability coefficients on bilayer thickness and on ionic size were consistent with permeation of hydrated ions by a solubility-diffusion mechanism rather than through transient pores. Halide permeation therefore differs from that of a monovalent cation such as potassium, which has been accounted for by a combination of the two mechanisms depending on bilayer thickness.

  13. Analysis of the 22-NBD-cholesterol transfer between liposome membranes and its relation to the intermembrane exchange of 25-hydroxycholesterol.

    PubMed

    Ishii, Haruyuki; Shimanouchi, Toshinori; Umakoshi, Hiroshi; Walde, Peter; Kuboi, Ryoichi

    2010-05-01

    The transfer of 22-NBD-cholesterol (22-(N-(7-Nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)-23,24-bisnor-5-cholen-3-ol) between two liposome membranes was quantitatively analyzed by using the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) method. Liposomes labeled with both 22-NBD-cholesterol and a rhodamine-labeled phosphatidylethanolamine (Rh-DHPE) were used as donor liposomes, and the 22-NBD-cholesterol transfer from these donor liposomes to acceptor liposomes prepared from same type of phosphatidylcholine was monitored. The transfer kinetics was found to be composed of a fast and a slow phase, and all kinetic measurements could be fitted with a bi-exponential model. The results obtained indicate that the 22-NBD-cholesterol transfer kinetics between liposome membranes depends on the fluidity of the liposome used and that the curvature may affect the kinetics. Furthermore, the behavior of 22-NBD-cholesterol in lipid membrane is similar to that of the oxysterol 25-hydroxycholesterol rather than cholesterol. It is proposed that 22-NBD-cholesterol can be a useful fluorescent probe to mimic the intermembrane transfer of oxidized cholesterols like 25-hydroxycholesterol, rather than that of cholesterol itself. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Composition Based Strategies for Controlling Radii in Lipid Nanotubes

    PubMed Central

    Kurczy, Michael E.; Mellander, Lisa J.; Najafinobar, Neda; Cans, Ann-Sofie

    2014-01-01

    Nature routinely carries out small-scale chemistry within lipid bound cells and organelles. Liposome–lipid nanotube networks are being developed by many researchers in attempt to imitate these membrane enclosed environments, with the goal to perform small-scale chemical studies. These systems are well characterized in terms of the diameter of the giant unilamellar vesicles they are constructed from and the length of the nanotubes connecting them. Here we evaluate two methods based on intrinsic curvature for adjusting the diameter of the nanotube, an aspect of the network that has not previously been controllable. This was done by altering the lipid composition of the network membrane with two different approaches. In the first, the composition of the membrane was altered via lipid incubation of exogenous lipids; either with the addition of the low intrinsic curvature lipid soy phosphatidylcholine (soy-PC) or the high intrinsic curvature lipid soy phosphatidylethanolamine (soy-PE). In the second approach, exogenous lipids were added to the total lipid composition during liposome formation. Here we show that for both lipid augmentation methods, we observed a decrease in nanotube diameter following soy-PE additions but no significant change in size following the addition of soy-PC. Our results demonstrate that the effect of soy-PE on nanotube diameter is independent of the method of addition and suggests that high curvature soy-PE molecules facilitate tube membrane curvature. PMID:24392077

  15. Studies of phosphatidylcholine vesicles by spectroturbidimetric and dynamic light scattering methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khlebtsov, B. N.; Kovler, L. A.; Bogatyrev, V. A.; Khlebtsov, N. G.; Shchyogolev, S. Yu.

    2003-09-01

    A spectroturbidimetric method for the determination of the average size and thickness of the shell in polydisperse suspensions of liposome particles is discussed. The method is based on measuring the wavelength exponent of a suspension (a slope of the logarithmic turbidity spectrum) and the specific turbidity (the turbidity per unit mass concentration of the dispersed substance). The inverse problem was solved using an exact calculation of characteristics of light scattering for polydisperse suspensions of spherical bilayer particles with allowance for the spectral dependence of optical constants. A practical realization of this method is illustrated by the experimental determinations of the structural parameters of liposomes prepared from egg lecithin. Comparison experiments to determine the liposome size by the dynamic (quasielastic) light scattering method were performed as an independent control.

  16. Characterization and Antilisterial Effect of Phosphatidylcholine Nanovesicles Containing the Antimicrobial Peptide Pediocin.

    PubMed

    de Mello, Michele Brauner; da Silva Malheiros, Patrícia; Brandelli, Adriano; Pesce da Silveira, Nádya; Jantzen, Márcia Monks; de Souza da Motta, Amanda

    2013-03-01

    Encapsulation may provide increased stability and antimicrobial efficiency to bacteriocins. In this work, the antilisterial peptide pediocin was encapsulated in nanovesicles prepared from partially purified soybean phosphatidylcholine. The maintenance of antimicrobial activity and properties of free and encapsulated pediocin was observed during 13 days at 4 °C, and after this period, the encapsulated pediocin retained 50 % its initial activity. The maintenance of the bioactive properties of free and encapsulated pediocin was observed against different species of Listeria, inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua and Listeria ivanovii. The size of vesicles containing pediocin was determined by dynamic light scattering as an average of 190 nm, with little change throughout the observation period. Polydispersity index values were around 0.201 and are considered satisfactory, indicating an adequate size distribution of liposomes. The efficiency of encapsulation was 80 %. Considering these results, the protocol used was appropriate for the encapsulation of this bacteriocin. Results demonstrate the production of stable nanoparticulate material. The maintenance of the properties of pediocin encapsulated in liposomes is fundamental to prospect the stability in different conditions of the food matrix.

  17. Production of functional bacteriorhodopsin by an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system supplemented with steroid detergent and lipid.

    PubMed

    Shimono, Kazumi; Goto, Mie; Kikukawa, Takashi; Miyauchi, Seiji; Shirouzu, Mikako; Kamo, Naoki; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki

    2009-10-01

    Cell-free expression has become a highly promising tool for the efficient production of membrane proteins. In this study, we used a dialysis-based Escherichia coli cell-free system for the production of a membrane protein actively integrated into liposomes. The membrane protein was the light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin, consisting of seven transmembrane alpha-helices. The cell-free expression system in the dialysis mode was supplemented with a combination of a detergent and a natural lipid, phosphatidylcholine from egg yolk, in only the reaction mixture. By examining a variety of detergents, we found that the combination of a steroid detergent (digitonin, cholate, or CHAPS) and egg phosphatidylcholine yielded a large amount (0.3-0.7 mg/mL reaction mixture) of the fully functional bacteriorhodopsin. We also analyzed the process of functional expression in our system. The synthesized polypeptide was well protected from aggregation by the detergent-lipid mixed micelles and/or lipid disks, and was integrated into liposomes upon detergent removal by dialysis. This approach might be useful for the high yield production of functional membrane proteins.

  18. Development of a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based enzyme activity assay for phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C.

    PubMed

    Murakami, Chiaki; Mizuno, Satoru; Kado, Sayaka; Sakane, Fumio

    2017-06-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC)-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) hydrolyzes PC to generate the second messenger 1,2-diacylglycerol (DG) and phosphocholine. PC-PLC plays pivotal roles in inflammation, carcinogenesis, tumor progression, atherogenesis, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Although the activity of PC-PLC in mammalian tissues was discovered approximately 40 years ago, neither the protein nor its gene has been identified. In the present study, we developed a non-radioactive enzyme activity assay for PC-PLC based on mass spectrometric detection of DG following HPLC separation. This new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) assay directly determines a specific reaction product, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-DG, that is generated from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-PC by purified Bacillus cereus PC-PLC. The LC-MS assay offers several advantages including a lower background (0.02% versus 91%), higher signal background ratio (4242 versus 1.06)/signal noise ratio (7494 versus 4.4), higher sensitivity (≥32-fold), and lower limit of quantitation (0.04 pmol versus 0.69 pmol of PC-PLC), than a conventional fluorometric assay, which indirectly detects phosphocholine produced in the reaction. In addition to Bacillus cereus PC-PLC, the LC-MS assay was applicable to the measurement of mammalian PC-PLC prepared from the mouse brain. The radioisotope-free, highly sensitive and precise LC-MS assay for PC-PLC would be useful for the purification and identification of PC-PLC protein. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Conjugation of isoniazid to a zinc phthalocyanine via hydrazone linkage for pH-dependent liposomal controlled release

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nkanga, Christian Isalomboto; Krause, Rui Werner Maçedo

    2018-05-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of mortality from infectious diseases. Extended TB treatment and frequent adverse effects, due to poor bioavailability of anti-tubercular drugs (ATBDs), represent the main rationales behind liposomal encapsulation for controlled delivery. Liposomes have been reported as potential vehicles for targeted delivery of ATBDs due to their rapid uptake by macrophages, which are known as the main host cells for TB causative agent (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Additionally, the need for controlled release of ATBDs arises because leakage is part of the key liposome challenges for hydrophilic compounds like isoniazid (INH). In this study, INH was conjugated to a highly hydrophobic photosensitizer, zinc (II) phthalocyanine (PC), through hydrazone bonding. The obtained conjugate (PC-INH) was encapsulated in liposomes by film hydration method. PC-INH loaded liposomes (PILs) were characterized using dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry and UV-Vis absorption spectrometry, which was used also for estimation of encapsulation efficiency (%EE). INH release was evaluated in different pH media using dialysis. Particle size, zeta potential and %EE of PILs were about 506 nm, - 55 mV and 72%, respectively. Over 12 h, PILs exhibited 22, 41, 97 and 100% of INH, respectively, released in pH 7.4, 6.4, 5.4 and 4.4 media. This pH-dependent behavior is attractive for site-specific delivery. These findings suggest the conjugation of chemotherapeutics to phthalocyanines using pH-labile linkages as a potential strategy for liposomal controlled release.

  20. Improvement of Peptide-Based Tumor Immunotherapy Using pH-Sensitive Fusogenic Polymer-Modified Liposomes.

    PubMed

    Yoshizaki, Yuta; Yuba, Eiji; Komatsu, Toshihiro; Udaka, Keiko; Harada, Atsushi; Kono, Kenji

    2016-09-26

    To establish peptide vaccine-based cancer immunotherapy, we investigated the improvement of antigenic peptides by encapsulation with pH-sensitive fusogenic polymer-modified liposomes for induction of antigen-specific immunity. The liposomes were prepared by modification of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine and l-dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine with 3-methyl-glutarylated hyperbranched poly(glycidol) (MGlu-HPG) and were loaded with antigenic peptides derived from ovalbumin (OVA) OVA-I (SIINFEKL), and OVA-II (PSISQAVHAAHAEINEAP β A), which bind, respectively, to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules on dendritic cell (DCs). The peptide-loaded liposomes were taken up efficiently by DCs. The peptides were delivered into their cytosol. Administration of OVA-I-loaded MGlu-HPG-modified liposomes to mice bearing OVA-expressing E.G7-OVA tumors induced the activation of OVA-specific CTLs much more efficiently than the administration of free OVA-I peptide did. Mice strongly rejected E.G7-OVA cells after immunization with OVA-I peptide-loaded MGlu-HPG liposomes, although mice treated with free OVA-I peptide only slightly rejected the cells. Furthermore, efficient suppression of tumor volume was observed when tumor-bearing mice were immunized with OVA-I-peptide-loaded liposomes. Immunization with OVA-II-loaded MGlu-HPG-modified liposomes exhibited much lower tumor-suppressive effects. Results indicate that MGlu-HPG liposomes might be useful for improvement of CTL-inducing peptides for efficient cancer immunotherapy.

  1. Anticardiolipin antibodies from syphilis and systemic lupus erythematosus induce leakage in cardiolipin vesicles.

    PubMed

    Gremião, M P; Celli, C M; Chaimovich, H

    1996-04-01

    Anticardiolipin antibodies from sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or syphilis induced leakage of entrapped carboxyfluorescein (CF) from cardiolipin (CL)/phosphatidylcholine(PC) vesicles prepared by sonication of equimolar mixtures of CL:PC. The sera dilution used here was 1:7500. IgG (5-20 micrograms/ml) from the same sera, not containing beta 2GPI, also produced a concentration-dependent leak. Vesicle leakage was inhibited by salt and was not detected with vesicles prepared exclusively with phosphatidylcholine. The demonstration of antibody-induced vesicle leakage offers a convenient system to investigate the mechanism of antibody-lipid binding as well as a potential diagnostic tool.

  2. Formulation, antileukemia mechanism, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution of a novel liposomal emodin

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Tiechuang; Yin, Xiaodong; Lu, Yaping; Shan, Weiguang; Xiong, Subin

    2012-01-01

    Emodin is a multifunctional Chinese traditional medicine with poor water solubility. D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) is a pegylated vitamin E derivate. In this study, a novel liposomal-emodin-conjugating TPGS was formulated and compared with methoxypolyethyleneglycol 2000-derivatized distearoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (mPEG2000–DSPE) liposomal emodin. TPGS improved the encapsulation efficiency and stability of emodin egg phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol liposomes. A high encapsulation efficiency of 95.2% ± 3.0%, particle size of 121.1 ± 44.9 nm, spherical ultrastructure, and sustained in vitro release of TPGS liposomal emodin were observed; these were similar to mPEG2000–DSPE liposomes. Only the zeta potential of −13.1 ± 2.7 mV was significantly different to that for mPEG2000–DSPE liposomes. Compared to mPEG2000–DSPE liposomes, TPGS liposomes improved the cytotoxicity of emodin on leukemia cells by regulating the protein levels of myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein, which was further enhanced by transferrin. TPGS liposomes prolonged the circulation time of emodin in the blood, with the area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) 1.7 times larger than for free emodin and 0.91 times larger than for mPEG2000–DSPE liposomes. In addition, TPGS liposomes showed higher AUC for emodin in the lung and kidney than for mPEG2000–DSPE liposomes, and both liposomes elevated the amount of emodin in the heart. Overall, TPGS is a pegylated agent that could potentially be used to compose a stable liposomal emodin with enhanced therapeutics. PMID:22661889

  3. Lateral organization of mixed, two-phosphatidylcholine liposomes as investigated by GPS, the slope of Laurdan generalized polarization spectra.

    PubMed

    Vallejo, Alba A; Velázquez, Jesús B; Fernández, Marta S

    2007-10-01

    The effect of the excitation or emission wavelengths on Laurdan generalized polarization (GP) can be evaluated by GPS, a quantitative, simplified determination of the GP spectrum slope, the thermotropic dependence of which allows the assessment of phospholipid lamellar membrane phase, as shown in a recent publication of our laboratory [J.B. Velázquez, M.S. Fernández, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 455 (2006) 163-174]. In the present work, we applied Laurdan GPS to phase transition studies of mixed, two-phosphatidylcholine liposomes prepared from variable proportions of dimyristoyl- and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC and DPPC, respectively). We have found that the GPS function reports a clear limit between the gel/liquid-crystalline phase coexistence region and the liquid-crystalline state, not only at a certain temperature T(c) for liposomes of constant composition submitted to temperature scans, but also at a defined mole fraction X(c), for two-component liposomes of variable composition at constant temperature. The T(c) or the X(c) values obtained from GPS vs. temperature or GPS vs. composition plots, respectively, allow the construction of a partial phase diagram for the DMPC-DPPC mixtures, showing the boundary between the two-phase coexisting region and the liquid-crystalline state. Likewise, at the onset of the transition region, i.e., the two-phase coexisting region as detected by GPS, it is possible to determine, although with less precision, a temperature T(o) or a mole fraction X(o) defining a boundary located below but near the limit between the gel and ripple phase, reported in the literature. These GPS results are consistent with the proposal by several authors that a fraction of L(alpha) phospholipids coexists with gel phospholipids in the rippled phase.

  4. Accumulation of phosphatidylcholine on gut mucosal surface is not dominated by electrostatic interactions.

    PubMed

    Korytowski, Agatha; Abuillan, Wasim; Amadei, Federico; Makky, Ali; Gumiero, Andrea; Sinning, Irmgard; Gauss, Annika; Stremmel, Wolfgang; Tanaka, Motomu

    2017-05-01

    The accumulation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) in the intestinal mucus layer is crucial for the protection of colon epithelia from the bacterial attack. It has been reported that the depletion of PC is a distinct feature of ulcerative colitis. Here we addressed the question how PC interacts with its binding proteins, the mucins, which may establish the hydrophobic barrier against colonic microbiota. In the first step, the interactions of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) with two mucin preparations from porcine stomach, have been studied using dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurement, and Langmuir isotherms, suggesting that mucin binds to the surface of DOPC vesicles. The enthalpy of mucin-PC interaction could be determined by isothermal titration calorimetry. The high affinity to PC found for both mucin types seems reasonable, as they mainly consist of mucin 2, a major constituent of the flowing mucus. Moreover, by the systematic variation of net charges, we concluded that the zwitterionic DOPC has the strongest binding affinity that cannot be explained within the electrostatic interactions between charged molecules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Hepatocyte-targeted delivery using ph-sensitive liposomes loaded with lactosylnorcantharidin phospholipid complex: preparation, characterization, and therapeutic evaluation in vivo and in vitro.

    PubMed

    Qiao-ling, Z; Yi, Z; Min, G; Di-jia, Y; Xiao-feng, Z; Yang, L; Jing-yu, X; Ying, W; Zong-lin, G; Kong-lang, X; Ai-jun, Z; Wei-liang, C; Lin-sen, S; Xue-nong, Z; Qiang, Z

    2012-01-01

    Liposomes loaded with lactosyl-norcantharidin phospholipid complex (LPC) were prepared, in which soybean phosphatidylcholine was used to improve the liposolubility of lactosyl-norcantharidin (Lac-NCTD). The pH-sensitive LPC liposomes (pH-LPC-lips) were obtained by electrostatic adsorption of the carboxymethyl chitosan onto the surface of the liposomes. The in vitro drug release of pH-LPC-lips and LPC-lips was investigated in dissolution media with pH ranging from 1.0 to 8.0. The in vitro antitumor activity and cellular uptake of Lac-NCTD and its liposomes to HepG2 cells were studied. The pH-LPC-lips demonstrated strong cytotoxicity against the cells and easily permeated the cell membrane. The in vivo antitumor activities of Lac-NCTD and its liposomes were evaluated in mice bearing H22 liver tumors. The pH-LPC-lips displayed the best tumor inhibitory effect. The optical imaging results indicated that Cy7- labeled pH-LPC-lips showed excellent hepatocyte specificity in H22 tumor-bearing mice. Therefore, pH-LPC-lips can be regarded as liver-targeting agents that combine targeting and active releasing.

  6. Fluorescence study on the interaction of human serum albumin with Butein in liposomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Toprak, Mahmut

    2016-02-01

    The interaction of Butein with human serum albumin in L-egg lecithin phosphatidycholine (PC) liposome has been investigated by fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy. The results of the fluorescence measurement indicated that Butein effectively quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA via static quenching. The Stern-Volmer plots in all the liposome solutions showed a positive deviation from the linearity. According to the thermodynamic parameters, the hydrophobic interactions appeared be the major interaction forces between Butein and HSA. The effect of Butein on the conformation of HSA was also investigated by the synchronous fluorescence under the same experimental conditions. In addition, the partition coefficient of the Butein in the PC liposomes was also determined by using the fluorescence quenching process. The obtained results can be of biological significance in pharmacology and clinical medicine.

  7. Inhibition of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C prevents bone marrow stromal cell senescence in vitro.

    PubMed

    Sun, Chunhui; Wang, Nan; Huang, Jie; Xin, Jie; Peng, Fen; Ren, Yinshi; Zhang, Shangli; Miao, Junying

    2009-10-01

    Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) can proliferate in vitro and can be transplanted for treating many kinds of diseases. However, BMSCs become senescent with long-term culture, which inhibits their application. To understand the mechanism underlying the senescence, we investigated the activity of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) and levels of integrin beta4, caveolin-1 and ROS with BMSC senescence. The activity of PC-PLC and levels of integrin beta4, caveolin-1 and ROS increased greatly during cell senescence. Selective inhibition of increased PC-PLC activity with D609 significantly decreased the number of senescence-associated beta galactosidase positive cells in BMSCs. Furthermore, D609 restored proliferation of BMSCs and their differentiation into adipocytes. Moreover, D609 suppressed the elevated levels of integrin beta4, caveolin-1 and ROS. The data suggest that PC-PLC is involved in senescence of BMSCs, and its function is associated with integrin beta4, caveolin-1 and ROS. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  8. A conserved SREBP-1/phosphatidylcholine feedback circuit regulates lipogenesis in metazoans.

    PubMed

    Walker, Amy K; Jacobs, René L; Watts, Jennifer L; Rottiers, Veerle; Jiang, Karen; Finnegan, Deirdre M; Shioda, Toshi; Hansen, Malene; Yang, Fajun; Niebergall, Lorissa J; Vance, Dennis E; Tzoneva, Monika; Hart, Anne C; Näär, Anders M

    2011-11-11

    Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) activate genes involved in the synthesis and trafficking of cholesterol and other lipids and are critical for maintaining lipid homeostasis. Aberrant SREBP activity, however, can contribute to obesity, fatty liver disease, and insulin resistance, hallmarks of metabolic syndrome. Our studies identify a conserved regulatory circuit in which SREBP-1 controls genes in the one-carbon cycle, which produces the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe). Methylation is critical for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC), a major membrane component, and we find that blocking SAMe or PC synthesis in C. elegans, mouse liver, and human cells causes elevated SREBP-1-dependent transcription and lipid droplet accumulation. Distinct from negative regulation of SREBP-2 by cholesterol, our data suggest a feedback mechanism whereby maturation of nuclear, transcriptionally active SREBP-1 is controlled by levels of PC. Thus, nutritional or genetic conditions limiting SAMe or PC production may activate SREBP-1, contributing to human metabolic disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Regulation of energy substrate utilization and hepatic insulin sensitivity by phosphatidylcholine transfer protein/StarD2.

    PubMed

    Scapa, Erez F; Pocai, Alessandro; Wu, Michele K; Gutierrez-Juarez, Roger; Glenz, Lauren; Kanno, Keishi; Li, Hua; Biddinger, Sudha; Jelicks, Linda A; Rossetti, Luciano; Cohen, David E

    2008-07-01

    Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP, also known as StarD2) is a highly specific intracellular lipid binding protein with accentuated expression in oxidative tissues. Here we show that decreased plasma concentrations of glucose and free fatty acids in fasting PC-TP-deficient (Pctp(-/-)) mice are attributable to increased hepatic insulin sensitivity. In hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies, Pctp(-/-) mice exhibited profound reductions in hepatic glucose production, gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, and glucose cycling. These changes were explained in part by the lack of PC-TP expression in liver per se and in part by marked alterations in body fat composition. Reduced respiratory quotients in Pctp(-/-) mice were indicative of preferential fatty acid utilization for energy production in oxidative tissues. In the setting of decreased hepatic fatty acid synthesis, increased clearance rates of dietary triglycerides and increased hepatic triglyceride production rates reflected higher turnover in Pctp(-/-) mice. Collectively, these data support a key biological role for PC-TP in the regulation of energy substrate utilization.

  10. Disruption of Phosphatidylcholine Monolayers and Bilayers by Perfluorobutane Sulfonate

    PubMed Central

    Oldham, E. Davis; Xie, Wei; Farnoud, Amir M.; Fiegel, Jennifer; Lehmler, Hans-Joachim

    2012-01-01

    Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are persistent environmental contaminants resistant to biological and chemical degradation due to the presence of carbon-fluorine bonds. These compounds exhibit developmental toxicity in vitro and in vivo. The mechanisms of toxicity may involve partitioning into lipid bilayers. We investigated the interaction between perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), an emerging PFAA, and model phosphatidylcholine (PC) lipid assemblies (i.e., dimyristoyl-, dipalmitoyl- and distearylphosphatidylcholine) using fluorescence anisotropy and Langmuir monolayer techniques. PFBS decreased the transition temperature and transition width of PC bilayers. The apparent membrane partition coefficients ranged from 4.9 × 102 to 8.2 × 102. The effects on each PC were comparable. The limiting molecular area of PC monolayers increased and the surface pressure at collapse decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The compressibility of all three PCs was decreased by PFBS. In summary, PFBS disrupted different model lipid assemblies indicating potential for PFBS to be a human toxicant. However the effects of PFBS are not as pronounced as those seen with longer chain PFAAs. PMID:22834732

  11. Modeling and optimization of phospholipase A₁-catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine using response surface methodology for lysophosphatidylcholine production.

    PubMed

    Lim, Chang Wan; Kim, Byung Hee; Kim, In-Hwan; Lee, Moon-Won

    2015-01-01

    Modeling the phospholipase A1 (PLA1 )-catalyzed partial hydrolysis of soy phosphatidylcholine (PC) in hexane for the production of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and optimizing the reaction conditions using response surface methodology were described. The reaction was performed with 4 g of PC in a stirred batch reactor using a commercial PLA1 (Lecitase Ultra) as the biocatalyst. The effects of temperature, reaction time, water content, and enzyme loading on LPC and glycerylphosphorylcholine (GPC) content in the reaction products were elucidated using the models established. Optimal reaction conditions for maximizing the LPC content while suppressing acyl migration, which causes GPC formation, were as follows: temperature, 60°C; reaction time, 3 h; water content, 10% of PC; and enzyme loading, 1% of PC. When the reaction was conducted with 40 g of PC under these conditions, the reaction products contained 83.7 mol % LPC and were free of GPC. LPC had a higher total unsaturated fatty acid content than original PC had and was mainly composed of linoleic acid (78.0 mol % of the total fatty acids). © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  12. Effects of Liposomes Contained in Thermosensitive Hydrogels as Biomaterials Useful in Neural Tissue Engineering.

    PubMed

    Olguín, Yusser; Campos, Cristian; Catalán, Javiera; Velásquez, Luís; Osorio, Fernando; Montenegro, Iván; Madrid, Alejandro; Acevedo, Cristian

    2017-09-22

    Advances in the generation of suitable thermosensitive hydrogels for the delivery of cells in neural tissue engineering demonstrate a delicate relationship between physical properties and capabilities to promote cell proliferation and differentiation. To improve the properties of these materials, it is possible to add liposomes for the controlled release of bioactive elements, which in turn can affect the physical and biological properties of the hydrogels. In the present investigation, different hydrogels based on Pluronic F127 have been formulated with the incorporation of chitosan and two types of liposomes of two different sizes. The rheological and thermal properties and their relation with the neurite proliferation and growth of the PC12 cell line were evaluated. Our results show that the incorporation of liposomes modifies the properties of the hydrogels dependent on the concentration of chitosan and the lipid type in the liposomes, which directly affect the capabilities of the hydrogels to promote the viability and differentiation of PC12 cells.

  13. Effects of Liposomes Contained in Thermosensitive Hydrogels as Biomaterials Useful in Neural Tissue Engineering

    PubMed Central

    Olguín, Yusser; Campos, Cristian; Catalán, Javiera; Velásquez, Luís; Osorio, Fernando; Montenegro, Iván; Madrid, Alejandro; Acevedo, Cristian

    2017-01-01

    Advances in the generation of suitable thermosensitive hydrogels for the delivery of cells in neural tissue engineering demonstrate a delicate relationship between physical properties and capabilities to promote cell proliferation and differentiation. To improve the properties of these materials, it is possible to add liposomes for the controlled release of bioactive elements, which in turn can affect the physical and biological properties of the hydrogels. In the present investigation, different hydrogels based on Pluronic F127 have been formulated with the incorporation of chitosan and two types of liposomes of two different sizes. The rheological and thermal properties and their relation with the neurite proliferation and growth of the PC12 cell line were evaluated. Our results show that the incorporation of liposomes modifies the properties of the hydrogels dependent on the concentration of chitosan and the lipid type in the liposomes, which directly affect the capabilities of the hydrogels to promote the viability and differentiation of PC12 cells. PMID:28937646

  14. Skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine respond to exercise and influence insulin sensitivity in men.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sindre; Norheim, Frode; Gulseth, Hanne L; Langleite, Torgrim M; Aker, Andreas; Gundersen, Thomas E; Holen, Torgeir; Birkeland, Kåre I; Drevon, Christian A

    2018-04-25

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) composition in skeletal muscle have been linked to insulin sensitivity. We evaluated the relationships between skeletal muscle PC:PE, physical exercise and insulin sensitivity. We performed lipidomics and measured PC and PE in m. vastus lateralis biopsies obtained from 13 normoglycemic normal weight men and 13 dysglycemic overweight men at rest, immediately after 45 min of cycling at 70% maximum oxygen uptake, and 2 h post-exercise, before as well as after 12 weeks of combined endurance- and strength-exercise intervention. Insulin sensitivity was monitored by euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. RNA-sequencing was performed on biopsies, and mitochondria and lipid droplets were quantified on electron microscopic images. Exercise intervention for 12 w enhanced insulin sensitivity by 33%, skeletal muscle levels of PC by 21%, PE by 42%, and reduced PC:PE by 16%. One bicycle session reduced PC:PE by 5%. PC:PE correlated negatively with insulin sensitivity (β = -1.6, P < 0.001), percent area of mitochondria (ρ = -0.52, P = 0.035), and lipid droplet area (ρ = 0.55, P = 0.017) on EM pictures, and negatively with oxidative phosphorylation and mTOR based on RNA-sequencing. In conclusion, PC and PE contents of skeletal muscle respond to exercise, and PC:PE is inversely related to insulin sensitivity.

  15. Specificity and rate of human and mouse liver and plasma phosphatidylcholine synthesis analyzed in vivo[S

    PubMed Central

    Pynn, Christopher J.; Henderson, Neil G.; Clark, Howard; Koster, Grielof; Bernhard, Wolfgang; Postle, Anthony D.

    2011-01-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis by the direct cytidine diphosphate choline (CDP-choline) pathway in rat liver generates predominantly mono- and di-unsaturated molecular species, while polyunsaturated PC species are synthesized largely by the phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway. Although altered PC synthesis has been suggested to contribute to development of hepatocarcinoma and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, analysis of the specificity of hepatic PC metabolism in human patients has been limited by the lack of sensitive and safe methodologies. Here we incorporated a deuterated methyl-d9-labled choline chloride, to quantify biosynthesis fluxes through both of the PC synthetic pathways in vivo in human volunteers and compared these fluxes with those in mice. Rates and molecular specificities of label incorporated into mouse liver and plasma PC were very similar and strongly suggest that label incorporation into human plasma PC can provide a direct measure of hepatic PC synthesis in human subjects. Importantly, we demonstrate for the first time that the PEMT pathway in human liver is selective for polyunsaturated PC species, especially those containing docosahexaenoic acid. Finally, we present a multiple isotopomer distribution analysis approach, based on transfer of deuterated methyl groups to S-adenosylmethionine and subsequent sequential methylations of PE, to quantify absolute flux rates through the PEMT pathway that are applicable to studies of liver dysfunction in clinical studies. PMID:21068006

  16. Oxidized phosphatidylcholines are produced in renal ischemia reperfusion injury

    PubMed Central

    Solati, Zahra; Edel, Andrea L.; Shang, Yue; O, Karmin

    2018-01-01

    Background The aim of this study was to determine the individual oxidized phosphatidylcholine (OxPC) molecules generated during renal ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods Kidney ischemia was induced in male Sprague–Dawley rats by clamping the left renal pedicle for 45 min followed by reperfusion for either 6h or 24h. Kidney tissue was subjected to lipid extraction. Phospholipids and OxPC species were identified and quantitated using liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry using internal standards. Result We identified fifty-five distinct OxPC in rat kidney following I/R injury. These included a variety of fragmented (aldehyde and carboxylic acid containing species) and non-fragmented products. 1-stearoyl-2-linoleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (SLPC-OH), which is a non-fragmented OxPC and 1-palmitoyl-2-azelaoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PAzPC), which is a fragmented OxPC, were the most abundant OxPC species after 6h and 24 h I/R respectively. Total fragmented aldehyde OxPC were significantly higher in 6h and 24h I/R groups compared to sham operated groups (P = 0.03, 0.001 respectively). Moreover, levels of aldehyde OxPC at 24h I/R were significantly greater than those in 6h I/R (P = 0.007). Fragmented carboxylic acid increased significantly in 24h I/R group compared with sham and 6h I/R groups (P = 0.001, 0.001). Moreover, levels of fragmented OxPC were significantly correlated with creatinine levels (r = 0.885, P = 0.001). Among non-fragmented OxPC, only isoprostanes were elevated significantly in 6h I/R group compared with sham group but not in 24h I/R group (P = 0.01). No significant changes were observed in other non-fragmented OxPC including long chain products and terminal furans. Conclusion We have shown for the first time that bioactive OxPC species are produced in renal I/R and their levels increase with increasing time of reperfusion in a kidney model of I/R and correlate with severity of I/R injury. Given the pathological activity of fragmented OxPCs, therapies focused on their reduction may be a mechanism to attenuate renal I/R injury. PMID:29684044

  17. 6-mercaptopurine and daunorubicin double drug liposomes-preparation, drug-drug interaction and characterization.

    PubMed

    Agrawal, Vineet; Paul, Manash K; Mukhopadhyay, Anup K

    2005-01-01

    This article addresses and investigates the dual incorporation of daunorubicin (DR) and 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) in liposomes for better chemotherapy. These drugs are potential candidates for interaction due to the quinone (H acceptor) and hydroxyl (H donor) groups on DR and 6-MP, respectively. Interactions between the two drugs in solution were monitored by UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Interaction between the two drugs inside the liposomes was evaluated by HPLC (for 6-MP) and by fluorescence spectroscopy (for daunorubicin) after phospholipase-mediated liposome lysis. Our results provide evidence for the lack of interaction between the two drugs in solution and in liposomes. The entrapment efficiencies of 6-MP in the neutral Phosphatidyl choline (PC):Cholesterol (Chol):: 2:1 and anionic PC:Chol:Cardiolipin (CL) :: 4:5:1 single and double drug liposomes were found to be 0.4% and 1.5% (on average), respectively. The entrapment efficiencies of DR in the neutral and anionic double drug liposomes were found to be 55% and 31%, respectively. The corresponding entrapment of daunorubicin in the single drug liposomes was found to be 62% on average. Our thin layer chromatography (TLC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results suggest stability of lipid and liposomes, thus pointing plausible existence of double drug liposomes. Cytotoxicity experiments were performed by using both single drug and double drug liposomes. By comparing the results of phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy, it was observed that the double drug liposomes were internalized in the jurkat and Hut78 (highly resistant cell line) leukemia cells as viewed by the fluorescence of daunorubicin. The cytotoxicity was dose dependent and had shown a synergistic effect when double drug liposome was used.

  18. Effect of surfactants and natural detergents on phosphatidylcholine synthesis in photoreceptor membranes.

    PubMed

    Roque, M E; Castagnet, P I; Giusto, N M

    2001-07-01

    The synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) in rod outer segments (ROS) catalysed by lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase and phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PE N-MTase) was studied and the effects of natural (FA and lysophospholipids) and synthetic (Triton X-100, deoxycholate and CHAPS) surfactants was evaluated. In all experimental conditions used, incorporation of labelled oleate into lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) was at least 40 times greater than oleate incorporation into any other lysophospholipid. Acylation of lysoPC was slightly affected by Triton X-100 and was totally inhibited in the presence of 10 mM sodium deoxycholate (NaDOC) or CHAPS. Below their critical micelle concentration (cmc) Triton X-100 and NaDOC stimulated acylation of all ROS lysophospholipids analysed. The activity of PE N-MTase was stimulated at detergent concentrations below the cmc and inhibited at concentrations above the cmc for all three detergents tested. The effect of FA with differing degree of unsaturation on PC synthesis was evaluated. Oleic acid (10 microM) inhibited methyl group incorporation into total PC, whereas from 100 microM onward, the methylating activity increased with preferential synthesis of PC. Docosahexaenoic acid, in turn, inhibited PE N-MTase activity at every concentration tested. These results suggest that PC synthesis in ROS membranes is modified by bioregulators and surfactants altering the physico-chemical state of the membrane.

  19. Impact of atomization technique on the stability and transport efficiency of nebulized liposomes harboring different surface characteristics.

    PubMed

    Lehofer, Bernhard; Bloder, Florian; Jain, Pritesh P; Marsh, Leigh M; Leitinger, Gerd; Olschewski, Horst; Leber, Regina; Olschewski, Andrea; Prassl, Ruth

    2014-11-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of nebulization on liposomes with specific surface characteristics by applying three commercially available inhaler systems (air-jet, ultrasonic and vibrating-mesh). Conventional liposome formulations composed of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol were compared to sterically stabilized PEGylated liposomes and cationic polymer coated liposomes.Liposomes of similar size (between 140 and 165 nm in diameter with polydispersity indices <0.1) were prepared by dry lipid film rehydration followed by size extrusion. Their stability upon nebulization was determined in terms of size, polydispersity index and leakage using a fluorescence quenching system. The transport efficiencies of the nebulizer devices and the influences of both salt and liposomes on the droplet size distribution of the aerosol were investigated. While the droplet size of the aerosol decreased with increasing salt concentration the liposomes had no influence on the droplet size distribution. The output of the nebulizers in terms of liposomal transport efficiencies differed significantly among the nebulizer principles (20–100%, p < 0.05), with the vibrating-mesh nebulizers being the most effective. The integrity of the conventional liposomes was almost unaffected by the atomization process, while polymer coated and especially positively charged liposomes showed enhanced leakage. The release rates for the hydrophilic model drug system were highest for the vibrating-mesh nebulizers regardless of the surface characteristics of the liposomes (increasing from 10% to 20% and 50% for the conventional, PEGylated and positively charged formulations, respectively). In view of surface modified liposomes our data suggest that drug delivery via nebulization necessitates the finding of a compromise between nebulizer efficiency, formulation stability and drug release profile to accomplish the development of tailored formulations suitable for advanced inhalation therapy.

  20. Phospholipid order in gel- and fluid-phase cell-size liposomes measured by digitized video fluorescence polarization microscopy.

    PubMed Central

    Florine-Casteel, K

    1990-01-01

    Low-light digitized video fluorescence microscopy has been utilized to measure the steady-state polarized fluorescence from the membrane probe diphenylhexatriene (DPH) and its cationic and phosphatidylcholine derivatives 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) and 2-[3-(diphenylhexatrienyl)propanoyl]-3-palmitoyl-L-alpha-phosphati dylcholine (DPH-PC), respectively, in cell-size (10-70 microns) unilamellar vesicles composed of gel-or fluid-phase phospholipid. Using an inverted microscope with epi-illumination optics and an intensified silicon intensified target camera interfaced to a minicomputer, fluorescence images of single vesicles were obtained at emission polarizer orientations of 0 degrees, 45 degrees, 90 degrees, and 135 degrees relative to the excitation light polarization direction. Fluorescence intensity ratios F90 degrees/F0 degrees (= F perpendicular/F parallel) and F135 degrees/F45 degrees were calculated on a pixel-by-pixel basis from digitized image pairs. Theoretical expressions were derived for collected polarized fluorescence as a function of position on the membrane surface as well as the degree of lipid order, in terms of the fluorophore's maximum angular motional freedom in the bilayer (identical to theta max), using a modification of the method of D. Axelrod (1979. Biophys. J. 26:557-574) together with the "wobbling-in-a-cone" model of probe rotational diffusion. Comparison of experimental polarization ratios with theoretical ratios yielded the following results. In gel-phase dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine, the data for all three probes correspond to a model in which the cone angle theta max = 17 +/- 2 degrees and there exists a collective tilt of the phospholipid acyl chains of 30 degrees relative to the bilayer normal. In addition, approximately 5% of DPH and TMA-DPH molecules are aligned parallel to the plane of the bilayer. In fluid-phase palmitoyloleoyl-phosphatidylcholine, the data are well fit by models in which theta max = 60 +/- 2 degrees for DPH and DPH-PC and 32 +/- 4 degrees for TMA-DPH, with approximately 20% of DPH molecules and 10% of TMA-DPH molecules aligned parallel to the bilayer plane, and a net phospholipid tilt at or near the headgroup region of approximately 30 degrees. The results demonstrate that lipid order can be measured with a spatial resolution of approximately 1 micron2 in cell-size vesicles even with high aperture observation through a microscope. Images FIGURE 4 FIGURE 7 FIGURE 10 PMID:2393705

  1. Differential effects of pertussis toxin on insulin-stimulated phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis and glycerolipid synthesis de novo. Studies in BC3H-1 myocytes and rat adipocytes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hoffman, J.M.; Standaert, M.L.; Nair, G.P.

    1991-04-02

    Insulin-induced increases in diacylglycerol (DAG) have been suggested to result from stimulation of de novo phosphatidic acid (PA) synthesis and phosphatidylcholine (PC) hydrolysis. Presently, the authors found that insulin decreased PC levels of BC3H-1 myocytes and rat adipocytes by approximately 10-25% within 30 s. These decreases were rapidly reversed in both cell types, apparently because of increased PC synthesis de novo. In BC3H-1 myocytes, pertussis toxin inhibited PC resynthesis and insulin effects on the pathway of de novo PA-DAG-PC synthesis, as evidenced by changes in ({sup 3}H)glycerol incorporation, but did not inhibit insulin-stimulated PC hydrolysis. Pertussis toxin also blocked themore » later, but not the initial, increase in DAG production in the myocytes. Phorbol esters activated PC hydrolysis in both myocytes and adipocytes, but insulin-induced stimulation of PC hydrolysis was not dependent upon activation of PKC, since this hydrolysis was not inhibited by 500 {mu}M sangivamycin, an effective PKC inhibitor. The results indicate that insulin increases DAG by pertussis toxin sensitive and insensitive (PC hydrolysis) mechanisms, which are mechanistically separate, but functionally interdependent and integrated. PC hydrolysis may contribute importantly to initial increases in DAG, but later sustained increases are apparently largely dependent on insulin-induced stimulation of the pathway of de novo phospholipid synthesis.« less

  2. Effect of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on fluidity and phase transition of phosphatidylcholine liposomal membranes

    PubMed Central

    Santhosh, Poornima Budime; Drašler, Barbara; Drobne, Damjana; Kreft, Mateja Erdani; Kralj, Slavko; Makovec, Darko; Ulrih, Nataša Poklar

    2015-01-01

    Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with multifunctional properties have shown great promise in theranostics. The aim of our work was to compare the effects of SPIONs on the fluidity and phase transition of the liposomal membranes prepared with zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine lipids. In order to study if the surface modification of SPIONs has any influence on these membrane properties, we have used four types of differently functionalized SPIONs, such as: plain SPIONs (primary size was shown to bê11 nm), silica-coated SPIONs, SPIONs coated with silica and functionalized with positively charged amino groups or negatively charged carboxyl groups (the primary size of all the surface-modified SPIONs was ~20 nm). Small unilamellar vesicles prepared with 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine lipids and multilamellar vesicles prepared with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine lipids were encapsulated or incubated with the plain and surface-modified SPIONs to determine the fluidity and phase transition temperature of the bilayer lipids, respectively. Fluorescent anisotropy and differential scanning calorimetric measurements of the liposomes that were either encapsulated or incubated with the suspension of SPIONs did not show a significant difference in the lipid ordering and fluidity; though the encapsulated SPIONs showed a slightly increased effect on the fluidity of the model membranes in comparison with the incubated SPIONs. This indicates the low potential of the SPIONs to interact with the nontargeted cell membranes, which is a desirable factor for in vivo applications. PMID:26491286

  3. On the nature of hydrogen bonding between the phosphatidylcholine head group and water and dimethylsulfoxide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dabkowska, Aleksandra P.; Lawrence, M. Jayne; McLain, Sylvia E.; Lorenz, Christian D.

    2013-01-01

    Molecular dynamics simulations are used to provide a detailed investigation of the hydrogen bond networks around the phosphatidylcholine (PC) head group in 1,2-dipropionyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine in pure water, 10 mol.% and 30 mol.% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-water solutions. Specifically, it is observed that DMSO replaces those water molecules that are within the first solvation shell of the choline, phosphate and ester groups of the PC head group, but are not hydrogen-bonded to the group. The effect of the presence of DMSO on the hydrogen bond network around the PC head groups of the lipid changes with the concentration of DMSO. In comparison to the hydrogen bond network observed in the pure water system, the number of hydrogen-bonded chains of solvent molecules increases slightly for the 10 mol.% DMSO system, while, in the 30 mol.% DMSO system, the number of hydrogen-bonded chains of solvent molecules decreases.

  4. Individual Phosphatidylcholine Species Analysis by RP-HPLC-ELSD for Determination of Polyenylphosphatidylcholine in Lecithins.

    PubMed

    Lee, Wei-Ju; Weng, Shun-Hsiang; Su, Nan-Wei

    2015-04-22

    Polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC), a subgroup of the bioactive agents in phosphatidylcholine (PC), has been indicated to possess liver-protective effects. This study aimed to investigate a promising and feasible method to determine PC molecular species with a reverse phase (RP) high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) equipped with an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD). Chromatography was achieved using a C30 column and an isocratic mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile/methanol/triethylamine (40/58/2, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min, and ELSD detection was performed using 80 °C for the drift tube and an air flow rate of 1.8 L/min. To identify individual peaks on the chromatogram, MALDI-TOF-MS was employed for initial detection, and then the results were used to investigate the relationship between the retention time and fatty acyl chains of each PC molecule. A linear correlation was observed between the retention time and theoretical carbon number (TCN) of individual PC species. The compositions of PC molecular species in soybean and sunflower lecithins were similar to each other, and the major PC molecular species were 1,2-dilinoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (LLPC), 1-oleoyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (OLPC), and 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PLPC). The contents of LLPC in soybean PC and sunflower PC were 40.6% and 64.3%, respectively.

  5. Exogenous fatty acids affect CDP-choline pathway to increase phosphatidylcholine synthesis in granular pneumocytes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chander, A.; Gullo, J.; Reicherter, J.

    1987-05-01

    Regulation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis in rat granular pneumocytes isolated by tryptic digestion of lungs and maintained in primary culture for 24 h was investigated by following effects of exogenous fatty acids on (/sup 3/H-methyl)choline incorporation into PC and disaturated PC (DSPC). At 0.1 mM choline, the rate of choline incorporation into PC and DSPC was 440 +/- and 380 +/- 50 pmol/h/ug Pi (mean +/- SE, n=3-5), respectively, and was linear for up to 3 h. PC synthesis was significantly increased by 0.1 mM each of palmitic, oleic, linoleic, or linolenic acid. However, synthesis of DSPC was increased onlymore » by palmitic acid and this increase was prevented by addition of oleic acid suggesting lack of effect on the remodeling pathway. Pulse-chase experiments with choline in absence or presence of palmitic or oleic acid showed that the label declined in choline phosphate and increased in PC more rapidly in presence of either of the fatty acids, suggesting rapid conversion of choline phosphate to PC. Microsomal choline phosphate cytidyltransferase activity in cells preincubated without or with palmitic acid for 3 h was 0.81 +/- 0.07 and 1.81 +/- 0.09 nmol choline phosphate converted/min/mg protein (n=4). These results suggest that in granular pneumocytes, exogenous fatty acids modulate PC synthesis by increasing choline phosphate cytidyltransferase activity.« less

  6. Osteopontin regulates the cross-talk between phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol metabolism in mouse liver.

    PubMed

    Nuñez-Garcia, Maitane; Gomez-Santos, Beatriz; Buqué, Xabier; García-Rodriguez, Juan L; Romero, Marta R; Marin, Jose J G; Arteta, Beatriz; García-Monzón, Carmelo; Castaño, Luis; Syn, Wing-Kin; Fresnedo, Olatz; Aspichueta, Patricia

    2017-09-01

    Osteopontin (OPN) is involved in different liver pathologies in which metabolic dysregulation is a hallmark. Here, we investigated whether OPN could alter liver, and more specifically hepatocyte, lipid metabolism and the mechanism involved. In mice, lack of OPN enhanced cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) levels and promoted loss of phosphatidylcholine (PC) content in liver; in vivo treatment with recombinant (r)OPN caused opposite effects. rOPN directly decreased CYP7A1 levels through activation of focal adhesion kinase-AKT signaling in hepatocytes. PC content was also decreased in OPN-deficient (OPN-KO) hepatocytes in which de novo FA and PC synthesis was lower, whereas cholesterol (CHOL) synthesis was higher, than in WT hepatocytes. In vivo inhibition of cholesterogenesis normalized liver PC content in OPN-KO mice, demonstrating that OPN regulates the cross-talk between liver CHOL and PC metabolism. Matched liver and serum samples showed a positive correlation between serum OPN levels and liver PC and CHOL concentration in nonobese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver. In conclusion, OPN regulates CYP7A1 levels and the metabolic fate of liver acetyl-CoA as a result of CHOL and PC metabolism interplay. The results suggest that CYP7A1 is a main axis and that serum OPN could disrupt liver PC and CHOL metabolism, contributing to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease progression in nonobese patients.

  7. Upper critical solution temperature behavior of cinnamic acid and polyethyleneimine mixture and its effect on temperature-dependent release of liposome.

    PubMed

    Guo, Huangying; Kim, Jin-Chul

    2015-10-15

    The mixture of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and cinnamic acid (CA) in HEPES buffer (pH 7.0) exhibited an upper critical solution temperature in the temperature range of 20-50 °C. CA would be electrostatically conjugated with PEI and the PEI-CA conjugate is thought to act as a thermo-sensitive polymer. On the optical microscope image of PEI/CA mixture, microparticles were found at 25 °C, disappeared when heated to 50 °C, and formed again upon cooling to 25 °C. PEI-CA conjugate was immobilized on the surface of egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) liposome by adding PEI to the suspension of liposome incorporating CA. The size and the zeta potential of the liposome markedly increased by cooling the liposomal suspension from 50 °C to 20 °C. This could be ascribed to the cooling-induced self-assembling property of PEI-CA conjugate. The release profile of Rhodamine B base from liposome incorporating CA with PEI was investigated while the liposome suspension of 50 °C was exposed to the release medium of 20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C and 50 °C. The release degree was higher at a lower temperature. When exposed to a lower temperature (20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C), PEI-CA could be self-assembled and change its configuration on the surface of liposome, promoting the release from the liposome. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Plasma phosphatidylcholine concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids are differentially associated with hop bone mineral density and hip fracture in older adults: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may influence bone health. Our objective was to examine associations between plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC) PUFA concentrations and hip measures: 1) femoral neck bone mineral density (FN-BMD) (n=765); 2) 4-y change in FN-BMD (n=556); and 3) hip fracture risk (n=76...

  9. Choline intake influences phosphatidylcholine DHA enrichment in nonpregnant women but not in pregnant women in the third trimester.

    PubMed

    West, Allyson A; Yan, Jian; Jiang, Xinyin; Perry, Cydne A; Innis, Sheila M; Caudill, Marie A

    2013-04-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) produced via the S-adenosylmethionine-dependent phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) N-methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway is enriched with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA plays a critical role in fetal development and is linked to health endpoints in adulthood. It is unknown whether choline, which can serve as a source of S-adenosylmethionine methyl groups, influences PC-DHA or the PC:PE ratio in pregnant and nonpregnant women. This study tested whether choline intake affects indicators of choline-related lipid metabolism, including erythrocyte and plasma PC-DHA and PC:PE ratios, in pregnant women in the third trimester and nonpregnant women. Pregnant (n = 26) and nonpregnant (n = 21) women consumed 480 or 930 mg choline/d and a daily DHA supplement for 12 wk. Blood was collected at baseline and at the midpoint and end of the study. PC-DHA was analyzed as the proportion of total PC fatty acids. Pregnant women had greater (P = 0.002) PC-DHA concentrations than did nonpregnant women at baseline. The proportion of erythrocyte and plasma PC-DHA increased (P ≤ 0.002) in pregnant and nonpregnant women regardless of choline intake. However, in nonpregnant women, consumption of 930 mg choline/d led to greater (P < 0.001) erythrocyte PC-DHA and a more rapid increase (P < 0.001) in plasma PC-DHA. Lower (P = 0.001-0.024) erythrocyte and plasma PC:PE in pregnant women was not modified by choline intake. A higher choline intake may increase PEMT activity, resulting in greater PC-DHA enrichment of the PC molecule in nonpregnant women. Increased production of PC-DHA during pregnancy indicates elevated PEMT activity and a higher demand for methyl donors. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01127022.

  10. Hyperglycemia-related advanced glycation end-products is associated with the altered phosphatidylcholine metabolism in osteoarthritis patients with diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Weidong; Randell, Edward W.; Sun, Guang; Likhodii, Sergei; Liu, Ming; Furey, Andrew

    2017-01-01

    To test whether type 2 diabetic patients have an elevated level of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and responsible for altered phosphatidylcholine metabolism, which we recently found to be associated with osteoarthritis (OA) and diabetes mellitus (DM), synovial fluid (SF) and plasma samples were collected from OA patients with and without DM. Hyperglycemia-related AGEs including methylglyoxal (MG), free methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone (MG-H1), and protein bound N-(Carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and N-(Carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) levels were measured in both SF and plasma samples using liquid chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry methodology. The correlation between these AGEs and phosphatidylcholine acyl-alkyl C34:3 (PC ae C34:3) and C36:3 (PC ae C36:3) were examined. Eighty four patients with knee OA, including 46 with DM and 38 without DM, were included in the study. There was no significant difference in plasma levels of MG, MG-H1, CML, and CEL between OA patients with and without DM. However, the levels of MG and MG-H1, but not CML and CEL in SF were significantly higher in OA patients with DM than in those without (all p ≤0.04). This association strengthened after adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), sex and hexose level (p<0.02). Moreover, the levels of MG-H1 in SF was negatively and significantly correlated with PC ae C34:3 (ρ = -0.34; p = 0.02) and PC ae C36:3 (ρ = -0.39; P = 0.03) after the adjustment of age, BMI, sex and hexose level. Our data indicated that the production of non-protein bound AGEs was increased within the OA-affected joint of DM patients. This is associated with changes in phosphatidylcholine metabolism and might be responsible for the observed epidemiological association between OA and DM. PMID:28898260

  11. Genetic ablation or chemical inhibition of phosphatidylcholine transfer protein attenuates diet-induced hepatic glucose production.

    PubMed

    Shishova, Ekaterina Y; Stoll, Janis M; Ersoy, Baran A; Shrestha, Sudeep; Scapa, Erez F; Li, Yingxia; Niepel, Michele W; Su, Ya; Jelicks, Linda A; Stahl, Gregory L; Glicksman, Marcie A; Gutierrez-Juarez, Roger; Cuny, Gregory D; Cohen, David E

    2011-08-01

    Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP, synonym StARD2) is a highly specific intracellular lipid binding protein that is enriched in liver. Coding region polymorphisms in both humans and mice appear to confer protection against measures of insulin resistance. The current study was designed to test the hypotheses that Pctp-/- mice are protected against diet-induced increases in hepatic glucose production and that small molecule inhibition of PC-TP recapitulates this phenotype. Pctp-/- and wildtype mice were subjected to high-fat feeding and rates of hepatic glucose production and glucose clearance were quantified by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies and pyruvate tolerance tests. These studies revealed that high-fat diet-induced increases in hepatic glucose production were markedly attenuated in Pctp-/- mice. Small molecule inhibitors of PC-TP were synthesized and their potencies, as well as mechanism of inhibition, were characterized in vitro. An optimized inhibitor was administered to high-fat-fed mice and used to explore effects on insulin signaling in cell culture systems. Small molecule inhibitors bound PC-TP, displaced phosphatidylcholines from the lipid binding site, and increased the thermal stability of the protein. Administration of the optimized inhibitor to wildtype mice attenuated hepatic glucose production associated with high-fat feeding, but had no activity in Pctp-/- mice. Indicative of a mechanism for reducing glucose intolerance that is distinct from commonly utilized insulin-sensitizing agents, the inhibitor promoted insulin-independent phosphorylation of key insulin signaling molecules. These findings suggest PC-TP inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy in the management of hepatic insulin resistance. Copyright © 2011 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  12. Evolution of the Phosphatidylcholine Biosynthesis Pathways in Green Algae: Combinatorial Diversity of Methyltransferases.

    PubMed

    Hirashima, Takashi; Toyoshima, Masakazu; Moriyama, Takashi; Sato, Naoki

    2018-01-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is one of the most common phospholipids in eukaryotes, although some green algae such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii are known to lack PC. Recently, we detected PC in four species in the genus Chlamydomonas: C. applanata NIES-2202, C. asymmetrica NIES-2207, C. debaryana NIES-2212, and C. sphaeroides NIES-2242. To reveal the PC biosynthesis pathways in green algae and the evolutionary scenario involved in their diversity, we analyzed the PC biosynthesis genes in these four algae using draft genome sequences. Homology searches suggested that PC in these species is synthesized by phosphoethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEAMT) and/or phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT), both of which are absent in C. reinhardtii. Recombinant PEAMTs from these algae showed methyltransferase activity for phosphoethanolamine but not for monomethyl phosphoethanolamine in vitro, in contrast to land plant PEAMT, which catalyzes the three methylations from phosphoethanolamine to phosphocholine. This suggested an involvement of other methyltransferases in PC biosynthesis. Here, we characterized the putative phospholipid-N-methyltransferase (PLMT) genes of these species by genetic and phylogenetic analysis. Complementation assays using a PC biosynthesis-deficient yeast suggested that the PLMTs of these algae can synthesize PC from phosphatidylethanolamine. These results indicated that the PC biosynthesis pathways in green algae differ from those of land plants, although the enzymes involved are homologous. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the PEAMTs and PLMTs in these algae were inherited from the common ancestor of green algae. The absence of PC biosynthesis in many Chlamydomonas species is likely a result of parallel losses of PEAMT and PLMT in this genus.

  13. Impact of C-reactive protein (CRP) on surfactant function

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, J.J.; Sanders, R.L.; McAdam, K.P.

    1989-12-01

    Plasma levels of the acute-phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP), increase up to one thousand-fold as a result of trauma or inflammation. CRP binds to phosphorylcholine (PC) in a calcium-ion dependent manner. The structural homology between PC and the major phospholipid component of surfactant, dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), led to the present study in which we examined if CRP levels might be increased in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and subsequently interfere with surfactant function. Our results showed that CRP levels in the bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) was increased in patients with ARDS (97.8 +/- 84.2 micrograms/mg total protein vs. 4.04more » +/- 2.2 micrograms/mg total protein in normals). Our results show that CRP binds to liposomes containing DPPC and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). As a result of this interaction, CRP inhibits the surface activity of a PG-DPPC mixture when tested with a Wilhelmy surfactometer or with the Enhorning pulsating bubble apparatus. Furthermore, the surface activity of a clinically used surfactant replacement, Surfactant TA (2 mg/ml), was also severely impaired by CRP in a dose-dependent manner (doses used ranging from 24.5 to 1,175 micrograms/ml). In contrast, human serum albumin (HSA) at 500 and 900 micrograms/ml had no inhibitory effect on Surfactant TA surface activity. These results suggest that CRP, although not an initiating insult in ARDS, may contribute to the subsequent abnormalities of surfactant function and thus the pathogenesis of the pulmonary dysfunction seen in ARDS.« less

  14. Development and Characterization of Liposomal Doxorubicin Hydrochloride with Palm Oil

    PubMed Central

    Sabeti, Bahareh; Noordin, Mohamed Ibrahim; Mohd, Shaharuddin; Hashim, Rosnani; Akbari Javar, Hamid

    2014-01-01

    The usage of natural products in pharmaceuticals has steadily seen improvements over the last decade, and this study focuses on the utilization of palm oil in formulating liposomal doxorubicin (Dox). The liposomal form of Dox generally minimizes toxicity and enhances target delivery actions. Taking into account the antiproliferative and antioxidant properties of palm oil, the aim of this study is to design and characterize a new liposomal Dox by replacing phosphatidylcholine with 5% and 10% palm oil content. Liposomes were formed using the freeze_thaw method, and Dox was loaded through pH gradient technique and characterized through in vitro and ex vivo terms. Based on TEM images, large lamellar vesicles (LUV) were formed, with sizes of 438 and 453 nm, having polydispersity index of 0.21 ± 0.8 and 0.22 ± 1.3 and zeta potentials of about −31 and −32 mV, respectively. In both formulations, the entrapment efficiency was about 99%, and whole Dox was released through 96 hours in PBS (pH = 7.4) at 37°C. Comparing cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of LUV with CaelyxR on MCF7 and MDA-MBA 231 breast cancer cell lines indicated suitable uptake and lower IC50 of the prepared liposomes. PMID:24795894

  15. Statistical optimization of tretinoin-loaded penetration-enhancer vesicles (PEV) for topical delivery.

    PubMed

    Bavarsad, Neda; Akhgari, Abbas; Seifmanesh, Somayeh; Salimi, Anayatollah; Rezaie, Annahita

    2016-02-29

    The aim of this study was to develop and optimize deformable liposome for topical delivery of tretinoin. Liposomal formulations were designed based on the full factorial design and prepared by fusion method. The influence of different ratio of soy phosphatidylcholine and transcutol (independent variables) on incorporation efficiency and drug release in 15 min and 24 h (responses) from liposomal formulations was evaluated. Liposomes were characterized for their vesicle size and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate changes in their thermal behavior. The penetration and retention of drug was determined using mouse skin. Also skin histology study was performed. Particle size of all formulations was smaller than 20 nm. Incorporation efficiency of liposomes was 79-93 %. Formulation F7 (25:5) showed maximum drug release. Optimum formulations were selected based on the contour plots resulted by statistical equations of drug release in 15 min and 24 h. Solubility properties of transcutol led to higher skin penetration for optimum formulations compared to tretinoin cream. There was no significant difference between the amount of drug retained in the skin by applying optimum formulations and cream. Histopatological investigation suggested optimum formulations could decrease the adverse effect of tretinoin in liposome compared to conventional cream. According to the results of the study, it is concluded that deformable liposome containing transcutol may be successfully used for dermal delivery of tretinoin.

  16. Skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are related to insulin sensitivity and respond to acute exercise in humans.

    PubMed

    Newsom, Sean A; Brozinick, Joseph T; Kiseljak-Vassiliades, Katja; Strauss, Allison N; Bacon, Samantha D; Kerege, Anna A; Bui, Hai Hoang; Sanders, Phil; Siddall, Parker; Wei, Tao; Thomas, Melissa; Kuo, Ming Shang; Nemkov, Travis; D'Alessandro, Angelo; Hansen, Kirk C; Perreault, Leigh; Bergman, Bryan C

    2016-06-01

    Several recent reports indicate that the balance of skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a key determinant of muscle contractile function and metabolism. The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between skeletal muscle PC, PE and insulin sensitivity, and whether PC and PE are dynamically regulated in response to acute exercise in humans. Insulin sensitivity was measured via intravenous glucose tolerance in sedentary obese adults (OB; n = 14), individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D; n = 15), and endurance-trained athletes (ATH; n = 15). Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained at rest, immediately after 90 min of cycle ergometry at 50% maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2 max), and 2-h postexercise (recovery). Skeletal muscle PC and PE were measured via infusion-based mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis. ATH had greater levels of muscle PC and PE compared with OB and T2D (P < 0.05), with total PC and PE positively relating to insulin sensitivity (both P < 0.05). Skeletal muscle PC:PE ratio was elevated in T2D compared with OB and ATH (P < 0.05), tended to be elevated in OB vs. ATH (P = 0.07), and was inversely related to insulin sensitivity among the entire cohort (r = -0.43, P = 0.01). Muscle PC and PE were altered by exercise, particularly after 2 h of recovery, in a highly group-specific manner. However, muscle PC:PE ratio remained unchanged in all groups. In summary, total muscle PC and PE are positively related to insulin sensitivity while PC:PE ratio is inversely related to insulin sensitivity in humans. A single session of exercise significantly alters skeletal muscle PC and PE levels, but not PC:PE ratio. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  17. Skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are related to insulin sensitivity and respond to acute exercise in humans

    PubMed Central

    Newsom, Sean A.; Brozinick, Joseph T.; Kiseljak-Vassiliades, Katja; Strauss, Allison N.; Bacon, Samantha D.; Kerege, Anna A.; Bui, Hai Hoang; Sanders, Phil; Siddall, Parker; Wei, Tao; Thomas, Melissa; Kuo, Ming Shang; Nemkov, Travis; D'Alessandro, Angelo; Hansen, Kirk C.; Perreault, Leigh

    2016-01-01

    Several recent reports indicate that the balance of skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a key determinant of muscle contractile function and metabolism. The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between skeletal muscle PC, PE and insulin sensitivity, and whether PC and PE are dynamically regulated in response to acute exercise in humans. Insulin sensitivity was measured via intravenous glucose tolerance in sedentary obese adults (OB; n = 14), individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D; n = 15), and endurance-trained athletes (ATH; n = 15). Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained at rest, immediately after 90 min of cycle ergometry at 50% maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2 max), and 2-h postexercise (recovery). Skeletal muscle PC and PE were measured via infusion-based mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis. ATH had greater levels of muscle PC and PE compared with OB and T2D (P < 0.05), with total PC and PE positively relating to insulin sensitivity (both P < 0.05). Skeletal muscle PC:PE ratio was elevated in T2D compared with OB and ATH (P < 0.05), tended to be elevated in OB vs. ATH (P = 0.07), and was inversely related to insulin sensitivity among the entire cohort (r = −0.43, P = 0.01). Muscle PC and PE were altered by exercise, particularly after 2 h of recovery, in a highly group-specific manner. However, muscle PC:PE ratio remained unchanged in all groups. In summary, total muscle PC and PE are positively related to insulin sensitivity while PC:PE ratio is inversely related to insulin sensitivity in humans. A single session of exercise significantly alters skeletal muscle PC and PE levels, but not PC:PE ratio. PMID:27032901

  18. Liposome-based delivery of a boron-containing cholesteryl ester for high-LET particle-induced damage of prostate cancer cells: a boron neutron capture therapy study.

    PubMed

    Gifford, Ian; Vreeland, Wyatt; Grdanovska, Slavica; Burgett, Eric; Kalinich, John; Vergara, Vernieda; Wang, C-K Chris; Maimon, Eric; Poster, Dianne; Al-Sheikhly, Mohamad

    2014-06-01

    The efficacy of a boron-containing cholesteryl ester compound (BCH) as a boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) agent for the targeted irradiation of PC-3 human prostate cancer cells was examined. Liposome-based delivery of BCH was quantified with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cytotoxicity of the BCH-containing liposomes was evaluated with neutral red, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS), and lactate dehydrogenase assays. Colony formation assays were utilized to evaluate the decrease in cell survival due to high-linear energy transfer (LET) particles resulting from (10)B thermal neutron capture. BCH delivery by means of encapsulation in a lipid bilayer resulted in a boron uptake of 35.2 ± 4.3 μg/10(9) cells, with minimal cytotoxic effects. PC-3 cells treated with BCH and exposed to a 9.4 × 10(11) n/cm(2) thermal neutron fluence yielded a 20-25% decrease in clonogenic capacity. The decreased survival is attributed to the generation of high-LET α particles and (7)Li nuclei that deposit energy in densely ionizing radiation tracks. Liposome-based delivery of BCH is capable of introducing sufficient boron to PC-3 cells for BNCT. High-LET α particles and (7)Li nuclei generated from (10)B thermal neutron capture significantly decrease colony formation ability in the targeted PC-3 cells.

  19. Development of double chain phosphatidylcholine functionalized polymeric monoliths for immobilized artificial membrane chromatography.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qiqin; Peng, Kun; Chen, Weijia; Cao, Zhen; Zhu, Peijie; Zhao, Yumei; Wang, Yuqiang; Zhou, Haibo; Jiang, Zhengjin

    2017-01-06

    This study described a simple synthetic methodology for preparing biomembrane mimicking monolithic column. The suggested approach not only simplifies the preparation procedure but also improves the stability of double chain phosphatidylcholine (PC) functionalized monolithic column. The physicochemical properties of the optimized monolithic column were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and nano-LC. Satisfactory column permeability, efficiency, stability and reproducibility were obtained on this double chain PC functionalized monolithic column. It is worth noting that the resulting polymeric monolith exhibits great potential as a useful alternative of commercial immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) columns for in vitro predication of drug-membrane interactions. Furthermore, the comparative study of both double chain and single chain PC functionalized monoliths indicates that the presence or absence of glycerol backbone and the number of acyl chains are not decisive for the predictive ability of IAM monoliths on drug-membrane interactions. This novel PC functionalized monolithic column also exhibited good selectivity for a protein mixture and a set of pharmaceutical compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Purification and ATPase activity of human ABCA1.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Kei; Kimura, Yasuhisa; Kioka, Noriyuki; Matsuo, Michinori; Ueda, Kazumitsu

    2006-04-21

    ATP-binding cassette protein A1 (ABCA1) plays a major role in cholesterol homeostasis and high density lipoprotein metabolism. Apolipoprotein A-I binds to ABCA1 and cellular cholesterol and phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine, are loaded onto apoA-I to form pre-beta high density lipoprotein (HDL). It is proposed that ABCA1 translocates phospholipids and cholesterol directly or indirectly to form pre-beta HDL. To explore the mechanism of ABCA1-mediated pre-beta HDL formation, we expressed human ABCA1 in insect Sf9 cells and purified it. Trypsin limited-digestion of purified ABCA1 in the detergent-soluble form suggested that it retained conformation similar to ABCA1 expressed in the membranes of human fibroblast WI-38 cells. Purified ABCA1 showed robust ATPase activity when reconstituted in liposomes made of synthetic phosphatidylcholine. ABCA1 showed lower ATPase activity when reconstituted in liposomes containing phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, or phosphatidylglycerol and also showed weak specificity in acyl chain species. ATPase activity was reduced by the addition of cholesterol and decreased by 25% in the presence of 20% cholesterol. Beta-sitosterol and campesterol showed similar inhibitory effects but stigmasterol did not, suggesting structure-specific interaction between ABCA1 and sterols. Glibenclamide suppressed ABCA1 ATPase, suggesting that it inhibits apoA-I-dependent cellular cholesterol efflux by suppressing ABCA1 ATPase activity. These results suggest that the ATPase activity of ABCA1 is stimulated preferentially by phospholipids with choline head groups, phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin. This study with purified human ABCA1 provides the first biochemical basis of the mechanism for HDL formation mediated by ABCA1.

  1. Phospholipid-sepiolite biomimetic interfaces for the immobilization of enzymes.

    PubMed

    Wicklein, Bernd; Darder, Margarita; Aranda, Pilar; Ruiz-Hitzky, Eduardo

    2011-11-01

    Biomimetic interfaces based on phosphatidylcholine (PC) assembled to the natural silicate sepiolite were prepared for the stable immobilization of the urease and cholesterol oxidase enzymes. This is an important issue in practical advanced applications such as biocatalysis or biosensing. The supported lipid bilayer (BL-PC), prepared from PC adsorption, was used for immobilization of enzymes and the resulting biomimetic systems were compared to several other supported layers including a lipid monolayer (ML-PC), a mixed phosphatidylcholine/octyl-galactoside layer (PC-OGal), a cetyltrimethylammonium monolayer (CTA), and also to the bare sepiolite surface. Interfacial characteristics of these layers were investigated with a focus on layer packing density, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, and surface charge, which are being considered as key points for enzyme immobilization and stabilization of their biological activity. Cytoplasmic urease and membrane-bound cholesterol oxidase, which served as model enzymes, were immobilized on the different PC-based hybrid materials to probe their biomimetic character. Enzymatic activity was assessed by cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis spectrophotometry. The resulting enzyme/bio-organoclay hybrids were applied as active phase of a voltammetric urea biosensor and cholesterol bioreactor, respectively. Urease supported on sepiolite/BL-PC proved to maintain its enzymatic activity over several months while immobilized cholesterol oxidase demonstrated high reusability as biocatalyst. The results emphasize the good preservation of bioactivity due to the accommodation of the enzymatic system within the biomimetic lipid interface on sepiolite.

  2. Mixed micelles loaded with silybin-polyene phosphatidylcholine complex improve drug solubility

    PubMed Central

    Duan, Rui-ling; Sun, Xun; Liu, Jie; Gong, Tao; Zhang, Zhi-rong

    2011-01-01

    Aim: To prepare a novel formulation of phosphatidylcholine (PC)-bile salts (BS)-mixed micelles (MMs) loaded with silybin (SLB)-PC complex for parenteral applications. Methods: SLB-PC-BS-MMs were prepared using the co-precipitation method. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis was used to confirm the formation of the complex and several parameters were optimized to obtain a high quality formulation. The water-solubility, drug loading, particle size, zeta potential, morphology and in vivo properties of the SLB-PC-BS-MMs were determined. Results: The solubility of SLB in water was increased from 40.83±1.18 μg/mL to 10.14±0.36 mg/mL with a high drug loading (DL) of 14.43%±0.44% under optimized conditions. The SLB-PC-BS-MMs were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and showed spherical shapes. The particle size and zeta potential, as measured by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), were about 30±4.8 nm and −39±5.0 mV, respectively. In vivo studies showed that incorporation of the SLB-PC complex into PC-BS-MMs led to a prolonged circulation time of the drug. Conclusion: This novel formulation appears to be a good candidate for drug substances that exhibit poor solubility for parenteral administration. PMID:21170082

  3. Phosphatidylcholine Supply to Peroxisomes of the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Flis, Vid V; Fankl, Ariane; Ramprecht, Claudia; Zellnig, Günther; Leitner, Erich; Hermetter, Albin; Daum, Günther

    2015-01-01

    In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, phosphatidylcholine (PC), the major phospholipid (PL) of all organelle membranes, is synthesized via two different pathways. Methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) catalyzed by the methyl transferases Cho2p/Pem1p and Opi3p/Pem2p as well as incorporation of choline through the CDP (cytidine diphosphate)-choline branch of the Kennedy pathway lead to PC formation. To determine the contribution of these two pathways to the supply of PC to peroxisomes (PX), yeast mutants bearing defects in the two pathways were cultivated under peroxisome inducing conditions, i.e. in the presence of oleic acid, and subjected to biochemical and cell biological analyses. Phenotype studies revealed compromised growth of both the cho20Δopi3Δ (mutations in the methylation pathway) and the cki1Δdpl1Δeki1Δ (mutations in the CDP-choline pathway) mutant when grown on oleic acid. Analysis of peroxisomes from the two mutant strains showed that both pathways produce PC for the supply to peroxisomes, although the CDP-choline pathway seemed to contribute with higher efficiency than the methylation pathway. Changes in the peroxisomal lipid pattern of mutants caused by defects in the PC biosynthetic pathways resulted in changes of membrane properties as shown by anisotropy measurements with fluorescent probes. In summary, our data define the origin of peroxisomal PC and demonstrate the importance of PC for peroxisome membrane formation and integrity.

  4. Interaction of the alpha-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus with the liposome membrane.

    PubMed

    Ikigai, H; Nakae, T

    1987-02-15

    When the liposome membrane is exposed to the alpha-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus, fluorescence of the tryptophan residue(s) of the toxin molecule increases concomitantly with the degree of toxin-hexamer formation (Ikigai, H., and Nakae, T. (1985) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 130, 175-181). In the present study, the toxin-membrane interaction was distinguished from the hexamer formation by the fluorescence energy transfer from the tryptophan residue(s) of the toxin molecule to the dansylated phosphatidylethanolamine in phosphatidylcholine liposome. Measurement of these two parameters yielded the following results. The effect of the toxin concentration and phospholipid concentration on these two parameters showed first order kinetics. The effect of liposome size on the energy transfer and the fluorescence increment of the tryptophan residue(s) was only detectable in small liposomes. Under moderately acidic or basic conditions, the fluorescence energy transfer always preceded the fluorescence increment of the tryptophan residue(s). The fluorescence increment at 336 nm at temperatures below 20 degrees C showed a latent period, whereas the fluorescence energy transfer did not. These results were thought to indicate that when alpha-toxin damages the target membrane, the molecule interacts with the membrane first, and then undergoes oligomerization within the membrane.

  5. Potentiation of pH-sensitive polymer-modified liposomes with cationic lipid inclusion as antigen delivery carriers for cancer immunotherapy.

    PubMed

    Yoshizaki, Yuta; Yuba, Eiji; Sakaguchi, Naoki; Koiwai, Kazunori; Harada, Atsushi; Kono, Kenji

    2014-09-01

    Cationic lipid-incorporated liposomes modified with pH-sensitive polymers were prepared by introducing 3, 5-didodecyloxybenzamidine as a cationic lipid to egg yolk phosphatidylcholine liposomes modified with 3-methylglutarylated hyperbranched poly(glycidol) (MGlu-HPG) as a pH-sensitive polymer. These liposomes were stable at neutral pH, but were destabilized below pH 6.0 because MGlu-HPG changed its characteristics from hydrophilic to hydrophobic in response to the pH decrease. Cationic lipid inclusion improved their pH sensitivity at weakly acidic pH and association of liposomes with murine dendritic cell (DC) lines. Cationic lipid-incorporated liposomes delivered entrapped ovalbumin (OVA) molecules not only to cytosol but also to endosome/lysosome. Treatment with cationic lipid-incorporated liposomes induced up-regulation of antigen presentation-involved molecules on DCs, the promotion of cytokine production, and antigen presentation via both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules. Especially, antigen presentation via MHC class II was promoted by cationic lipid inclusion, which might correspond to efficient endosome/lysosome delivery of OVA. Subcutaneous administration of OVA-loaded cationic lipid-incorporated liposomes induced antigen-specific antibody production in serum and Th1-dominant immune responses in the spleen. Furthermore, administration of the cationic lipid-incorporated liposomes to mice bearing E.G7-OVA tumor more significantly reduced the tumor volume than liposomes without cationic lipids. Therefore, cationic lipid inclusion into pH-sensitive polymer-modified liposomes, which can achieve both efficient antigen intracellular delivery and activation of antigen presenting cell, is an effective approach to develop antigen carriers for efficient cancer immunotherapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Preparation of pH-sensitive poly(glycidol) derivatives with varying hydrophobicities: their ability to sensitize stable liposomes to pH.

    PubMed

    Sakaguchi, Naoki; Kojima, Chie; Harada, Atsushi; Kono, Kenji

    2008-05-01

    We have previously shown that modification with succinylated poly(glycidol) (SucPG) provides stable egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EYPC) liposomes with pH-sensitive fusogenic property. Toward production of efficient pH-sensitive liposomes, in this study, we newly prepared three carboxylated poly(glycidol) derivatives with varying hydrophobicities by reacting poly(glycidol) with glutaric anhydride, 3-methylglutaric anhydride, and 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic anhydride, respectively, designated as GluPG, MGluPG, and CHexPG. Correlation between side-chain structures of these polymers and their respective abilities to sensitize stable liposomes to pH was investigated. These polymers are soluble in water at neutral pH but became water-insoluble in weakly acidic conditions. The pH at which the polymer precipitated was higher in the order SucPG < GluPG < MGluPG < CHexPG, which is consistent with the number of carbon atoms of these polymers' side chains. Although CHexPG destabilized EYPC liposomes even at neutral pH, attachment of other polymers provided pH-sensitive properties to the liposomes. The liposomes bearing polymers with higher hydrophobicity exhibited more intense responses, such as content release and membrane fusion, at mildly acidic pH and achieved more efficient cytoplasmic delivery of membrane-impermeable dye molecules. As a result, modification with appropriate hydrophobicity, MGluPG, produced highly potent pH-sensitive liposomes, which might be useful for efficient cytoplasmic delivery of bioactive molecules, such as proteins and genes.

  7. Regulatory role for phosphatidylcholine transfer protein/StarD2 in the metabolic response to peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha).

    PubMed

    Kang, Hye Won; Kanno, Keishi; Scapa, Erez F; Cohen, David E

    2010-04-01

    Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP, a.k.a. StarD2) is abundantly expressed in liver and is regulated by PPARalpha. When fed the synthetic PPARalpha ligand fenofibrate, Pctp(-/-) mice exhibited altered lipid and glucose metabolism. Microarray profiling of livers from fenofibrate fed wild type and Pctp(-/-) mice revealed differential expression of a broad array of metabolic genes, as well as their regulatory transcription factors. PC-TP expression in cell culture controlled the activities of both PPARalpha and HNF4alpha, suggesting that the mechanism by which it modulates hepatic metabolism is at least in part via activation of transcription factors that govern nutrient homeostasis. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Dietary phosphatidylcholine impacts on growth performance and lipid metabolism in adult Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) strain of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus.

    PubMed

    Tian, Juan; Wen, Hua; Lu, Xing; Liu, Wei; Wu, Fan; Yang, Chang-Geng; Jiang, Ming; Yu, Li-Juan

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the effects of supplementing the diet of adult Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus with phosphatidylcholine (PC) on growth performance, body composition, fatty acid composition and gene expression. Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia fish with an initial body weight of 83·1 (sd 2·9) g were divided into six groups. Each group was hand-fed a semi-purified diet containing 1·7 (control diet), 4·0, 6·5, 11·5, 21·3 or 41·0 g PC/kg diet for 68 d. Supplemental PC improved the feed efficiency rate, which was highest in the 11·5 g PC/kg diet. Weight gain and specific growth rate were unaffected. Dietary PC increased PC content in the liver and decreased crude fat content in the liver, viscera and body. SFA and MUFA increased and PUFA decreased in muscle with increasing dietary PC. Cytoplasmic phospholipase A 2 and secreted phospholipase A 2 mRNA expression were up-regulated in the brain and heart in PC-supplemented fish. PC reduced fatty acid synthase mRNA expression in the liver and visceral tissue but increased expression in muscle. Hormone-sensitive lipase and lipoprotein lipase expression increased in the liver with increasing dietary PC. Growth hormone mRNA expression was reduced in the brain and insulin-like growth factor-1 mRNA expression in liver reduced with PC above 6·5 g/kg. Our results demonstrate that dietary supplementation with PC improves feed efficiency and reduces liver fat in adult Nile tilapia, without increasing weight gain, representing a novel dietary approach to reduce feed requirements and improve the health of Nile tilapia.

  9. Liposome-containing Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx extract formulations with increased antioxidant activity, improved dermal penetration and reduced dermal toxicity.

    PubMed

    Pinsuwan, Sirirat; Amnuaikit, Thanaporn; Ungphaiboon, Suwipa; Itharat, Arunporn

    2010-12-01

    Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn, or Roselle, is a medicinal plant used extensively in traditional Thai medicine since ancient times. The extracts of Roselle calyces possess antioxidant activity and have potential for development as active ingredients in cosmetic products. However the limitations of using Roselle extracts in cosmetics are its low skin permeation and dermal irritation. Liposome technology is an obvious approach that might overcome these problems. Liposome formulations of standardized Roselle extracts were developed with various lipid components. The formulation showing the highest entrapment efficiency was selected for stability, skin permeation and dermal irritability studies. The liposome formulation with the highest entrapment efficiency (83%) and smalôlest particle size (332 mm) was formulated with phosphatidylcholine from soybean (SPC): Tween 80: deoxycholic acid (DA); 84:16:2.5 weight ratio, total lipid of 200 g/mL and 10% w/v Roselle extract in final liposomal preparation. This liposome formulation was found to be stable after storage at 4 degrees C, protected from light, for 2 months. The in vitro skin permeation studies, using freshly excised pig skin and modified Franz-diffusion cells, showed that the liposome formulation was able to considerably increased the rate of permeation of active compounds in Roselle extracts compared to the Roselle extract solution. The in vivo dermal irritability testing on rabbit skin showed that the liposome formulation dramatically decreased skin irritability compared to the unformulated extract. These results showed that the liposomes containing Roselle extracts had good stability, high entrapment efficacy, increased skin permeation and low skin irritation.

  10. The interaction between Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells and cationic PC:Chol:DOTAP liposomal vesicles versus outer-membrane structure and envelope properties of bacterial cell.

    PubMed

    Drulis-Kawa, Zuzanna; Dorotkiewicz-Jach, Agata; Gubernator, Jerzy; Gula, Grzegorz; Bocer, Tomasz; Doroszkiewicz, Wlodzimierz

    2009-02-09

    The interactions between cationic liposomal formulations (PC:Chol:DOTAP 3:4:3) and 23 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were tested. The study was undertaken because different antimicrobial results had been obtained by the authors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains and liposomal antibiotics (Drulis-Kawa, Z., Gubernator, J., Dorotkiewicz-Jach, A., Doroszkiewicz, W., Kozubek, A., 2006. The comparison of in vitro antimicrobial activity of liposomes containing meropenem and gentamicin. Cell. Mol. Biol. Lett., 11, 360-375; Drulis-Kawa, Z., Gubernator, J., Dorotkiewicz-Jach, A., Doroszkiewicz W., Kozubek, A., 2006. In vitro antimicrobial activity of liposomal meropenem against Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Int. J. Pharm., 315, 59-66). The experiments evaluate the roles of the bacterial outer-membrane structure, especially outer-membrane proteins and LPS, and envelope properties (hydrophobicity and electrostatic potential) in the interactions/fusion process between cells and lipid vesicles. The interactions were examined by fluorescent microscopy using PE-rhodamine-labelled liposomes. Some of the strains exhibited red-light emission (fusion with vesicles or vesicles surrounding the cell) and some showed negative reaction (no red-light emission). The main aim of the study was to determine what kinds of bacterial structure or envelope properties have a major influence on the fusion process. Negatively charged cells and hydrophobic properties promote interaction with cationic lipid vesicles, but no specific correlation was noted for the tested strains. A similar situation concerned LPS structure, where parent strains and their mutants possessing identical ladder-like band patterns in SDS-PAGE analysis exhibited totally different results with fluorescent microscopy. Outer-membrane protein analysis showed that an 18-kDA protein occurred in the isolates showing fusion with rhodamine-labelled vesicles and, conversely, strains lacking the 18-kDA protein exhibited no positive reaction (red emission). This suggests that even one protein may be responsible for favouring stronger interactions between Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells and cationic liposomal formulations (PC:Chol:DOTAP 3:4:3).

  11. Plasma stable, pH-sensitive fusogenic polymer-modified liposomes: A promising carrier for mitoxantrone.

    PubMed

    Ghanbarzadeh, Saeed; Arami, Sanam; Pourmoazzen, Zhaleh; Ghasemian-Yadegari, Javad; Khorrami, Arash

    2014-07-01

    pH-sensitive liposomes are designed to undergo acid-triggered destabilization. In the present study, we prepared polymer-modified, plasma stable, pH-sensitive fusogenic mitoxantrone liposomes to increase efficacy and selectivity on cancer cell lines. Conventional liposomes were prepared using cholesterol and dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine. Dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine and a cholesteryl derivative, poly(monomethylitaconate)-co-poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PMMI-co-PDMAEMA), were used for the preparation of pH-sensitive fusogenic liposomes. Using polyethylene glycol (PEG)-poly(monomethylitaconate)-CholC6 (PEG-PMMI-CholC6) copolymers instead of cholesterol introduced pH-sensitive and plasma stability properties simultaneously in prepared liposomes. All formulations were prepared by thin film hydration method and subsequently, pH-sensitivity and stability in human serum were evaluated. The ability of pH-sensitive fusogenic liposomes to enhance the mitoxantrone cytotoxicity and selectivity in cancerous cell lines was assessed in vitro compared to normal cell line using human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), human prostate cancer cell line (PC-3), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells line. Results revealed that both PMMI-co-PDMAEMA and PEG-PMMI-CholC6-based formulations showed pH-sensitive property and were found to rapidly release mitoxantrone under mildly acidic conditions. Nevertheless, only the PEG-PMMI-CholC6-based liposomes preserved pH-sensitivity after incubation in plasma. Mitoxantrone loaded-pH-sensitive fusogenic liposomes exhibited a higher cytotoxicity than the control conventional liposomes on MCF-7 and PC-3 cell lines. On the contrary, both pH-sensitive fusogenic liposomes showed lower cytotoxic effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cell line. Plasma stable, pH-sensitive fusogenic liposomes are promising carriers for enhancing the efficiency and selectivity, besides reduction of the side effects of anticancer agents. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  12. The critical role of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine metabolism in health and disease.

    PubMed

    van der Veen, Jelske N; Kennelly, John P; Wan, Sereana; Vance, Jean E; Vance, Dennis E; Jacobs, René L

    2017-09-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are the most abundant phospholipids in all mammalian cell membranes. In the 1950s, Eugene Kennedy and co-workers performed groundbreaking research that established the general outline of many of the pathways of phospholipid biosynthesis. In recent years, the importance of phospholipid metabolism in regulating lipid, lipoprotein and whole-body energy metabolism has been demonstrated in numerous dietary studies and knockout animal models. The purpose of this review is to highlight the unappreciated impact of phospholipid metabolism on health and disease. Abnormally high, and abnormally low, cellular PC/PE molar ratios in various tissues can influence energy metabolism and have been linked to disease progression. For example, inhibition of hepatic PC synthesis impairs very low density lipoprotein secretion and changes in hepatic phospholipid composition have been linked to fatty liver disease and impaired liver regeneration after surgery. The relative abundance of PC and PE regulates the size and dynamics of lipid droplets. In mitochondria, changes in the PC/PE molar ratio affect energy production. We highlight data showing that changes in the PC and/or PE content of various tissues are implicated in metabolic disorders such as atherosclerosis, insulin resistance and obesity. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane Lipid Therapy: Drugs Targeting Biomembranes edited by Pablo V. Escribá. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Enzymatic properties and substrate specificity of a bacterial phosphatidylcholine synthase.

    PubMed

    Aktas, Meriyem; Köster, Stefan; Kizilirmak, Sarah; Casanova, Javier C; Betz, Heidi; Fritz, Christiane; Moser, Roman; Yildiz, Özkan; Narberhaus, Franz

    2014-08-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a rare membrane lipid in bacteria, but is crucial for virulence of the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens and various other pathogens. Agrobacterium tumefaciens uses two independent PC biosynthesis pathways. One is dependent on the integral membrane protein PC synthase (Pcs), which catalyzes the conversion of cytidine diphosphate-diacylglycerol (CDP-DAG) and choline to PC, thereby releasing a cytidine monophosphate (CMP). Here, we show that Pcs consists of eight transmembrane segments with its N- and C-termini located in the cytoplasm. A cytoplasmic loop between the second and third membrane helix contains the majority of the conserved amino acids of a CDP-alcohol phosphotransferase motif (DGX2 ARX12 GX3 DX3 D). Using point mutagenesis, we provide evidence for a crucial role of this motif in choline binding and enzyme activity. To study the catalytic features of the enzyme, we established a purification protocol for recombinant Pcs. The enzyme forms stable oligomers and exhibits broad substrate specificity towards choline derivatives. The presence of CDP-DAG and manganese is a prerequisite for cooperative binding of choline. PC formation by Pcs is reversible and proceeds via two successive reactions. In a first choline- and manganese-independent reaction, CDP-DAG is hydrolyzed releasing a CMP molecule. The resulting phosphatidyl intermediate reacts with choline in a second manganese-dependent step to form PC. Pcs and Pcs bind by molecular sieving (1, 2, 3). © 2014 FEBS.

  14. A minimalist approach to MALDI imaging of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids in rat brain sections

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hay-Yan J.; Post, Shelley N. Jackson Jeremy; Woods, Amina S.

    2008-12-01

    Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is a powerful tool that has allowed researchers to directly probe tissue molecular structure and drug content with minimal manipulations, while maintaining anatomical integrity. In the present work glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids images were acquired from 16-[mu]m thick coronal rat brain sections using MALDI-MS. Images of phosphatidylinositol 38:4 (PI 38:4), sulfatide 24:1 (ST 24:1), and hydroxyl sulfatide 24:1 (ST 24:1 (OH)) were acquired in negative ion mode, while the images of phosphatidylcholine 34:1 (PC 34:1), potassiated phosphatidylcholines 32:0 (PC 32:0 + K+) and 36:1 (PC 36:1 + K+) were acquired in positive ion mode. The images of PI 38:4 and PC 36:1 + K+ show the preferential distribution of these two lipids in gray matter; and the images of two sulfatides and PC 32:0 + K+ show their preferential distribution in white matter. In addition, the gray cortical band and its adjacent anatomical structures were also identified by contrasting their lipid makeup. The resulting images were compared to lipid images acquired by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The suitability of TLC sprayers, Collison Nebulizer, and artistic airbrush were also evaluated as means for matrix deposition.

  15. Revealing Transient Interactions between Phosphatidylinositol-specific Phospholipase C and Phosphatidylcholine--Rich Lipid Vesicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Boqian; He, Tao; Grauffel, Cédric; Reuter, Nathalie; Roberts, Mary; Gershenson, Anne

    2013-03-01

    Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) enzymes transiently interact with target membranes. Previous fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) experiments showed that Bacillus thuringiensis PI-PLC specifically binds to phosphatidylcholine (PC)-rich membranes and preferentially interacts with unilamellar vesicles that show larger curvature. Mutagenesis studies combined with FCS measurements of binding affinity highlighted the importance of interfacial PI-PLC tyrosines in the PC specificity. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of PI-PLC performed in the presence of a PC membrane indicate these tyrosines are involved in specific cation-pi interactions with choline headgroups. To further understand those transient interactions between PI-PLC and PC-rich vesicles, we monitor single fluorescently labeled PI-PLC proteins as they cycle on and off surface-tethered small unilamellar vesicles using total internal reflection fluorescent microscopy. The residence times on vesicles along with vesicle size information, based on vesicle fluorescence intensity, reveal the time scales of PI-PLC membrane interactions as well as the curvature dependence. The PC specificity and the vesicle curvature dependence of this PI-PLC/membrane interaction provide insight into how the interface modulates protein-membrane interactions. This work was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Science of the National Institutes of Health (R01GM060418).

  16. Physico-chemical studies on the interaction of dendrimers with lipid bilayers. 1. Effect of dendrimer generation and liposome surface charge.

    PubMed

    Roy, Biplab; Panda, Amiya Kumar; Parimi, Srinivas; Ametov, Igor; Barnes, Timothy; Prestidge, Clive A

    2014-01-01

    Studies on the interaction of different generation poly (amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers (2G, 4G and 6G) and liposomes of different compositions were carried out by a combined turbidity, dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopic measurements. Liposomes comprising soy lecithin (SLC, negative surface charge), 1, 2-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC, mildly positive surface charge), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol (DPPG, negatively charged) and a biologically simulated mixture of DPPC + DPPG (7:3, M/M, negatively charged) were used as model bilayers. 30 wt% cholesterol was used in each combination as it is known to control the fluidity of membrane bilayers. Silica was used as a negatively charged hard sphere model with an aim to compare the results. Both the turbidity and hydrodynamic diameter values of all the liposomes, except DPPC, passed through maxima upon the progressive addition of PAMAM; the effect was insignificant in case of DPPC. Formation of dendriosome, a complex formed between dendrimer and liposome, resulted in the charge reversal of the negatively charged liposomes. Interaction between PAMAM and liposome was found to be governed by electrostatic as well as hydrogen bonding. Generation dependent PAMAM activity followed the order: 6G >4G>2G in terms of overall dendrimer concentration. However, interestingly, the order was reverse when PAMAM activity was considered in terms of total end group concentrations. AFM studies reveal the rupture of bilayer structure upon addition of dendrimer.

  17. Development and characterization of oral liposomes of vegetal ceramide based amphotericin B having enhanced dry solubility and solubility.

    PubMed

    Skiba-Lahiani, Malika; Hallouard, François; Mehenni, Lyes; Fessi, Hatem; Skiba, Mohamed

    2015-03-01

    Despite the development of new antifungal, amphotericin B remains one of the most effective agents in the treatment of systemic fungal infections. Many patients exhibit nevertheless intolerance to amphotericin B at higher dosages and parenteral formulations present unlike per os ones, associated risks and high care cost. Free amphotericin B per os showed however an apparently poor absorption. In this study, we evaluate the potential of amphotericin B liposomes formulated with vegetal ceramides for oral administration. Ceramides, one of the constituents of cellular cytoplasmic membranes, constitute an important element in the construction and stability of their lipid bilayer. To fulfill this objective, vegetal ceramides, composed essentially of glucosylceramides, were firstly incorporated in various liposome preparations, entrapping or not amphotericin B, in comparison with phosphatidylcholine liposomes. Then, these preparations were introduced in an "Artificial-Stomach-Duodenum" model to improve their stability for oral administration. The formulation of amphotericin B liposomes containing ceramides presented a mean hydrodynamic size of about 200nm. We showed also that cholesterol and phospholipids are required to prevent drug leakage and to obtain lamellar structure respectively. In "Artificial-Stomach-Duodenum" model, ceramides conferred to liposomes better membrane stability. In addition, ceramides did not alter their drug encapsulation yield being by 75%. This could be explained by the fact that ceramides as we proved, limited the detergent effect of bile salts on liposome membranes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Nonideal mixing of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine in the fluid lamellar phase.

    PubMed Central

    Huang, J; Swanson, J E; Dibble, A R; Hinderliter, A K; Feigenson, G W

    1993-01-01

    The mixing of phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) in fluid bilayer model membranes was studied by measuring binding of aqueous Ca2+ ions. The measured [Ca2+]aq was used to derive the activity coefficient for PS, gamma PS, in the lipid mixture. For (16:0, 18:1) PS in binary mixtures with either (16:0, 18:1)PC, (14:1, 14:1)PC, or (18:1, 18:1)PC, gamma PS > 1; i.e., mixing is nonideal, with PS and PC clustered rather than randomly distributed, despite the electrostatic repulsion between PS headgroups. To understand better this mixing behavior, Monte Carlo simulations of the PS/PC distributions were performed, using Kawasaki relaxation. The excess energy was divided into an electrostatic term Uel and one adjustable term including all other nonideal energy contributions, delta Em. Uel was calculated using a discrete charge theory. Kirkwood's coupling parameter method was used to calculate the excess free energy of mixing, delta GEmix, hence In gamma PS,calc. The values of In gamma PS,calc were equalized by adjusting delta Em in order to find the simulated PS/PC distribution that corresponded to the experimental results. We were thus able to compare the smeared charge calculation of [Ca2+]surf with a calculation ("masked evaluation method") that recognized clustering of the negatively charged PS: clustering was found to have a modest effect on [Ca2+]surf, relative to the smeared charge model. Even though both PS and PC tend to cluster, the long-range nature of the electrostatic repulsion reduces the extent of PS clustering at low PS mole fraction compared to PC clustering at an equivalent low PC mole fraction. PMID:8457667

  19. Nonideal mixing of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine in the fluid lamellar phase.

    PubMed

    Huang, J; Swanson, J E; Dibble, A R; Hinderliter, A K; Feigenson, G W

    1993-02-01

    The mixing of phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) in fluid bilayer model membranes was studied by measuring binding of aqueous Ca2+ ions. The measured [Ca2+]aq was used to derive the activity coefficient for PS, gamma PS, in the lipid mixture. For (16:0, 18:1) PS in binary mixtures with either (16:0, 18:1)PC, (14:1, 14:1)PC, or (18:1, 18:1)PC, gamma PS > 1; i.e., mixing is nonideal, with PS and PC clustered rather than randomly distributed, despite the electrostatic repulsion between PS headgroups. To understand better this mixing behavior, Monte Carlo simulations of the PS/PC distributions were performed, using Kawasaki relaxation. The excess energy was divided into an electrostatic term Uel and one adjustable term including all other nonideal energy contributions, delta Em. Uel was calculated using a discrete charge theory. Kirkwood's coupling parameter method was used to calculate the excess free energy of mixing, delta GEmix, hence In gamma PS,calc. The values of In gamma PS,calc were equalized by adjusting delta Em in order to find the simulated PS/PC distribution that corresponded to the experimental results. We were thus able to compare the smeared charge calculation of [Ca2+]surf with a calculation ("masked evaluation method") that recognized clustering of the negatively charged PS: clustering was found to have a modest effect on [Ca2+]surf, relative to the smeared charge model. Even though both PS and PC tend to cluster, the long-range nature of the electrostatic repulsion reduces the extent of PS clustering at low PS mole fraction compared to PC clustering at an equivalent low PC mole fraction.

  20. Transfer of arachidonate from phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine and triacylglycerol in guinea pig alveolar macrophages

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nijssen, J.G.; Oosting, R.S.; Nkamp, F.Pv.

    1986-10-01

    Guinea pig alveolar macrophages were labeled by incubation with either arachidonate or linoleate. Arachidonate labeled phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and triglycerides (TG) equally well, with each lipid containing about 30% of total cellular radioactivity. In comparison to arachidonate, linoleate was recovered significantly less in PE (7%) and more in TG (47%). To investigate whether redistributions of acyl chains among lipid classes took place, the macrophages were incubated with 1-acyl-2-(1-/sup 14/C)arachidonoyl PC or 1-acyl-2-(1-/sup 14/C)linoleoyl PC. After harvesting, the cells incubated with 1-acyl-2-(1-/sup 14/C)linoleoyl PC contained 86% of the recovered cellular radioactivity in PC, with only small amounts of label beingmore » transferred to PE and TG (3 and 6%, respectively). More extensive redistributions were observed with arachidonate-labeled PC. In this case, only 60% of cellular radioactivity was still associated with PC, while 22 and 12%, respectively, had been transferred to PE and TG. Arachidonate transfer from PC to PE was unaffected by an excess of free arachidonate which inhibited this transfer to TG for over 90%, indicating that different mechanisms or arachidonoyl CoA pools were involved in the transfer of arachidonate from PC to PE and TG. Cells prelabeled with 1-acyl-2-(1-/sup 14/C)arachidonoyl PC released /sup 14/C-label into the medium upon further incubation. This release was slightly stimulated by zymosan and threefold higher in the presence of the Ca2+-ionophore A23187. Labeling of macrophages with intact phospholipid molecules appears to be a suitable method for studying acyl chain redistribution and release reactions.« less

  1. Oleanolic acid liposomes with polyethylene glycol modification: promising antitumor drug delivery

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Dawei; Tang, Shengnan; Tong, Qi

    2012-01-01

    Background Oleanolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpene present in many fruits and vegetables, and has received much attention on account of its biological properties. However, its poor solubility and low bioavailability limit its use. The objective of this study was to encapsulate oleanolic acid into nanoliposomes using the modified ethanol injection method. Methods The liposomes contain a hydrophobic oleanolic acid core, an amphiphilic soybean lecithin monolayer, and a protective hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating. During the preparation process, the formulations described were investigated by designing 34 orthogonal experiments as well as considering the effects of different physical characteristics. The four factors were the ratios of drug to soybean phosphatidylcholine (w/w), cholesterol (w/w), PEG-2000 (w/w), and temperature of phosphate-buffered saline at three different levels. We identified the optimized formulation which showed the most satisfactory lipid stability and particle formation. The morphology of the liposomes obtained was determined by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The existence of PEG in the liposome component was validated by Fourier transform infrared spectrum analysis. Results The PEGylated liposomes dispersed individually and had diameters of around 110–200 nm. Encapsulation efficiency was more than 85%, as calculated by high-performance liquid chromatography and Sephadex® gel filtration. Furthermore, when compared with native oleanolic acid, the liposomal formulations showed better stability in vitro. Finally, the cytotoxicity of the oleanolic acid liposomes was evaluated using a microtiter tetrazolium assay. Conclusion These results suggest that PEGylated liposomes would serve as a potent delivery vehicle for oleanolic acid in future cancer therapy. PMID:22848175

  2. Efficacy and toxicological studies of cremophor EL free alternative paclitaxel formulation.

    PubMed

    Utreja, Puneet; Jain, Subheet; Yadav, Subodh; Khandhuja, K L; Tiwary, A K

    2011-11-01

    In the present study, Cremophor EL free paclitaxel elastic liposomal formulation consisting of soya phosphatidylcholine and biosurfactant sodium deoxycholate was developed and optimized. The toxicological profile, antitumor efficacy and hemolytic toxicity of paclitaxel elastic liposomal formulation in comparison to Cremophor EL based marketed formulation were evaluated. Paclitaxel elastic liposomal formulations were prepared and characterized in vitro, ex-vivo and in vivo. Single dose toxicity study of paclitaxel elastic liposomal and marketed formulation was carried out in dose range of 10, 20, 40, 80, 120, 160 and 200 mg/kg. Cytotoxicity of developed formulation was evaluated using small cell lung cancer cell line (A549). Antitumor activity of developed formulation was compared with the marketed formulation using Cytoselect™ 96-well cell transformation assay. In vivo administration of paclitaxel elastic liposomal formulation into mice showed 6 fold increase in Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) in comparison to the marketed formulation. Similarly, LD50 (141.6 mg/kg) was also found to increase significantly than the marketed formulation (16.7 mg/kg). Result of antitumor assay revealed a high reduction of tumor density with paclitaxel elastic liposomal formulation. Reduction in hemolytic toxicity was also observed with paclitaxel elastic liposomal formulation in comparison to the marketed formulation. The carrier based approach for paclitaxel delivery demonstrated significant reduction in toxicity as compared to the Cremophor EL based marketed formulation following intra-peritoneal administration in mice model. The reduced toxicity and enhanced anti-cancer activity of elastic liposomal formulation strongly indicate its potential for safe and effective delivery of paclitaxel.

  3. Development and optimization of a new processing approach for manufacturing topical liposomes-in-hydrogel drug formulations by dual asymmetric centrifugation.

    PubMed

    Ingebrigtsen, Sveinung G; Škalko-Basnet, Nataša; Holsæter, Ann Mari

    2016-09-01

    The objective of the present study was to utilize dual asymmetric centrifugation (DAC) as a novel processing approach for the production of liposomes-in-hydrogel formulations. Lipid films of phosphatidylcholine, with and without chloramphenicol (CAM), were hydrated and homogenized by DAC to produce liposomes in the form of vesicular phospholipid gels with a diameter in the size range of 200-300 nm suitable for drug delivery to the skin. Different homogenization processing parameters were investigated along with the effect of adding propylene glycol (PG) to the formulations prior to homogenization. The produced liposomes were incorporated into a hydrogel made of 2.5% (v/v) soluble β-1,3/1,6-glucan (SBG) and mixed by DAC to achieve a homogenous liposomes-in-hydrogel-formulation suitable for topical application. CAM-containing liposomes with a vesicle diameter of 282 ± 30 nm and polydispersity index (PI) of 0.13 ± 0.02 were successfully produced by DAC after 50 min centrifugation at 3500 rpm, and homogenously (< 4% content variation) incorporated into the SBG hydrogel. Addition of PG decreased the necessary centrifugation time to 2 min and 55 s, producing liposomes of 230 ± 51 nm and PI of 0.25 ± 0.04. All formulations had an entrapment efficiency of approximately 50%. We managed to develop a relatively fast and reproducible new method for the production of liposomes-in-hydrogel formulations by DAC.

  4. Radioprotective activity of curcumin-encapsulated liposomes against genotoxicity caused by Gamma Cobalt-60 irradiation in human blood cells.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Minh-Hiep; Pham, Ngoc-Duy; Dong, Bingxue; Nguyen, Thi-Huynh-Nga; Bui, Chi-Bao; Hadinoto, Kunn

    2017-11-01

    While the radioprotective activity of curcumin against genotoxicity has been well established, its poor oral bioavailability has limited its successful clinical applications. Nanoscale formulations, including liposomes, have been demonstrated to improve curcumin bioavailability. The objective of the present work was (1) to prepare and characterize curcumin-encapsulated liposomes (i.e. size, colloidal stability, encapsulation efficiency, and payload), and (2) subsequently to evaluate their radioprotective activity against genotoxicity in human blood cells caused by Gamma Cobalt-60 irradiation. The curcumin-encapsulated liposomes were prepared by lipid-film hydration method using commercial phosphatidylcholine (i.e. Phospholipon ® 90G). The blood cells were obtained from healthy male donors (n = 3) under an approved ethics protocol. The cell uptake and the radioprotective activity of the curcumin-encapsulated liposomes were characterized by fluorescence microscopy and micronucleus assay, respectively. Nanoscale curcumin-encapsulated liposomes exhibiting good physical characteristics and successful uptake by the human blood cells were successfully prepared. The radioprotective activity of the curcumin-encapsulated liposomes was found to be dependent on the curcumin concentration, where an optimal concentration existed (i.e. 30 μg/mL) independent of the irradiation dose, above which the radioprotective activity had become stagnant (i.e. no more reduction in the micronuclei frequency). The present results established for the first time the radioprotective activity of curcumin-encapsulated liposomes in human blood cells, which coupled by its well-established bioavailability, boded well for its potential application as a nanoscale delivery system of other radioprotective phytochemicals.

  5. Identification of the Elusive Mammalian Enzyme Phosphatidylcholine-Specific Phospholipase C

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-01

    progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thus, the main scopes of this proposal are: 1. to identify the PC-PLC gene and protein; and 2. to test PC-PLC...Phosphatidycholine-specific phospholipase C, lipopolisaccharide, oxidized lipoproteins, serum, rheumatoid arthritis , transcriptome sequencing, HUVECs...progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The identification of these factors may ultimately provide alternative “druggable” targets for the treatment

  6. Choline deficiency impairs intestinal lipid metabolism in the lactating rat.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Robin P; Kelly, Karen B; Lewis, Erin D; Leonard, Kelly-Ann; Goruk, Sue; Curtis, Jonathan M; Vine, Donna F; Proctor, Spencer D; Field, Catherine J; Jacobs, René L

    2015-10-01

    Choline is a precursor to phosphatidylcholine (PC), a structural molecule in cellular membranes that is crucial for cell growth and function. PC is also required for the secretion of lipoprotein particles from liver and intestine. Choline requirements are increased during lactation when maternal choline is supplied to the offspring through breast milk. To investigate the effect of dietary choline on intestinal lipid metabolism during lactation, choline-supplemented (CS), phosphatidylcholine-supplemented (PCS) or choline-deficient (CD) diets were fed to dams during the suckling period. CD dams had lower plasma triacylglycerol, cholesterol and apoB in the fasted state and following a fat-challenge (P < .05). There was a higher content of neutral lipids and lower content of PC in the intestine of CD dams, compared with CS and PCS fed animals (P < .05). In addition, there was lower (P < .05) villus height in CD dams, which indicated a reduced absorptive surface area in the intestine. Choline is critical for the absorption of fat in lactating rats and choline deficiency alters intestinal morphology and impairs chylomicron secretion by limiting the supply of PC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Recurrent triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tissues contain a higher amount of phosphatidylcholine (32:1) than non-recurrent TNBC tissues

    PubMed Central

    Masaki, Noritaka; Takei, Shiro; Horikawa, Makoto; Matsushita, Shoko; Sugiyama, Eiji; Ogura, Hiroyuki; Shiiya, Norihiko; Setou, Mitsutoshi

    2017-01-01

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the breast cancer subtype that displays a high risk of early recurrence and short overall survival. Improvement of the prognosis of patients with TNBC requires identifying a predictive factor of recurrence, which would make it possible to provide beneficial personalized treatment. However, no clinically reliable predictive factor is currently known. In this study, we investigated the predictive factor of recurrence in TNBC using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-imaging mass spectrometry for lipid profiling of breast cancer specimens obtained from three and six patients with recurrent and non-recurrent TNBC, respectively. The signal for phosphatidylcholine (PC) (32:1) at m/z 732.5 was significantly higher in the recurrence group compared to the non-recurrence group (P = 0.024). PC (32:1) was more abundant in the cancer epithelial area than it was in the surrounding stroma, suggesting that abnormal lipid metabolism was associated with malignant transformation. Our results indicate PC (32:1) as a candidate predictive factor of TNBC recurrence. A future prospective study investigating whether personalized therapy based on PC (32:1) intensity improves the prognosis of patients with TNBC is recommended. PMID:28832678

  8. Differences in surfactant lipids collected from pleural and pulmonary lining fluids.

    PubMed

    Mills, Paul C; Chen, Yi; Hills, Yvette C; Hills, Brian A

    2005-11-01

    The type and relative importance of saturated and unsaturated phospholipid components of surfactant within the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) of the inner and outer surfaces of the lung is not known. Seven healthy dogs were anesthetized and a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, immediately followed by a pleural lavage (PL). Lipid was extracted from lavage fluid and then analyzed for saturated, primarily dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), and unsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PC) species using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with combined fluorescence and ultraviolet detection. Dilution of ELF in lavage fluids was corrected for using the urea method. DPPC (494.7 +/- 213.9 microg/mL) was the predominant PC present in ELF collected from the alveolar surface. In contrast, significantly higher (p = 0.028) proportions of unsaturated PC species were measured in PL fluid (approximately 105 microg/mL), particularly stearoyl-linoleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (SLPC), which could not be measured in fluid collected from the alveoli, compared to DPPC (2.6 +/- 2.0 microg/mL). This study indicates that unsaturated PC species seem to be more important than saturated species, particularly DPPC, in the pleural cavity, which has implications for surfactant replenishment following pleural disease or thoracic surgery.

  9. Eicosapentaenoic acid-enriched phosphatidylcholine isolated from Cucumaria frondosa exhibits anti-hyperglycemic effects via activating phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signal pathway.

    PubMed

    Hu, Shiwei; Xu, Leilei; Shi, Di; Wang, Jingfeng; Wang, Yuming; Lou, Qiaoming; Xue, Changhu

    2014-04-01

    Eicosapentaenoic acid-enriched phosphatidylcholine was isolated from the sea cucumber Cucumaria frondosa (Cucumaria-PC) and its effects on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hyperglycemic rats were investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control, model control (STZ), low- and high-dose Cucumaria-PC groups (STZ + Cucumaria-PC at 25 and 75 mg/Kg·b·wt, intragastrically, respectively). Blood glucose, insulin, glycogen in liver and gastrocnemius were determined over 60 days. Insulin signaling in the rats' gastrocnemius was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. The results showed that Cucumaria-PC significantly decreased blood glucose level, increased insulin secretion and glycogen synthesis in diabetic rats. RT-PCR analysis revealed that Cucumaria-PC significantly promoted the expressions of glycometabolism-related genes of insulin receptor (IR), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (PKB), and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) in gastrocnemius. Western blotting assay demonstrated that Cucumaria-PC remarkably enhanced the proteins abundance of IR-β, PI3K, PKB, GLUT4, as well as phosphorylation of Tyr-IR-β, p85-PI3K, Ser473-PKB (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). These findings suggested that Cucumaria-PC exhibited significant anti-hyperglycemic activities through up-regulating PI3K/PKB signal pathway mediated by insulin. Nutritional supplementation with Cucumaria-PC, if validated for human studies, may offer an adjunctive therapy for diabetes mellitus. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.

  10. Identification and Characterization of a High-Affinity Choline Uptake System of Brucella abortus

    PubMed Central

    Herrmann, Claudia K.; Bukata, Lucas; Melli, Luciano; Marchesini, M. Ines; Caramelo, Julio J.

    2013-01-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC), a common phospholipid of the eukaryotic cell membrane, is present in the cell envelope of the intracellular pathogen Brucella abortus, the etiological agent of bovine brucellosis. In this pathogen, the biosynthesis of PC proceeds mainly through the phosphatidylcholine synthase pathway; hence, it relies on the presence of choline in the milieu. These observations imply that B. abortus encodes an as-yet-unknown choline uptake system. Taking advantage of the requirement of choline uptake for PC synthesis, we devised a method that allowed us to identify a homologue of ChoX, the high-affinity periplasmic binding protein of the ABC transporter ChoXWV. Disruption of the choX gene completely abrogated PC synthesis at low choline concentrations in the medium, thus indicating that it is a high-affinity transporter needed for PC synthesis via the PC synthase (PCS) pathway. However, the synthesis of PC was restored when the mutant was incubated in media with higher choline concentrations, suggesting the presence of an alternative low-affinity choline uptake activity. By means of a fluorescence-based equilibrium-binding assay and using the kinetics of radiolabeled choline uptake, we show that ChoX binds choline with an extremely high affinity, and we also demonstrate that its activity is inhibited by increasing choline concentrations. Cell infection assays indicate that ChoX activity is required during the first phase of B. abortus intracellular traffic, suggesting that choline concentrations in the early and intermediate Brucella-containing vacuoles are limited. Altogether, these results suggest that choline transport and PC synthesis are strictly regulated in B. abortus. PMID:23161032

  11. Ventilation-induced release of phosphatidylcholine from neonatal-rat lungs in vitro.

    PubMed Central

    Nijjar, M S

    1984-01-01

    Factors regulating the release of phosphatidylcholine (PC) from neonatal-rat lungs were investigated. The results show that the release of prelabelled PC from the newborn-rat lung was augmented by air ventilation at the onset of breathing. This response was mimicked in lungs of pups delivered 1 day before term and allowed to breathe for different time intervals. Anoxia further augmented the ventilation-enhanced PC release from the newborn-rat lungs. The ventilation-induced release of PC was not abolished by the prior treatment of pups in utero or mothers in vivo with phenoxybenzamine, propranolol or atropine, suggesting the lack of receptor stimulation in the ventilation-enhanced PC release at birth. The results also show that ventilation stimulated [methyl-14C]choline incorporation into lung PC, presumably to replenish the depleted surfactant stores. The ratio of adenylate cyclase/cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activities, which reflects cyclic AMP levels in the developing rat lungs, did not change during the 120 min of air ventilation when the release of PC was much enhanced, implying that cyclic AMP may not be involved. This confirms our conclusion that stimulation of beta-adrenergic receptor was not involved in the air-ventilation-enhanced release of PC. Since the cell number or size did not change during 120 min of ventilation when the alveolar-cell surface was maximally distended, it is suggested that distension of alveolar wall by air ventilation at the onset of breathing may bring the lamellar bodies containing surfactant close to the luminal surface of alveolar type II cells, thereby enhancing their fusion and extrusion by exocytosis. PMID:6477485

  12. Deciphering the roles of Arabidopsis LPCAT and PAH in phosphatidylcholine homeostasis and pathway coordination for chloroplast lipid synthesis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Liping; Kazachkov, Michael; Shen, Wenyun; Bai, Mei; Wu, Hong; Zou, Jitao

    2014-12-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a key intermediate in the metabolic network of glycerolipid biosynthesis. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT) and phosphatidic acid phosphatase (PAH) are two key enzymes of PC homeostasis. We report that LPCAT activity is markedly induced in the Arabidopsis pah mutant. The quadruple pah lpcat mutant, with dual defects in PAH and LPCAT, had a level of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) that was much higher than that in the lpcat mutants and a PC content that was higher than that in the pah mutant. Comparative molecular profile analysis of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol and digalactosyldiacylglycerol revealed that both the pah and pah lpcat mutants had increased proportions of 34:6 from the prokaryotic pathway despite differing levels of LPCAT activity. We show that a decreased representation of the C16:0 C18:2 diacylglycerol moiety in PC was a shared feature of pah and pah lpcat, and that this change in PC metabolic profile correlated with the increased prokaryotic contribution to chloroplast lipid synthesis. We detected increased PC deacylation in the pah lpcat mutant that was attributable at least in part to the induced phospholipases. Increased LPC generation was also evident in the pah mutant, but the phospholipases were not induced, raising the possibility that PC deacylation is mediated by the reverse reaction of LPCAT. We discuss possible roles of LPCAT and PAH in PC turnover that impacts lipid pathway coordination for chloroplast lipid synthesis. © 2014 National Research Council Canada. The Plant Journal © 2014 Society For Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons.

  13. Development, characterization and in vivo evaluation of benzocaine-loaded liposomes.

    PubMed

    Mura, Paola; Maestrelli, Francesca; González-Rodríguez, Maria Luisa; Michelacci, Ilaria; Ghelardini, Carla; Rabasco, Antonio M

    2007-08-01

    This study reports the development and in vivo evaluation of a liposomal formulation of the local anaesthetic benzocaine. Multi-lamellar (MLV) and small uni-lamellar (SUV) vesicles entrapping benzocaine were prepared using 50:50 w/w phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol as lipophilic phase and 50:50 v/v ethanol-water as hydrophilic phase. Liposome size, Zeta-potential, encapsulation efficiency and skin penetration properties were determined. Drug permeation from liposomal dispersions, as such or formulated in Carbopol gel, was evaluated through artificial lipophilic membranes and excised abdominal rat skin, whereas in vivo anaesthetic effect was tested on rabbits. Interestingly, addition of the drug into the hydrophilic phase, rather than into the lipophilic one, during liposome preparation enabled an improvement of the MLV's entrapment efficiency from 29.7% to 82.3%. On the other hand, sonication conditions to obtain SUV influenced size and polydispersity index of the vesicles and reduced the entrapment efficiency by about 30%. All liposomal-benzocaine formulations showed sustained release properties and a more intense anaesthetic effect than plain drug. Permeation experiments from drug solutions in gel containing the same amount of ethanol as in the liposomal formulations made it possible to exclude a possible enhancer effect of this solvent, at least when not used in liposomal formulations. MLV with the drug added into the hydrophilic phase gave the most effective formulation, showing a permeability coefficient value 2.5 times higher than that of the plain drug and allowing a significant improvement (P<0.01) not only of intensity but also of duration of anaesthetic effect of benzocaine. These results suggest that a suitably developed liposomal formulation of benzocaine can be of actual value for improving its clinical effectiveness in topical anaesthesia.

  14. Acyl Chain Preference in Foam Cell Formation from Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages.

    PubMed

    Fujiwara, Yuko; Hama, Kotaro; Tsukahara, Makoto; Izumi-Tsuzuki, Ryosuke; Nagai, Toru; Ohe-Yamada, Mihoko; Inoue, Keizo; Yokoyama, Kazuaki

    2018-01-01

    Macrophage foam cells play critical roles in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis by synthesizing and accumulating cholesteryl ester (CE) in lipid droplets. However, in analyzing lipid metabolism in foam cell formation, studies have focused on the sterol group, and little research has been done on the acyl chains. Therefore, we adapted a model system using liposomes containing particular acyl chains and examined the effect of various acyl chains on foam cell formation. Of the phosphatidylserine (PS) liposomes tested containing PS, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol, we found that unsaturated (C18:1), but not saturated (C16:0 and C18:0), PS liposomes induced lipid droplet formation, indicating that foam cell formation depends on the nature of the acyl chain of the PS liposomes. Experiments on the uptake and accumulation of cholesterol from liposomes by adding [ 14 C]cholesterol suggested that foam cell formation could be induced only when cholesterol was converted to CE in the case of C18:1 PS liposomes. Both microscopic observations and metabolic analysis suggest that cholesterol incorporated into either C16:0 or C18:0 PS liposomes may stay intact after being taken in by endosomes. The [ 14 C]C18:1 fatty acyl chain in the C18:1 PS liposome was used to synthesize CE and triacylglycerol (TG). Interestingly, the [ 14 C]C16:0 in the C18:1 PS liposome was metabolized to sphingomyelin rather than being incorporated into either CE or TG, which could be because of enzymatic acyl chain selectivity. In conclusion, our results indicate that the acyl chain preference of macrophages could have some impact on their progression to foam cells.

  15. Effect of liver fatty acid binding protein on fatty acid movement between liposomes and rat liver microsomes.

    PubMed

    McCormack, M; Brecher, P

    1987-06-15

    Although movement of fatty acids between bilayers can occur spontaneously, it has been postulated that intracellular movement is facilitated by a class of proteins named fatty acid binding proteins (FABP). In this study we have incorporated long chain fatty acids into multilamellar liposomes made of phosphatidylcholine, incubated them with rat liver microsomes containing an active acyl-CoA synthetase, and measured formation of acyl-CoA in the absence or presence of FABP purified from rat liver. FABP increased about 2-fold the accumulation of acyl-CoA when liposomes were the fatty acid donor. Using fatty acid incorporated into liposomes made either of egg yolk lecithin or of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, it was found that the temperature dependence of acyl-CoA accumulation in the presence of FABP correlated with both the physical state of phospholipid molecules in the liposomes and the binding of fatty acid to FABP, suggesting that fatty acid must first desorb from the liposomes before FABP can have an effect. An FABP-fatty acid complex incubated with microsomes, in the absence of liposomes, resulted in greater acyl-CoA formation than when liposomes were present, suggesting that desorption of fatty acid from the membrane is rate-limiting in the accumulation of acyl-CoA by this system. Finally, an equilibrium dialysis cell separating liposomes from microsomes on opposite sides of a Nuclepore filter was used to show that liver FABP was required for the movement and activation of fatty acid between the compartments. These studies show that liver FABP interacts with fatty acid that desorbs from phospholipid bilayers, and promotes movement to a membrane-bound enzyme, suggesting that FABP may act intracellularly by increasing net desorption of fatty acid from cell membranes.

  16. Vaxfectin (registered trademark) Enhances Both Antibody and In Vitro T Cell Responses to Each Component of a 5-gene Plasmodium falciparum Plasmid DNA Vaccine Mixture Administered at Low Doses

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    received intramus- cular injections in the tibialis anterior muscle pDNA formu lated in PBS or Vaxfectin® using insulin syringes (0.3 ml: Becton Dick... phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) liposomes in Leishmania vaccine stud- ies and report long-term immunity in mice when the adjuvant was added with the

  17. Tyrosine oxidation and nitration in transmembrane peptides is connected to lipid peroxidation.

    PubMed

    Bartesaghi, Silvina; Herrera, Daniel; Martinez, Débora M; Petruk, Ariel; Demicheli, Verónica; Trujillo, Madia; Martí, Marcelo A; Estrín, Darío A; Radi, Rafael

    2017-05-15

    Tyrosine nitration is an oxidative post-translational modification that can occur in proteins associated to hydrophobic bio-structures such as membranes and lipoproteins. In this work, we have studied tyrosine nitration in membranes using a model system consisting of phosphatidylcholine liposomes with pre-incorporated tyrosine-containing 23 amino acid transmembrane peptides. Tyrosine residues were located at positions 4, 8 or 12 of the amino terminal, resulting in different depths in the bilayer. Tyrosine nitration was accomplished by exposure to peroxynitrite and a peroxyl radical donor or hemin in the presence of nitrite. In egg yolk phosphatidylcholine liposomes, nitration was highest for the peptide with tyrosine at position 8 and dramatically increased as a function of oxygen levels. Molecular dynamics studies support that the proximity of the tyrosine phenolic ring to the linoleic acid peroxyl radicals contributes to the efficiency of tyrosine oxidation. In turn, α-tocopherol inhibited both lipid peroxidation and tyrosine nitration. The mechanism of tyrosine nitration involves a "connecting reaction" by which lipid peroxyl radicals oxidize tyrosine to tyrosyl radical and was fully recapitulated by computer-assisted kinetic simulations. Altogether, this work underscores unique characteristics of the tyrosine oxidation and nitration process in lipid-rich milieu that is fueled via the lipid peroxidation process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Concentration of isoprene in artificial and thylakoid membranes.

    PubMed

    Harvey, Christopher M; Li, Ziru; Tjellström, Henrik; Blanchard, Gary J; Sharkey, Thomas D

    2015-10-01

    Isoprene emission protects plants from a variety of abiotic stresses. It has been hypothesized to do so by partitioning into cellular membranes, particularly the thylakoid membrane. At sufficiently high concentrations, this partitioning may alter the physical properties of membranes. As much as several per cent of carbon taken up in photosynthesis is re-emitted as isoprene but the concentration of isoprene in the thylakoid membrane of rapidly emitting plants has seldom been considered. In this study, the intramembrane concentration of isoprene in phosphatidylcholine liposomes equilibrated to a physiologically relevant gas phase concentration of 20 μL L(-1) isoprene was less than predicted by ab initio calculations based on the octanol-water partitioning coefficient of isoprene while the concentration in thylakoid membranes was more. However, the concentration in both systems was roughly two orders of magnitude lower than previously assumed. High concentrations of isoprene (2000 μL L(-1) gas phase) failed to alter the viscosity of phosphatidylcholine liposomes as measured with perylene, a molecular probe of membrane structure. These results strongly suggest that the physiological concentration of isoprene within the leaves of highly emitting plants is too low to affect the dynamics of thylakoid membrane acyl lipids. It is speculated that isoprene may bind to and modulate the dynamics of thylakoid embedded proteins.

  19. Nano-formulation for topical treatment of precancerous lesions: skin penetration, in vitro, and in vivo toxicological evaluation.

    PubMed

    Calienni, Maria Natalia; Temprana, Carlos Facundo; Prieto, Maria Jimena; Paolino, Donatella; Fresta, Massimo; Tekinay, Ayse Begum; Alonso, Silvia Del Valle; Montanari, Jorge

    2018-06-01

    With the aim of improving the topical delivery of the antineoplastic drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU), it was loaded into ultradeformable liposomes composed of soy phosphatidylcholine and sodium cholate (UDL-5FU). The liposome populations had a mean size of 70 nm without significant changes in 56 days, and the ultradeformable formulations were up to 324-fold more elastic than conventional liposomes. The interaction between 5FU and the liposomal membrane was studied by three methods, and also release profile was obtained. UDL-5FU did penetrate the stratum corneum of human skin. At in vitro experiments, the formulation was more toxic on a human melanoma-derived than on a human keratinocyte-derived cell line. Cells captured liposomes by metabolically active processes. In vivo toxicity experiments were carried out in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae by studying the swimming activity, morphological changes, and alterations in the heart rate after incubation. UDL-5FU was more toxic than free 5FU. Therefore, this nano-formulation could be useful for topical application in deep skin precancerous lesions with advantages over current treatments. This is the first work that assessed the induction of apoptosis, skin penetration in a Saarbrücken penetration model, and the toxicological effects in vivo of an ultradeformable 5FU-loaded formulation.

  20. Integrity and stability of oral liposomes containing bile salts studied in simulated and ex vivo gastrointestinal media.

    PubMed

    Hu, Shunwen; Niu, Mengmeng; Hu, Fuqiang; Lu, Yi; Qi, Jianping; Yin, Zongning; Wu, Wei

    2013-01-30

    The objective of this study was to investigate the integrtity and stability of oral liposomes containing glycocholate (SGC-Lip) in simulated gastrointestinal (GI) media and ex vivo GI media from rats in comparison with conventional liposomes (CH-Lip) composed of soybean phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol. Membrane integrity of liposomes was evaluated by monitoring calcein release, particle size and distribution in different simulated GI media. The stability of liposomes encapsulating insulin was investigated in simulated GI fluids containing pepsin or pancreatin and ex vivo GI enzyme fluids. Simulated GI media with low pH or physiological bile salts resulted in significant increase in calcein release, but dynamic laser scattering data showed that the size and distribution were generally stable. SGC-Lip retained the major amount of the initially encapsulated insulin as compared with CH-Lip in simulated GI fluids (SGF, FaSSGF, SIF and FeSSIF-V2). SGC-Lip retained respectively 17.1% and 20.5% of the initially encapsulated insulin in ex vivo GI fluid, which were also significantly more than CH-Lip. These results suggested that SGC-Lip could protect insulin from degradation to some degree during their transit through the gastrointestinal tract and contributed to enhanced oral absorption. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Physicochemical interactions among α-eleostearic acid-loaded liposomes applied to the development of drug delivery systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nogueira, Alessandro Oliveira de Moraes; de Sousa, Robson Simplício; Pereira, Luiza Silveira; Mallmann, Christian; da Silva Ferreira, Ailton; Clementin, Rosilene Maria; de Lima, Vânia Rodrigues

    2018-02-01

    In this study, α-eleostearic acid-loaded (α-ESA-loaded) dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) liposomes had their physicochemical properties characterized by horizontal attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (HATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In vitro thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assays were performed to obtain preliminary information on the oxidative potential of the system. An α-ESA-promoted ordering effect in the lipid phosphate region was observed. It was associated with a rotation restriction due to an increase in the amount of lipid group hydrogen bonds. The fatty acid was responsible for the reduction in the degree of hydration of carbonyl groups located in the interfacial region of lipids. α-ESA disordered the DMPC methylene acyl chains by trans-gauche isomerization and increased its rotation rate. TBARS results showed pro-oxidant behavior on liposomes, induced by α-ESA. The discussion about the responses considered the degree of saturation of phosphatidylcholines and suggested that the α-ESA oxidative effects may be modulated by the liposome lipid composition. The versatility of liposomal carriers may be promising for the development of efficacious α-ESA-based drug delivery systems. Results described in this study contribute to the selection of adequate material to produce them.

  2. Liposomogenic UV Absorbers are Water-Resistant on Pig Skin-A Model Study With Relevance for Sunscreens.

    PubMed

    Herzog, Bernd; Hüglin, Dietmar; Luther, Helmut

    2017-02-01

    An important property of sunscreens is their water resistance after the application on human skin. In this work, the hypothesis that UV absorber molecules which are able to form liposomes, so-called liposomogenic UV absorbers, show better water resistance on a pig skin model than UV-absorbing molecules lacking this ability was tested. The assumption behind is that molecules which can form liposomes are able to integrate into the stratum corneum lipids of the skin. Three different liposomogenic UV absorbers were synthesized and their behavior investigated, leading to the confirmation of the hypothesis. With one of the liposomogenic UV absorbers, it was possible to show the integration of the UV absorber molecules into the bilayers of another liposome consisting of phosphatidylcholine, supporting the assumption that liposomogenic UV absorbers exhibit improved water resistance because they integrate into the skin lipids. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Assessment of the encapsulation effect of phenolic compounds from Spirulina sp. LEB-18 on their antifusarium activities.

    PubMed

    Pagnussatt, Fernanda Arnhold; de Lima, Vânia Rodrigues; Dora, Cristiana Lima; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira; Putaux, Jean-Luc; Badiale-Furlong, Eliana

    2016-11-15

    This study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of liposomal systems containing Spirulina sp. LEB-18 phenolic extract (PE) against Fusarium graminearum (Fg) isolates. The interaction between PE and phosphatidylcholine-based liposomes was monitored by HATR-FTIR, NMR, DSC, and cryo-TEM. After encapsulation, the active principle was released slower than the free PE, a fact that makes the former very promising as a natural antifungal. The PE encapsulation in the liposomes was responsible for changes in the dynamics of specific regions. These compounds affected the membrane hydration degree, ordered the lipid phosphate region and increased the disorder of the acyl chain methylenes. These physico-chemical effects may be related to the strong inhibition of four Fg isolates. Results were discussed by correlating structural similarities, as well as the membrane effects of the PE under study on antifusarium activities, and those found in the literature, thus enabling the PE mechanisms of action to be analyzed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Microencapsulation structures based on protein-coated liposomes obtained through electrospraying for the stabilization and improved bioaccessibility of curcumin.

    PubMed

    Gómez-Mascaraque, Laura G; Casagrande Sipoli, Caroline; de La Torre, Lucimara Gaziola; López-Rubio, Amparo

    2017-10-15

    Novel food-grade hybrid encapsulation structures based on the entrapment of phosphatidylcholine liposomes, within a WPC matrix through electrospraying, were developed and used as delivery vehicles for curcumin. The loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of the proposed system was studied, and the suitability of the approach to stabilize curcumin and increase its bioaccessibility was assessed. Results showed that the maximum loading capacity of the liposomes was around 1.5% of curcumin, although the loading capacity of the hybrid microencapsulation structures increased with the curcumin content by incorporation of curcumin microcrystals upon electrospraying. Microencapsulation of curcumin within the proposed hybrid structures significantly increased its bioaccessibility (∼1.7-fold) compared to the free compound, and could successfully stabilize it against degradation in PBS (pH=7.4). The proposed approach thus proved to be a promising alternative to produce powder-like functional ingredients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Interaction of celecoxib with membranes: the role of membrane biophysics on its therapeutic and toxic effects.

    PubMed

    Pereira-Leite, Catarina; Nunes, Cláudia; Lima, José L F C; Reis, Salette; Lúcio, Marlene

    2012-11-26

    The present work provides a biophysical characterization of the interaction of celecoxib, a cyclo-oxigenase-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, with membranes using liposomes, constituted by phosphatidylcholines, as membrane model systems. In order to mimic biological conditions, the experiments were performed at physiological pH (7.4); at an acidic pH to mimic the conditions of the inflamed cells (5.0); and at different membrane physical states (gel, ripple, and fluid phase). Important information regarding the celecoxib-membrane interactions was gathered by the complementary biophysical techniques: derivative spectrophotometry was used to determine liposome/water partition coefficient of celecoxib; dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were performed to study the influence of celecoxib on lipid main phase transition temperature; fluorescence binding measurements were made to assess the location of celecoxib within the membrane; and small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) were used to assess the changes in the structure and order of phosphatidylcholine bilayers caused by the presence of celecoxib. The overall results obtained indicate that celecoxib greatly interacts with membranes. Briefly, celecoxib exhibits a high liposome/water partition coefficient that is non-pH-dependent, but the location of celecoxib within the membrane is pH-dependent. In fact, celecoxib is more deeply located inside the membrane at pH 5.0, while it locates closer to the surface at pH 7.4. DLS, SAXS, and WAXS results have shown a high membrane fluidization in the presence of celecoxib, especially at pH 7.4. Overall, the current study can contribute to a biophysical characterization of the celecoxib-membrane interaction. The relevance of the gathered results will be discussed in terms of the reported celecoxib therapeutic and toxic effects.

  6. Phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C inhibition down- regulates CXCR4 expression and interferes with proliferation, invasion and glycolysis in glioma cells

    PubMed Central

    Ricci, Alessandro; Pacella, Aurora; Cigliana, Giovanni; Bozzuto, Giuseppina; Podo, Franca; Carpinelli, Giulia

    2017-01-01

    Background The chemokine receptor CXCR4 plays a crucial role in tumors, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive glioma. Phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC), a catabolic enzyme of PC metabolism, is involved in several aspects of cancer biology and its inhibition down-modulates the expression of growth factor membrane receptors interfering with their signaling pathways. In the present work we investigated the possible interplay between CXCR4 and PC-PLC in GBM cells. Methods Confocal microscopy, immunoprecipitation, western blot analyses, and the evaluation of migration and invasion potential were performed on U87MG cells after PC-PLC inhibition with the xanthate D609. The intracellular metabolome was investigated by magnetic resonance spectroscopy; lactate levels and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were analyzed by colorimetric assay. Results Our studies demonstrated that CXCR4 and PC-PLC co-localize and are associated on U87MG cell membrane. D609 reduced CXCR4 expression, cell proliferation and invasion, interfering with AKT and EGFR activation and expression. Metabolic analyses showed a decrease in intracellular lactate concentration together with a decrement in LDH activity. Conclusions Our data suggest that inhibition of PC-PLC could represent a new molecular approach in glioma biology not only for its ability in modulating cell metabolism, glioma growth and motility, but also for its inhibitory effect on crucial molecules involved in cancer progression. PMID:28423060

  7. CGP 55398, a liposomal Ge(IV) phthalocyanine bearing two axially ligated cholesterol moieties: a new potential agent for photodynamic therapy of tumours.

    PubMed Central

    Segalla, A.; Milanesi, C.; Jori, G.; Capraro, H. G.; Isele, U.; Schieweck, K.

    1994-01-01

    Ge(IV) phthalocyanine (GePc) with two axially ligated cholesterol moieties was prepared by chemical synthesis and incorporated in a monomeric state into small unilamellar liposomes (CGP 55398). Upon photoexcitation with light wavelengths around its intense absorption peak at 680 nm, GePc shows an efficient photosensitising activity towards biological substrates through a mechanism which largely involves the intermediacy of singlet oxygen. GePc injected systemically into mice bearing an intramuscularly implanted MS-2 fibrosarcoma is quantitatively transferred to serum lipoproteins and localises in the tumour tissue with good efficiency: at 24 h post injection the GePc content in the tumour is 0.74 and 1.87 micrograms per g of tissue with a tumour/peritumoral ratio of 4.35 and 5.67 for injected doses of 0.76 and 1.52 mg kg-1 respectively. At this time the red-light irradiation of the GePc-loaded fibrosarcoma causes a fast and massive tumour necrosis involving both malignant cells and blood vessels. Images Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12 PMID:8180009

  8. Long-Circulating Curcumin-Loaded Liposome Formulations with High Incorporation Efficiency, Stability and Anticancer Activity towards Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Mahmud, Mohamed; Piwoni, Adriana; Filipczak, Nina; Janicka, Martyna; Gubernator, Jerzy

    2016-01-01

    The incorporation of hydrophobic drugs into liposomes improve their bioavailability and leads to increased stability and anticancer activity, along with decreased drug toxicity. Curcumin (Cur) is a natural polyphenol compound with a potent anticancer activity in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA). In the present study, different types of Cur-loaded liposomal formulations were prepared and characterized in terms of size, shape, zeta potential, optimal drug-to-lipid ratio and stability at 4°C, 37°C; and in human plasma in vitro. The best formulation in terms of these parameters was PEGylated, cholesterol-free formulation based upon hydrogenated soya PC (HSPC:DSPE-PEG2000:Cur, termed H5), which had a 0.05/10 molar ratio of drug-to-lipid, was found to be stable and had a 96% Cur incorporation efficiency. All Cur-loaded liposomal formulations had potent anticancer activity on the PA cancer cell lines AsPC-1 and BxPC-3, and were less toxic to a normal cell line (NHDF). Furthermore, apoptosis-induction induced by Cur in PA cells was associated with morphological changes including cell shrinkage, cytoplasmic blebbing, irregularity in shape and the externalization of cell membrane phosphatidylserine, which was preceded by an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and caspase 3/7 activation. Because the liposomal formulations tested here, especially the H5 variant which exhibited slow release of the Cur in the human plasma test, the formulation may be stable enough to facilitate the accumulation of pharmacologically active amounts of Cur in target cancer tissue by EPR. Therefore, our formulations could serve as a promising therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer and other cancers.

  9. Mass Spectrometric Analyses of Phosphatidylcholines in Alkali-Exposed Corneal Tissue

    PubMed Central

    Crane, Ashley M.; Hua, Hong-Uyen; Coggin, Andrew D.; Gugiu, Bogdan G.; Lam, Byron L.; Bhattacharya, Sanjoy K.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose. The aims were to determine whether exposure to sodium hydroxide results in predictable changes in phosphatidylcholine (PC) in corneal tissue and if PC profile changes correlate to exposure duration. PCs are major components of the cell membrane lipid bilayer and are often involved in biological processes such as signaling. Methods. Enucleated porcine (n = 140) and cadaver human eyes (n = 20) were exposed to water (control) and 11 M NaOH. The corneas were excised and lipids were extracted using the Bligh and Dyer method with suitable modifications. Class-specific lipid identification was carried out using a ratiometric lipid standard on a TSQ Quantum Access Max mass spectrometer. Protein amounts were determined using Bradford assays. Results. Control and alkali-treated corneas showed reproducible PC spectra for both porcine and human corneas. Over 200 PCs were identified for human and porcine control and each experimental time point. Several PC species (m/z values) consequent upon alkali exposure could not be ascribed to a recorded PC species. Control and treated groups showed 41 and 29 common species among them for porcine and human corneas, respectively. The unique PC species peaked at 12 minutes and at 30 minutes for human and porcine corneas followed by a decline consistent with an interplay of alkali penetration and hydrolyses at various time points. Conclusions. Alkali exposure dramatically changes the PC profile of cornea. Our data are consistent with penetration and hydrolysis as stochastic contributors to changes in PCs due to exposure to alkali for a finite duration and amount. PMID:22956606

  10. Synthesis of DHA/EPA-rich phosphatidylcholine by immobilized phospholipase A1: effect of water addition and vacuum condition.

    PubMed

    Li, Daoming; Qin, Xiaoli; Wang, Weifei; Li, Zhigang; Yang, Bo; Wang, Yonghua

    2016-08-01

    DHA/EPA-rich phosphatidylcholine (PC) was successfully synthesized by immobilized phospholipase A1 (PLA1)-catalyzed transesterification of PC and DHA/EPA-rich ethyl esters in a solvent-free system. Effects of reaction temperature, water addition and substrate mass ratio on the incorporation of DHA/EPA were evaluated using response surface methods (RSM). Water addition had most significant effect on the incorporation. Reaction temperature and substrate mass ratio, however, had no significant effect on the incorporation. The maximal incorporation was 19.09 % (24 h) under the following conditions: temperature 55.7 °C, water addition 1.1 wt % and substrate mass ratio (ethyl esters/PC) 6.8:1. Furthermore, effects of water addition (from 0 to 1.25 wt %) on DHA/EPA incorporation and the composition of products were further investigated. The immobilized PLA1 was more active when water addition was above 0.5 wt %. By monitoring the reaction processes with different water addition, a possible reaction scheme was proposed for transesterification of PC with DHA/EPA-rich ethyl esters. In summary, PC and sn2-lysophosphatidylocholine (LPC) were predominant in the mixtures at early stages of reaction, whereas sn1-LPC and glycerophosphocholine (GPC) predominant at later stages. The vacuum employed after 24 h significantly increased the incorporation of DHA/EPA and the composition of PC, and the highest incorporation (30.31 %) of DHA/EPA was obtained at 72 h and the yield of PC was 47.2 %.

  11. Increased phosphatidylcholine (16:0/16:0) in the folliculus lymphaticus of Warthin tumor.

    PubMed

    He, Qian; Takizawa, Yoshinori; Hayasaka, Takahiro; Masaki, Noritaka; Kusama, Yukiko; Su, Jiping; Mineta, Hiroyuki; Setou, Mitsutoshi

    2014-09-01

    Warthin tumor (War-T), the second most common benign salivary gland tumor, consists mainly of neoplastic epithelium and lymphoid stroma. Some proteins and genes thought to be involved in War-T were evaluated by molecular biology and immunology. However, lipids as an important component of many tumor cells have not been well studied in War-T. To elucidate the molecular biology and pathogenesis of War-T, we investigated the visualized distribution of phosphatidylcholines (PCs) by imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). In our IMS analysis of a typical case, 10 signals were significantly different in intensity (p < 0.01) between the War-T and non-tumor (Non-T) regions. Five specific PCs were frequently found in the War-T regions of all of the samples: [PC (16:0/16:0) + K](+) (m/z 772.5), [PC (16:0/20:4) + K](+) (m/z 820.5), [PC (16:0/20:3) + K](+) (m/z 822.5), [PC (18:2/20:4) + K](+) (m/z 844.5), and [PC (18:0/20:5) + K](+) (m/z 846.5). PC (16:0/16:0) was increased specifically in the folliculus lymphaticus of War-T lymphoid stroma, suggesting a different metabolism. Localization of PC (16:0/16:0) might reflect inflammation activity participating in the pathogenesis of War-T. Thus, our IMS analysis revealed the profile of PCs specific to the War-T region. The molecules identified in our study provide important information for further studies of War-T pathogenesis.

  12. Genetic ablation of phosphatidylcholine transfer protein/StarD2 in ob/ob mice improves glucose tolerance without increasing energy expenditure.

    PubMed

    Krisko, Tibor I; LeClair, Katherine B; Cohen, David E

    2017-03-01

    Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP; synonym StarD2) is highly expressed in liver and oxidative tissues. PC-TP promotes hepatic glucose production during fasting and aggravates glucose intolerance in high fat fed mice. However, because PC-TP also suppresses thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT), its direct contribution to obesity-associated diabetes in mice remains unclear. Here we examined the effects of genetic PC-TP ablation on glucose homeostasis in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice, which exhibit both diabetes and altered thermoregulation. Mice lacking both PC-TP and leptin (Pctp -/- ;ob/ob) were prepared by crossing Pctp -/- with ob/+ mice. Glucose homeostasis was assessed by standard assays, and energy expenditure was determined by indirect calorimetry using a comprehensive laboratory animal monitoring system, which also recorded physical activity and food intake. Body composition was determined by NMR and hepatic lipids by enzymatic assays. Core body temperature was measured using a rectal thermocouple probe. Pctp -/- ;ob/ob mice demonstrated improved glucose homeostasis, as evidenced by markedly improved glucose and pyruvate tolerance tests, without changes in insulin tolerance. However, there were no differences in EE at any ambient temperature. There were also no effects of PC-TP expression on physical activity, food intake or core body temperature. Improved glucose tolerance in Pctp -/- ;ob/ob mice in the absence of increases in energy expenditure or core body temperature indicates a direct pathogenic role for PC-TP in diabetes in leptin deficient mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Nanovesicle encapsulation of antimicrobial peptide P34: physicochemical characterization and mode of action on Listeria monocytogenes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    da Silva Malheiros, Patrícia; Sant'Anna, Voltaire; Micheletto, Yasmine Miguel Serafini; da Silveira, Nadya Pesce; Brandelli, Adriano

    2011-08-01

    Antimicrobial peptide P34, a substance showing antibacterial activity against pathogenic and food spoilage bacteria, was encapsulated in liposomes prepared from partially purified soybean phosphatidylcholine, and their physicochemical characteristics were evaluated. The antimicrobial activity was estimated by agar diffusion assay using Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644 as indicator strain. A concentration of 3,200 AU/mL of P34 was encapsulated in nanovesicles and stocked at 4 °C. No significant difference ( p > 0.05) in the biological activity of free and encapsulated P34 was observed through 24 days. Size and PDI of liposomes, investigated by light scattering analysis, were on average 150 nm and 0.22 respectively. Zeta potential was -27.42 mV. There was no significant change ( p > 0.05) in the physicochemical properties of liposomes during the time of evaluation. The liposomes presented closed spherical morphology as visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mode of action of liposome-encapsulated P34 under L. monocytogenes cells was investigated by TEM. Liposomes appeared to adhere but not fuse with the bacterial cell wall, suggesting that the antimicrobial is released from nanovesicles to act against the microorganism. The effect of free and encapsulated P34 was tested against L. monocytogenes, showing that free bacteriocin inhibited the pathogen more quickly than the encapsulated P34. Liposomes prepared with low-cost lipid showed high encapsulation efficiency for a new antimicrobial peptide and were stable during storage. The mode of action against the pathogen L. monocytogenes was characterized.

  14. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, inhibits insulin-induced activation of phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis and associated protein kinase C translocation in rat adipocytes.

    PubMed Central

    Standaert, M L; Avignon, A; Yamada, K; Bandyopadhyay, G; Farese, R V

    1996-01-01

    We questioned whether phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and protein kinase C (PKC) function as interrelated signalling mechanisms during insulin action in rat adipocytes. Insulin rapidly activated a phospholipase D that hydrolyses phosphatidylcholine (PC), and this activation was accompanied by increases in diacylglycerol and translocative activation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta in the plasma membrane. Wortmannin, an apparently specific PI 3-kinase inhibitor, inhibited insulin-stimulated, phospholipase D-dependent PC hydrolysis and subsequent translocation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta to the plasma membrane. Wortmannin did not inhibit PKC directly in vitro, or the PKC-dependent effects of phorbol esters on glucose transport in intact adipocytes. The PKC inhibitor RO 31-8220 did not inhibit PI 3-kinase directly or its activation in situ by insulin, but inhibited both insulin-stimulated and phorbol ester-stimulated glucose transport. Our findings suggest that insulin acts through PI 3-kinase to activate a PC-specific phospholipase D and causes the translocative activation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta in plasma membranes of rat adipocytes. PMID:8611143

  15. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, inhibits insulin-induced activation of phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis and associated protein kinase C translocation in rat adipocytes.

    PubMed

    Standaert, M L; Avignon, A; Yamada, K; Bandyopadhyay, G; Farese, R V

    1996-02-01

    We questioned whether phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and protein kinase C (PKC) function as interrelated signalling mechanisms during insulin action in rat adipocytes. Insulin rapidly activated a phospholipase D that hydrolyses phosphatidylcholine (PC), and this activation was accompanied by increases in diacylglycerol and translocative activation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta in the plasma membrane. Wortmannin, an apparently specific PI 3-kinase inhibitor, inhibited insulin-stimulated, phospholipase D-dependent PC hydrolysis and subsequent translocation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta to the plasma membrane. Wortmannin did not inhibit PKC directly in vitro, or the PKC-dependent effects of phorbol esters on glucose transport in intact adipocytes. The PKC inhibitor RO 31-8220 did not inhibit PI 3-kinase directly or its activation in situ by insulin, but inhibited both insulin-stimulated and phorbol ester-stimulated glucose transport. Our findings suggest that insulin acts through PI 3-kinase to activate a PC-specific phospholipase D and causes the translocative activation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta in plasma membranes of rat adipocytes.

  16. A targeted liposome delivery system for combretastatin A4: formulation optimization through drug loading and in vitro release studies.

    PubMed

    Nallamothu, Ramakrishna; Wood, George C; Kiani, Mohammad F; Moore, Bob M; Horton, Frank P; Thoma, Laura A

    2006-01-01

    Efficient liposomal therapeutics require high drug loading and low leakage. The objective of this study is to develop a targeted liposome delivery system for combretastatin A4 (CA4), a novel antivascular agent, with high loading and stable drug encapsulation. Liposomes composed of hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), cholesterol, and distearoyl phosphoethanolamine-PEG-2000 conjugate (DSPE-PEG) were prepared by the lipid film hydration and extrusion process. Cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptides with affinity for alphav beta3-integrins overexpressed on tumor vascular endothelial cells were coupled to the distal end of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the liposomes sterically stabilized with PEG (non-targeted liposomes; LCLs). Effect of lipid concentration, drug-to-lipid ratio, cholesterol, and DSPE-PEG content in the formulation on CA4 loading and its release from the liposomes was studied. Total liposomal CA4 levels obtained increased with increasing lipid concentration in the formulation. As the drug-to-lipid ratio increased from 10:100 to 20:100, total drug in the liposome formulation increased from 1.05+/-0.11 mg/mL to 1.55+/-0.13 mg/mL, respectively. When the drug-to-lipid ratio was further raised to 40:100, the total drug in liposome formulation did not increase, but the amount of free drug increased significantly, thereby decreasing the percent of entrapped drug. Increasing cholesterol content in the formulation decreased drug loading. In vitro drug leakage from the liposomes increased with increase in drug-to-lipid ratio or DSPE-PEG content in the formulation; whereas increasing cholesterol content of the formulation up to 30 mol-percent, decreased CA4 leakage from the liposomes. Ligand coupling to the liposome surface increased drug leakage as a function of ligand density. Optimized liposome formulation with 100 mM lipid concentration, 20:100 drug-to-lipid ratio, 30 mol-percent cholesterol, 4 mol-percent DSPE-PEG, and 1 mol-percent DSPE-PEG-maleimide content yielded 1.77+/-0.14 mg/mL liposomal CA4 with 85.70+/-1.71% of this being entrapped in the liposomes. These liposomes, with measured size of 123.84+/-41.23 nm, released no significant amount of the encapsulated drug over 48 h at 37 degrees C.

  17. pH-Sensitive Interactions between Cellulose Nanocrystals and DOPC Liposomes.

    PubMed

    Navon, Yotam; Radavidson, Harisoa; Putaux, Jean-Luc; Jean, Bruno; Heux, Laurent

    2017-09-11

    The interaction of 1,2 dioleolyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) vesicles with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) using several complementary techniques. Dynamic light scattering, zeta-potential, cryo-transmission electron microscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) analyses confirmed the formation of pH-dependent CNC-liposome complexes. ITC was used to characterize the thermodynamic properties of this interaction. Positive values of enthalpy were found at pH lower than 5 where the charge sign of the constituents was opposite. The association was more pronounced at lower pH, as indicated by the higher values of association constant. We suggest that the positive enthalpy is derived from the release of counterions from the particle hydration shell during the association and that the charge of the vesicles plays a significant role in this interaction.

  18. Liposomes self-assembled from electrosprayed composite microparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Deng-Guang; Yang, Jun-He; Wang, Xia; Tian, Feng

    2012-03-01

    Composite microparticles, consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), naproxen (NAP) and lecithin (PC), have been successfully prepared using an electrospraying process and exploited as templates to manipulate molecular self-assembly for the synthesis of liposomes in situ. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations demonstrate that the microparticles have an average diameter of 960 ± 140 nm and a homogeneous structure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) results verify that the building blocks NAP and PC are scattered in the polymer matrix in a molecular way owing to the very fast drying of the electrospraying process and the favorable secondary interactions among the components. FESEM, scanning probe microscope (SPM) and TEM observations demonstrate that the liposomes can be achieved through molecular self-assembly in situ when the microparticles contact water thanks to ‘like prefers like’ and by means of the confinement effect of the microparticles. The liposomes have an encapsulation rate of 91.3%, and 80.7% of the drug in the liposomes can be freed into the dissolution medium in a sustained way and by a diffusion mechanism over a period of 24 h. The developed strategy not only provides a new, facile, and effective method to assemble and organize molecules of multiple components into liposomes with electrosprayed microparticles as templates, but also opens a new avenue for nanofabrication in a step-by-step and controllable way.

  19. Skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine fatty acids and insulin sensitivity in normal humans.

    PubMed

    Clore, J N; Li, J; Gill, R; Gupta, S; Spencer, R; Azzam, A; Zuelzer, W; Rizzo, W B; Blackard, W G

    1998-10-01

    The fatty acid composition of skeletal muscle membrane phospholipids (PL) is known to influence insulin responsiveness in humans. However, the contribution of the major PL of the outer (phosphatidylcholine, PC) and inner (phosphatidylethanolamine, PE) layers of the sarcolemma to insulin sensitivity is not known. Fatty acid composition of PC and PE from biopsies of vastus lateralis from 27 normal men and women were correlated with insulin sensitivity determined by the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique at insulin infusion rates of 0.4, 1.0, and 10.0 mU . kg-1 . min-1. Significant variation in the half-maximal insulin concentration (ED50) was observed in the normal volunteers (range 24.0-146.0 microU/ml), which correlated directly with fasting plasma insulin (r = 0.75, P < 0.0001). ED50 was inversely correlated with the degree of membrane unsaturation (C20-C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids; r = 0. 58, P < 0.01) and directly correlated with fatty acid elongation (ratio of 16:0 to 18:0, r = 0.45, P < 0.05) in PC. However, no relationship between fatty acid composition and insulin sensitivity was observed in PE (NS). These studies suggest that the fatty acid composition of PC may be of particular importance in the relationship between fatty acids and insulin sensitivity in normal humans.

  20. Phosphatidylcholine embedded micellar systems: enhanced permeability through rat skin.

    PubMed

    Spernath, Aviram; Aserin, Abraham; Sintov, Amnon C; Garti, Nissim

    2008-02-15

    Micellar and microemulsion systems are excellent potential vehicles for delivery of drugs because of their high solubilization capacity and improved transmembrane bioavailability. Mixtures of propylene glycol (PG) and nonionic surfactants with sodium diclofenac (DFC) were prepared in the presence of phosphatidylcholine (PC) as transmembrane transport enhancers. Fully dilutable systems with maximum DFC solubilization capacity (SC) at pH 7 are presented. It was demonstrated that the concentrates underwent phase transitions from reverse micelles to swollen reverse micelles and, via the bicontinuous transitional mesophase, into inverted O/W microstructures. The SC decreases as a function of dilution. DFC transdermal penetration using rat skin in vitro correlated with SC, water content, effect of phospholipid content, presence of an oil phase, and ethanol. Skin penetration from the inverted bicontinuous mesophase and the skin penetration from the O/W-like microstructure were higher than that measured from the W/O-like droplets, especially when the micellar system containing the nonionic surfactant, sugar ester L-1695, and hexaglycerol laurate. PC embedded within the micelle interface significantly increased the penetration flux across the skin compared to micellar systems without the embedded PC at their interface. Moreover, the combination of PC with HECO40 improved the permeation rate (P) and shortened the lag-time (T(L)).

  1. Peptide-modified liposomes for selective targeting of bombesin receptors overexpressed by cancer cells: a potential theranostic agent

    PubMed Central

    Accardo, Antonella; Salsano, Giuseppina; Morisco, Anna; Aurilio, Michela; Parisi, Antonio; Maione, Francesco; Cicala, Carla; Tesauro, Diego; Aloj, Luigi; De Rosa, Giuseppe; Morelli, Giancarlo

    2012-01-01

    Objectives Drug delivery systems consisting of liposomes displaying a cell surface receptor-targeting peptide are being developed to specifically deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to tumors overexpressing a target receptor. This study addresses novel liposome composition approaches to specifically target tissues overexpressing bombesin (BN) receptors. Methods A new amphiphilic peptide derivative (MonY-BN) containing the BN(7–14) peptide, the DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetate) chelating agent, a hydrophobic moiety with two C18 alkyl chains, and polyethylene glycol spacers, has been synthesized by solid-phase methods. Liposomes have been generated by co-aggregation of MonY-BN with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC). The structural and biological properties of these new target-selective drug-delivery systems have been characterized. Results Liposomes with a DSPC/MonY-BN (97/3 molar ratio) composition showed a diameter of 145.5 ± 31.5 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.20 ± 0.05. High doxorubicin (Dox) loading was obtained with the remote pH gradient method using citrate as the inner buffer. Specific binding to PC-3 cells of DSPC/MonY-BN liposomes was obtained (2.7% ± 0.3%, at 37°C), compared with peptide-free DSPC liposomes (1.4% ± 0.2% at 37°C). Incubation of cells with DSPC/ MonY-BN/Dox showed significantly lower cell survival compared with DSPC/Dox-treated cells, in the presence of 100 ng/mL and 300 ng/mL drug amounts, in cytotoxicity experiments. Intravenous treatment of PC-3 xenograft-bearing mice with DSPC/MonY-BN/Dox at 10 mg/kg Dox dose produced higher tumour growth inhibition (60%) compared with nonspecific DSPC/ Dox liposomes (36%) relative to control animals. Conclusion The structural and loading properties of DSPC/MonY-BN liposomes along with the observed in-vitro and in-vivo activity are encouraging for further development of this approach for target-specific cancer chemotherapy. PMID:22619538

  2. The in vitro kinetics of the interactions between PEG-ylated magnetic-fluid-loaded liposomes and macrophages.

    PubMed

    Martina, Marie-Sophie; Nicolas, Valerie; Wilhelm, Claire; Ménager, Christine; Barratt, Gillian; Lesieur, Sylviane

    2007-10-01

    Binding and uptake kinetics of magnetic-fluid-loaded liposomes (MFL) by endocytotic cells were investigated in vitro on the model cell-line J774. MFL consisted of unilamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles (mean hydrodynamic diameter close to 200nm) encapsulating 8-nm nanocrystals of maghemite (gamma-Fe(2)O(3)) and sterically stabilized by introducing 5mol% of distearylphosphatidylcholine poly(ethylene glycol)(2,000) (DSPE-PEG(2,000)) in the vesicle bilayer. The association processes with living macrophages were followed at two levels. On one hand, the lipid vesicles were imaged by confocal fluorescence microscopy. For this purpose 1mol% of rhodamine-marked phosphatidylethanolamine was added to the liposome composition. On the other hand, the iron oxide particles associated with cells were independently quantified by magnetophoresis. All the experiments were similarly performed with PEG-ylated or conventional MFL to point out the role of polymer coating. The results showed cell association with both types of liposomes resulting from binding followed by endocytosis. Steric stabilization by PEG chains reduced binding efficiency limiting the amount of MFL internalized by the macrophages. In contrast, PEG coating did not change the kinetics of endocytosis which exhibited the same first-order rate constant for both conventional and PEG-ylated liposomes. Moreover, lipids and iron oxide particle uptakes were perfectly correlated, indicating that MFL vesicle structure and encapsulation rate were preserved upon cell penetration.

  3. On the Structure and Function of the Phytoene Desaturase CRTI from Pantoea ananatis, a Membrane-Peripheral and FAD-Dependent Oxidase/Isomerase

    PubMed Central

    Gemmecker, Sandra; Poussin-Courmontagne, Pierre; Mailliot, Justine; McEwen, Alastair G.; Ghisla, Sandro; Al-Babili, Salim; Cavarelli, Jean; Beyer, Peter

    2012-01-01

    CRTI-type phytoene desaturases prevailing in bacteria and fungi can form lycopene directly from phytoene while plants employ two distinct desaturases and two cis-tans isomerases for the same purpose. This property renders CRTI a valuable gene to engineer provitamin A-formation to help combat vitamin A malnutrition, such as with Golden Rice. To understand the biochemical processes involved, recombinant CRTI was produced and obtained in homogeneous form that shows high enzymatic activity with the lipophilic substrate phytoene contained in phosphatidyl-choline (PC) liposome membranes. The first crystal structure of apo-CRTI reveals that CRTI belongs to the flavoprotein superfamily comprising protoporphyrinogen IX oxidoreductase and monoamine oxidase. CRTI is a membrane-peripheral oxidoreductase which utilizes FAD as the sole redox-active cofactor. Oxygen, replaceable by quinones in its absence, is needed as the terminal electron acceptor. FAD, besides its catalytic role also displays a structural function by enabling the formation of enzymatically active CRTI membrane associates. Under anaerobic conditions the enzyme can act as a carotene cis-trans isomerase. In silico-docking experiments yielded information on substrate binding sites, potential catalytic residues and is in favor of single half-site recognition of the symmetrical C40 hydrocarbon substrate. PMID:22745782

  4. Metabolic alterations by clofibric acid in the formation of molecular species of phosphatidylcholine in rat liver.

    PubMed

    Mizuguchi, H; Kudo, N; Kawashima, Y

    2001-10-01

    The mechanism by which p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (clofibric acid) induces striking changes in the proportion of the molecular species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) in rat liver was studied. Treatment of rats with clofibric acid strikingly increased the content of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl (16:0-18:1) PC, but decreased the contents of 1-palmitoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl (16:0-22:6), 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl (18:0-20:4), and 1-stearoyl-2-linoleoyl (18:0-18:2) PC; the drug did not change the content of 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl (16:0-20:4) PC. The mechanism underlying these changes has been investigated with regard to the in vivo formation of the molecular species of PC by: (i) de novo synthesis, (ii) reacylation, and (iii) methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). We found that (i) the incorporation of [3H]glycerol, which was injected intravenously, into 16:0-18:1 diacylglycerol (DG) and 16:0-18:1 PC was increased markedly by clofibric acid feeding without changing the substrate specificity of CDP-choline:DG cholinephosphotransferase, (ii) the in vivo formation of 16:0-18:1 and 16:0-20:4 PC from 1-16:0-[3H]glycerophosphocholine (GPC), which was injected intraportally, was increased markedly by clofibric acid feeding, and (iii) the incorporation of [14C]ethanolamine, which was injected intravenously into 16:0-22:6, 18:0-22:6, and 18:0-20:4 PC, was decreased by clofibric acid feeding; the extent of the decrease in 16:0-20:4 PC was less than that of 18:0-20:4 PC. It was concluded, therefore, that (i) clofibric acid selectively increased the content and proportion of 16:0-18:1 PC by enhancing both the CDP-choline pathway and the remodeling of the pre-existing PC molecule, and (ii) the drug kept the content of 16:0-20:4 PC unchanged by stimulating the remodeling of the pre-existing PC molecule, whereas the formation of other more long chain, polyunsaturated molecular species, such as 16:0-22:6, 18:0-22:6, and 18:0-20:4, was decreased owing to the suppression of PE methylation.

  5. The Effect of Cholesterol on the Binding and Insertion of Cytochrome b5 into Liposomes of Phosphatidylcholines

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-09-30

    cholesterol. Hyslop et al. (1990) I by examining the theoretical molar attraction constants of the various fatty acyl chain and sterol structural groups...multilamellar vesicles (Copeland and McConnel, 1980 ). The "ripples" are putative areas of pure phospholipid. As cholesterol content increases, the...becomes maximal between 20-29%, and then decreases beyond 29\\ cholesterol (Melchior eC al., 1980 ). Additionally, X-ray diffraction of DPPC

  6. Bovine binder-of-sperm protein BSP1 promotes protrusion and nanotube formation from liposomes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lafleur, Michel, E-mail: michel.lafleur@umontreal.ca; Courtemanche, Lesley; Karlsson, Goeran

    Research highlights: {yields} Binder-of-sperm protein 1 (BSP1) modifies the morphology of lipidic vesicles inducing bead necklace-like and thread-like structures. {yields} In the presence of multilamellar liposomes, BSP1 leads to the formation of long nanotubes. {yields} The insertion of BSP1 in the external lipid leaflet of membranes induces local changes in bilayer curvature. -- Abstract: Binder-of-sperm (BSP) proteins interact with sperm membranes and are proposed to extract selectively phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol from these. This change in lipid composition is a key step in sperm capacitation. The present work demonstrates that the interactions between the protein BSP1 and model membranes composed withmore » phosphatidylcholine lead to drastic changes in the morphology of the lipidic self-assemblies. Using cryo-electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy, we show that, in the presence of the protein, the lipid vesicles elongate, and form bead necklace-like structures that evolve toward small vesicles or thread-like structures. In the presence of multilamellar vesicles, where a large reservoir of lipid is available, the presence of BSP proteins lead to the formation of long nanotubes. Long spiral-like threads, associated with lipid/protein complexes, are also observed. The local curvature of lipid membranes induced by the BSP proteins may be involved in lipid domain formation and the extraction of some lipids during the sperm maturation process.« less

  7. The effect of polymer backbone chemistry on the induction of the accelerated blood clearance in polymer modified liposomes.

    PubMed

    Kierstead, Paul H; Okochi, Hideaki; Venditto, Vincent J; Chuong, Tracy C; Kivimae, Saul; Fréchet, Jean M J; Szoka, Francis C

    2015-09-10

    A variety of water-soluble polymers, when attached to a liposome, substantially increase liposome circulation half-life in animals. However, in certain conditions, liposomes modified with the most widely used polymer, polyethylene glycol (PEG), induce an IgM response resulting in an accelerated blood clearance (ABC) of the liposome upon the second injection. Modification of liposomes with other water-soluble polymers: HPMA (poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide]), PVP (poly(vinylpyrrolidone)), PMOX (poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)), PDMA (poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide)), and PAcM (poly(N-acryloyl morpholine)), increases circulation times of liposomes; but a precise comparison of their ability to promote long circulation or induce the ABC effect has not been reported. To obtain a more nuanced understanding of the role of polymer structure/MW to promote long circulation, we synthesized a library of polymer diacyl chain lipids with low polydispersity (1.04-1.09), similar polymer molecular weights (2.1-2.5kDa) and incorporated them into 100nm liposomes of a narrow polydispersity (0.25-1.3) composed of polymer-lipid/hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol/diD: 5.0/54.5/40/0.5. We confirm that HPMA, PVP, PMOX, PDMA and PAcM modified liposome have increased circulation times in rodents and that PVP, PDMA, and PAcM do not induce the ABC effect. We demonstrate for the first time, that HPMA does not cause an ABC effect whereas PMOX induces a pronounced ABC effect in rats. We find that a single dose of liposomes coated with PEG and PMOX generates an IgM response in rats towards the respective polymer. Finally, in this homologous polymer series, we observe a positive correlation (R=0.84 in rats, R=0.92 in mice) between the circulation time of polymer-modified liposomes and polymer viscosity; PEG and PMOX, the polymers that can initiate an ABC response were the two most viscous polymers. Our findings suggest that polymers that do not cause an ABC effect such as, HPMA or PVP, deserve further consideration as polymer coatings to improve the circulation of liposomes and other nanoparticles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Preparation and properties evaluation of a novel pH-sensitive liposomes based on imidazole-modified cholesterol derivatives.

    PubMed

    Ju, Liang; Cailin, Fang; Wenlan, Wu; Pinghua, Yu; Jiayu, Gao; Junbo, Li

    2017-02-25

    As a new kind of drug carries, pH-sensitive liposomes have been widely studied in tumor therapy for their advantages of target ability and sustained-release. Here, we synthesized a pH-sensitive material, N-(3-Aminopropyl)imidazole-cholesterol (IM-Chol) and prepared a novel pH-sensitive liposomes using IM-Chol and phosphatidylcholine. IM-Chol was synthesized through amidation reaction between the amino group of N-(3-Aminopropyl)imidazole and acyl chloride group of cholesteryl chloroformate in a weak base solution. Optimal conditions to prepare liposomes were obtained by the orthogonal experiment with the higher encapsulation efficiency as the evaluation indicator. The properties of liposomes, such as particle size, zeta potential, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, drug release behavior and in vitro cell toxicity were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and MTT assay respectively. The results showed that the average particle size of IM-Chol liposomes was 141nm (PDI 0.323). Liposomes can assemble into uniform spheres at pH 7.4, but under the condition of pH 5.0, the spherical structure of IM-Chol liposomes was broken, exhibiting pH-sensitive property. In vitro drug releasing studies demonstrated the controlled-release behavior of the curcumin (CUR) in the IM-Chol liposomes. The cumulative release of CUR reached to 72.5% in the first 24h at pH 5.0, faster than that at pH 7.4, which confirmed that the drug carrier displayed pH-sensitive release behaviors. In addition, the MTT assay was employed to test the cytotoxicity of IM-Chol liposomes and CUR IM-Chol liposomes. All cell viabilities were greater than 80% after incubating for 24h, even up to the highest dose of 500mg/L, indicating that IM-Chol liposomes had good biocompatibility. The tumor inhibitory results towards EC109 cells of free CUR and CUR-loaded IM-Chol liposomes indicated that IM-Chol liposomes indeed enhanced the cell killing effect of CUR. These results showed that the novel IM-Chol liposomes prepared in this paper had pH-sensitive property and were expected to play a huge potential in tumor treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Metabolic and Structural Effects of Phosphatidylcholine and Deoxycholate Injections on Subcutaneous Fat

    PubMed Central

    Reeds, Dominic N.; Mohammed, B. Selma; Klein, Samuel; Boswell, Craig Brian

    2013-01-01

    Background: Phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate (PC-DC) injections are a popular nonsurgical method to eliminate unwanted fat. The safety and efficacy of this approach is uncertain. Objective: The authors evaluate the effects of PC-DC treatments on body composition, adipocyte function, and mechanisms responsible for fat loss. Methods: This randomized, open-label study enrolled 13 women with a body mass index (BMI) ≤30 kg/m2 and lower abdominal subcutaneous fat suitable for small-volume liposuction. Patients were randomized by the final digit of their Social Security numbers and received between 2 and 4 PC-DC treatments, spaced 8 weeks apart. One side below the umbilicus was injected with PC-DC. The contralateral, control side received no treatment. Adipose tissue biopsies were performed on the treated side at baseline, 1 week after the first treatment, and 8 weeks after the final treatment. The primary outcome was change in adipose tissue thickness at baseline and 8 weeks after the final treatment. Results: Seven women completed the study. Treatment with PC-DC significantly reduced the thickness of the anterior subcutaneous abdominal fat (P = .004). Adipose tissue showed rapid increases in crown-like structures, macrophage infiltration, and reduced expression of leptin, hormone-sensitive lipase, adipose tissue triglyceride lipase, and CD36. Plasma C-reactive protein, lipid profile, and plasma glucose concentrations were unchanged. Conclusions: PC-DC injections can effectively reduce abdominal fat volume and thickness by inducing adipocyte necrosis. These treatments do not appear to increase circulating markers of inflammation or affect glucose and lipid metabolism. Level of Evidence: 3 PMID:23439063

  10. Insulin stimulates phospholipase D-dependent phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis, Rho translocation, de novo phospholipid synthesis, and diacylglycerol/protein kinase C signaling in L6 myotubes.

    PubMed

    Standaert, M L; Bandyopadhyay, G; Zhou, X; Galloway, L; Farese, R V

    1996-07-01

    Previous studies have provided conflicting findings on whether insulin activates certain, potentially important, phospholipid signaling systems in skeletal muscle preparations. In particular, insulin effects on the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and subsequent activation of protein kinase C (PKC) have not been apparent in some studies. Presently, we examined insulin effects on phospholipid signaling systems, diacylglycerol (DAG) production, and PKC translocation/activation in L6 myotubes. We found that insulin provoked rapid increases in phospholipase D (PLD)-dependent hydrolysis of PC, as evidenced by increases in choline release and phosphatidylethanol production in cells incubated in the presence of ethanol. In association with PC-PLD activation, Rho, a small G protein that is known to activate PC-PLD activation, translocated from the cytosol to the membrane fraction in response to insulin treatment. PC-PLD activation was also accompanied by increases in total DAG production and increases in the translocation of both PKC enzyme activity and DAG-sensitive PKC-alpha, -beta, -delta, and -epsilon from the cytosol to the membrane fraction. A potential role for PKC or a related protein kinase in insulin action was suggested by the finding that RO 31-8220 inhibited both PKC enzyme activity and insulin-stimulated [3H]2-deoxyglucose uptake. Our findings provide the first evidence that insulin stimulates Rho translocation and activates PC-PLD in L6 skeletal muscle cells. Moreover, this signaling system appears to lead to increases in DAG/PKC signaling, which, along with other related signaling factors, may regulate certain metabolic processes, such as glucose transport, in these cells.

  11. Excess S-adenosylmethionine reroutes phosphatidylethanolamine towards phosphatidylcholine and triglyceride synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Martínez-Uña, Maite; Varela-Rey, Marta; Cano, Ainara; Fernández-Ares, Larraitz; Beraza, Naiara; Aurrekoetxea, Igor; Martínez-Arranz, Ibon; García-Rodríguez, Juan L; Buqué, Xabier; Mestre, Daniela; Luka, Zigmund; Wagner, Conrad; Alonso, Cristina; Finnell, Richard H; Lu, Shelly C; Martínez-Chantar, M Luz; Aspichueta, Patricia; Mato, José M

    2013-01-01

    Methionine adenosyltransferase 1A (MAT1A) and glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) are the primary genes involved in hepatic S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) synthesis and degradation, respectively. Mat1a ablation in mice induces a decrease in hepatic SAMe, activation of lipogenesis, inhibition of triglyceride (TG) release, and steatosis. Gnmt deficient mice, despite showing a large increase in hepatic SAMe, also develop steatosis. We hypothesized that as an adaptive response to hepatic SAMe accumulation, phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis via the phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) N-methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway is stimulated in Gnmt−/− mice. We also propose that the excess PC thus generated is catabolized leading to TG synthesis and steatosis via diglyceride (DG) generation. We observed that Gnmt−/− mice present with normal hepatic lipogenesis and increased TG release. We also observed that the flux from PE to PC is stimulated in the liver of Gnmt−/− mice and that this results in a reduction in PE content and a marked increase in DG and TG. Conversely, reduction of hepatic SAMe following the administration of a methionine deficient diet reverted the flux from PE to PC of Gnmt−/− mice to that of wild type animals and normalized DG and TG content preventing the development of steatosis. Gnmt−/− mice with an additional deletion of perilipin2, the predominant lipid droplet protein, maintain high SAMe levels, with a concurrent increased flux from PE to PC, but do not develop liver steatosis. Conclusion These findings indicate that excess SAMe reroutes PE towards PC and TG synthesis, and lipid sequestration. PMID:23505042

  12. Association between Plasma Ceramides and Phosphatidylcholines and Hippocampal Brain Volume in Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Min; Nevado-Holgado, Alejo; Whiley, Luke; Snowden, Stuart G.; Soininen, Hilkka; Kloszewska, Iwona; Mecocci, Patrizia; Tsolaki, Magda; Vellas, Bruno; Thambisetty, Madhav; Dobson, Richard J.B.; Powell, John F.; Lupton, Michelle K.; Simmons, Andy; Velayudhan, Latha; Lovestone, Simon; Proitsi, Petroula; Legido-Quigley, Cristina

    2016-01-01

    Lipids such as ceramides and phosphatidylcholines (PC) have been found altered in the plasma of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients in a number of discovery studies. For this reason, the levels of 6 ceramides and 3 PCs, with different fatty acid length and saturation levels, were measured in the plasma from 412 participants (AD n = 205, Control n = 207) using mass spectrometry coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography. After this, associations with AD status, brain atrophy, and age-related effects were studied. In the plasma of AD participants, cross-sectional analysis revealed elevated levels of three ceramides (Cer16:0 p < 0.01, Cer18:0 p < 0.01, Cer24:1 p < 0.05). In addition, two PCs in AD plasma (PC36:5 p < 0.05, PC38:6 p < 0.05) were found to be depleted compared to the control group, with PC36:5 also associating with hippocampal atrophy (p < 0.01). Age-specific analysis further revealed that levels of Cer16:0, Cer18:0, and Cer20:0 were associated with hippocampal atrophy only in younger participants (age < 75, p < 0.05), while all 3 PCs did so in the older participants (age > 75, p < 0.05). PC36:5 was associated with AD status in the younger group (p < 0.01), while PC38:6 and 40:6 did so in the older group (p < 0.05). In this study, elevated ceramides and depleted PCs were found in the plasma from 205 AD volunteers. Our findings also suggest that dysregulation in PC and ceramide metabolism could be occurring in different stages of AD progression. PMID:27911300

  13. Influence of polymer size, liposomal composition, surface charge, and temperature on the permeability of pH-sensitive liposomes containing lipid-anchored poly(2-ethylacrylic acid).

    PubMed

    Lu, Tingli; Wang, Zhao; Ma, Yufan; Zhang, Yang; Chen, Tao

    2012-01-01

    Liposomes containing pH-sensitive polymers are promising candidates for the treatment of tumors and localized infection. This study aimed to identify parameters influencing the extent of contents release from poly(ethylacrylic acid) (PEAA) vesicles, focusing on the effects of polymer size, lipid composition, vesicle surface charge, and temperature. Anchored lipid pH-sensitive PEAA was synthesized using PEAA with a molecular weight of 8.4 kDa. PEAA vesicles were prepared by insertion of the lipid-anchored PEAA into preformed large unilamellar vesicles. The preformed liposomes were manipulated by varying the phosphocholine and cholesterol content, and by adding negative or positive charges to the liposomes. A calcein release assay was used to evaluate the effects of polymer size, liposome composition, surface charge, and temperature on liposomal permeability. The release efficiency of the calcein-entrapped vesicles was found to be dependent on the PEAA polymer size. PEAA vesicles containing a phosphatidylcholine to cholesterol ratio of 60:40 (mol/mol) released more than 80% of their calcein content when the molecular weight of PEAA was larger than 8.4 kDa. Therefore, the same-sized polymer of 8.4 kDa was used for the rest of study. The calcein release potential was found to decrease as the percentage of cholesterol increased and with an increase in the phosphocholine acyl chain length (DMPC DPPC DSPC). Negatively charged and neutral vesicles released similar amounts of calcein, whereas positively charged liposomes released a significant amount of their contents. pH-sensitive release was dependent on temperature. Dramatic content release was observed at higher temperatures. The observed synergistic effect of pH and temperature on release of the contents of PEAA vesicles suggests that this pH-sensitive liposome might be a good candidate for intracellular drug delivery in the treatment of tumors or localized infection.

  14. Influence of polymer size, liposomal composition, surface charge, and temperature on the permeability of pH-sensitive liposomes containing lipid-anchored poly(2-ethylacrylic acid)

    PubMed Central

    Lu, Tingli; Wang, Zhao; Ma, Yufan; Zhang, Yang; Chen, Tao

    2012-01-01

    Background Liposomes containing pH-sensitive polymers are promising candidates for the treatment of tumors and localized infection. This study aimed to identify parameters influencing the extent of contents release from poly(ethylacrylic acid) (PEAA) vesicles, focusing on the effects of polymer size, lipid composition, vesicle surface charge, and temperature. Methods Anchored lipid pH-sensitive PEAA was synthesized using PEAA with a molecular weight of 8.4 kDa. PEAA vesicles were prepared by insertion of the lipid-anchored PEAA into preformed large unilamellar vesicles. The preformed liposomes were manipulated by varying the phosphocholine and cholesterol content, and by adding negative or positive charges to the liposomes. A calcein release assay was used to evaluate the effects of polymer size, liposome composition, surface charge, and temperature on liposomal permeability. Results The release efficiency of the calcein-entrapped vesicles was found to be dependent on the PEAA polymer size. PEAA vesicles containing a phosphatidylcholine to cholesterol ratio of 60:40 (mol/mol) released more than 80% of their calcein content when the molecular weight of PEAA was larger than 8.4 kDa. Therefore, the same-sized polymer of 8.4 kDa was used for the rest of study. The calcein release potential was found to decrease as the percentage of cholesterol increased and with an increase in the phosphocholine acyl chain length (DMPC DPPC DSPC). Negatively charged and neutral vesicles released similar amounts of calcein, whereas positively charged liposomes released a significant amount of their contents. pH-sensitive release was dependent on temperature. Dramatic content release was observed at higher temperatures. Conclusion The observed synergistic effect of pH and temperature on release of the contents of PEAA vesicles suggests that this pH-sensitive liposome might be a good candidate for intracellular drug delivery in the treatment of tumors or localized infection. PMID:23028220

  15. The pharmacokinetics of, and humoral responses to, antigen delivered by microencapsulated liposomes.

    PubMed

    Cohen, S; Bernstein, H; Hewes, C; Chow, M; Langer, R

    1991-12-01

    The feasibility of creating a s.c. depot for sustained protein delivery with the goal of enhancing antigen immunogenicity was investigated. The depot was designed as antigen-laden liposomes of hydrogenated egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol (1:1 molar ratio) encapsulated in alginate-poly(L-lysine) microcapsules and evaluated using iodinated bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model antigen. The in vivo release behavior of the liposomes and microencapsulated liposomes (MELs) was evaluated from the BSA serum concentration profiles after s.c. injection into rats and the pharmacokinetic parameters of 125I-labeled BSA appearance after s.c. or i.v. injections of BSA in saline. Maximal BSA concentrations were detected 11 h after s.c. injection in all rats. The BSA serum concentrations decreased rapidly in rats injected with BSA in saline or Freund's adjuvant and less rapidly in rats injected with BSA in liposomes or MELs. Four to 5 weeks after injection, BSA-associated radioactivity was detected only in sera of rats injected with BSA in liposomes or MELs. Fifty days after injection, 50% of the originally injected BSA was recovered form the s.c. sites of rats injected with BSA in MELs; no radioactivity was recovered from the other three groups of rats. The antigen-reactive antibody levels induced in rats immunized with BSA in MELs were 2- to 3-fold higher than those obtained in rats immunized with BSA in liposomes, saline, or Freund's adjuvant. More significantly, high antibody levels were maintained for more than 150 days after a single injection of BSA in MELs, suggesting that MELs can serve as a long-term single-dose immunization vehicle.

  16. In Vivo Microdialysis for Dynamic Monitoring of the Effectiveness of Nano-liposomes as Vehicles for Topical Psoralen Application.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hongyu; Zhang, Kai; Li, Zhe; Zhao, Jihui; Zhang, Yongtai; Feng, Nianping

    2017-01-01

    In this study, the skin permeation of liposomes containing psoralen was investigated by in vivo skin microdialysis. Psoralen-loaded nano-sized liposomes were prepared with a mean size of 117.5 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.21, indicating the uniform dispersion of phosphatidylcholine vesicles in the liposomal solution. Based on in vivo microdialysis experiments, the drug concentration in local deep skin of rat increased rapidly and reached a peak concentration (C max ) of 319.35±23.72 µg/mL at 180 min, and decreased slowly thereafter. The local area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) 0-t was 3.81-fold higher than the compared aqueous suspension. The in vivo systemic pharmacokinetics were in agreement with the microdialysis results, in view of the C max and AUC 0-t from liposomal group were both significantly higher (p<0.05) than the compared group. Liposome-associated transdermal psoralen delivery was significantly more effective than delivery via an aqueous suspension. The enhanced skin permeability may be associated with improved skin hydration, lipid exchange and fusion with the stratum corneum (SC), and changes in SC structure, promoting drug permeation into deep skin. After 10 h of treatment with the perfusate, the microstructure of the microdialysis probe exhibited no obvious differences with control probes. The skin surface and the tissue around the probe showed no swelling or inflammation. These findings indicated that liposomes effectively enhanced the skin deposition of psoralen and showed good biocompatibility with skin tissues; additionally, ethanol at a low concentration in ringer's solution is an alternative perfusate for in vivo skin microdialysis studies.

  17. Arabidopsis florigen FT binds to diurnally oscillating phospholipids that accelerate flowering.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Yuki; Andrés, Fernando; Kanehara, Kazue; Liu, Yu-chi; Dörmann, Peter; Coupland, George

    2014-04-04

    Arabidopsis FT protein is a component of florigen, which transmits photoperiodic flowering signals from leaf companion cells to the shoot apex. Here, we show that FT specifically binds phosphatidylcholine (PC) in vitro. A transgenic approach to increase PC levels in vivo in the shoot meristem accelerates flowering whereas reduced PC levels delay flowering, demonstrating that PC levels are correlated with flowering time. The early flowering is related to FT activity, because expression of FT-effector genes is increased in these plants. Simultaneous increase of FT and PC in the shoot apical meristem further stimulates flowering, whereas a loss of FT function leads to an attenuation of the effect of increased PC. Specific molecular species of PC oscillate diurnally, and night-dominant species are not the preferred ligands of FT. Elevating night-dominant species during the day delays flowering. We suggest that FT binds to diurnally changing molecular species of PC to promote flowering.

  18. Killing of melanoma cells and their metastases by human lactoferricin derivatives requires interaction with the cancer marker phosphatidylserine.

    PubMed

    Riedl, Sabrina; Rinner, Beate; Schaider, Helmut; Lohner, Karl; Zweytick, Dagmar

    2014-10-01

    Despite favorable advancements in therapy cancer is still not curative in many cases, which is often due to inadequate specificity for tumor cells. In this study derivatives of a short cationic peptide derived from the human host defense peptide lactoferricin were optimized in their selective toxicity towards cancer cells. We proved that the target of these peptides is the negatively charged membrane lipid phosphatidylserine (PS), specifically exposed on the surface of cancer cells. We have studied the membrane interaction of three peptides namely LF11-322, its N-acyl derivative 6-methyloctanoyl-LF11-322 and its retro repeat derivative R(etro)-DIM-P-LF11-322 with liposomes mimicking cancerous and non-cancerous cell membranes composed of PS and phosphatidylcholine (PC), respectively. Calorimetric and permeability studies showed that N-acylation and even more the repeat derivative of LF11-322 leads to strongly improved interaction with the cancer mimic PS, whereas only the N-acyl derivative also slightly affects PC. Tryptophan fluorescence of selective peptide R-DIM-P-LF11-322 revealed specific peptide penetration into the PS membrane interface and circular dichroism showed change of its secondary structure by increase of proportion of β-sheets just in the presence of the cancer mimic. Data correlated with in vitro studies with cell lines of human melanomas, their metastases and melanocytes, revealing R-DIM-P-LF11-322 to exhibit strongly increased specificity for cancer cells. This indicates the need of high affinity to the target PS, a minimum length and net positive charge, an adequate but moderate hydrophobicity, and capability of adoption of a defined structure exclusively in presence of the target membrane for high antitumor activity.

  19. In vivo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine in rat brain via the phospholipid methylation pathway

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lakher, Michael; Wurtman, Richard J.

    1987-01-01

    The in vivo synthesis of brain phosphatidylcholine (PC) by the methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was examined. (H-3)methyl)methionine was infused i.c.v., by indwelling cannula, and brain samples were taken 0.5-18 h thereafter and assayed for (H-3)PC, as well as for its biosynthetic intermediates (H-3)phosphatidyl monomethylethanolamine ((H-3)PMME) and (H-3)phosphatidyl dimethylethanolamine ((H-3)PDME), and for (H-3)lysophosphatidylcholine ((H-3)LPC) and S-(H-3)adenosylmethionine ((H-3)SAM). Most of the (H-3)PC (79-94 percent) was present ipsilateral to the infusion site; indicating that the radioactivity in the (H-3)PC was primarily of intracerebral origin, and not taken up from the blood. Moreover, only very low levels of (H-3)PC were attained in brains of animals receiving (H-3)methionine i.p. and these levels were symmetrically distributed. (H-3)PMME and (H-3)PDME turned over with apparent half-lives of 2.2 h and 2.4 h. In contrast, the accumulation of brain (H-3)PC was biphasic, suggesting the existence of two pools, the more labile of which turned over rapidly (t(sub 1/2) = 5 h) and was formed for as long as (H-3)PMME and (H-3)PDME are present in the brain, and another, which was distinguishable only at 18 h after the (H-3)methionine infusion. (The latter pool may have been synthesized from (H-3)choline that was released via the hydrolysis of some of the brain (H-3)PC previously formed by the methylation of PE.) Subcellular fractionation of brain tissue obtained after in vivo labelling with (H-3)methionine revealed that mitochondrial PC had the highest specific radioactivity (dpm per micromol total lipid phosphorus), and myelin the least. These observations affirm that rat brain does synthesize PC in vivo by methylating PE, and the technique provides an experimental system which may be useful for examining the physiological regulation of this process.

  20. Transformation from Multilamellar to Unilamellar Vesicles by Addition of a Cationic Lipid to PEGylated Liposomes Explored with Synchrotron Small Angle X-ray Scattering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakuragi, Mina; Koiwai, Kazunori; Nakamura, Kouji; Masunaga, Hiroyasu; Ogawa, Hiroki; Sakurai, Kazuo

    2011-01-01

    PEGylated liposomes composed of a benzamidine derivative (TRX), hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), and N-(monomethoxy-polyethyleneglycolcarbamyl) distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE) were examined in terms of how the addition of TRX affects their structures with small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM images showed the presence of unilamella vesicles for both with and without TRX, though a small amount of multilamella vesicles were observed in absence of TRX. We analyzed SAXS profiles at contained TRX composition combined with contrast variation technique by adding PEG solution and unilamella vesicle model could be reproduced. Subsequently, we analyzed SAXS profiles at no TRX composition. The mixture model of unilamella and multilamella vesicle was reconstructed and we estimated about 10 % multilamella vesicles from a fitting parameter.

  1. Quantification of Randomly-methylated-{beta}-cyclodextrin effect on liposome: An ESR study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Grammenos, A., E-mail: A.Grammenos@ulg.ac.be; Bahri, M.A.; Guelluy, P.H.

    2009-12-04

    In the present work, the effect of Randomly-methylated-{beta}-cyclodextrin (Rameb) on the microviscosity of dimyristoyl-L-{alpha} phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) bilayer was investigated using the electron spin resonance (ESR) technique. The ability of Rameb to extract membrane cholesterol was demonstrated. For the first time, the percentage of cholesterol extracted by Rameb from cholesterol doped DMPC bilayer was monitored and quantified throughout a wide Rameb concentration range. The effect of cholesterol on the inner part of the membrane was also investigated using 16-doxyl stearic acid spin label (16-DSA). 16-DSA seems to explore two different membrane domains and report their respective microviscosities. ESR experiments also establishmore » that the presence of 30% of cholesterol in DMPC liposomes suppresses the jump in membrane fluidity at lipids phase-transition temperature (23.9 {sup o}C).« less

  2. Nanodesign of olein vesicles for the topical delivery of the antioxidant resveratrol.

    PubMed

    Pando, Daniel; Caddeo, Carla; Manconi, Maria; Fadda, Anna Maria; Pazos, Carmen

    2013-08-01

    The ex-vivo percutaneous absorption of the natural antioxidant resveratrol in liposomes and niosomes was investigated. The influence of vesicle composition on their physicochemical properties and stability was evaluated. Liposomes containing resveratrol were formulated using soy phosphatidylcholine (Phospholipon90G). Innovative niosomes were formulated using mono- or diglycerides: glycerol monooleate (Peceol) and polyglyceryl-3 dioleate (Plurol OleiqueCC), respectively, two suitable skin-compatible oleins used in pharmaceutical formulations as penetration enhancers. Small, negatively charged vesicles with a mean size of approximately 200 nm were prepared. The accelerated stability of vesicles was evaluated using Turbiscan Lab Expert, and the bilayer deformability was also assessed. Ex-vivo transdermal experiments were carried out in Franz diffusion cells, on newborn pig skin, to study the influence of the different vesicle formulations on resveratrol skin delivery. Results indicated a high cutaneous accumulation and a low transdermal delivery of resveratrol, especially when Peceol niosomes were used. Overall, niosomes formulated with Plurol oleique or Peceol showed a better behaviour than liposomes in the cutaneous delivery of resveratrol. © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  3. Copper-induced peroxidation of phosphatidylserine-containing liposomes is inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of specific antioxidants.

    PubMed

    Gal, S; Lichtenberg, D; Bor, A; Pinchuk, I

    2007-12-01

    Copper-induced peroxidation of liposomal palmitoyllinoleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (PLPC) is inhibited by alpha-tocopherol at micromolar concentrations. In our previous study we found that when the liposomes contain phosphatidylserine (PS), nanomolar concentrations of Toc were sufficient to inhibit peroxidation. In an attempt to gain understanding of the origin of this extreme antioxidative potency, we tested the antioxidative potency of 36 additional antioxidants and the dependence of their potency on the presence of PS in the liposomes. The results of these studies reveal that only 11 of the tested antioxidants possess similar antioxidative potency to that of Toc. These include trolox, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), curcumin, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), diethylstilbestrol (DES), 2 of the 13 tested flavonoids (luteolin and 7,3',4'-trihydroxyflavone; T-414), alpha-naphthol, 1,5-, 1,6- and 1,7-dihydroxynaphthalenes (DHNs). Propyl gallate (PG), methyl syringate, rosmarinic acid, resveratrol, other flavonoids, as well as beta-naphthol, 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 2,3-, 2,6-, and 2,7-DHNs were either moderately antioxidative or pro-oxidative. For liposomes made of PLPC (250 microM) and PS (25 microM) the "lag" preceding copper-induced peroxidation (5 microM copper) was doubled upon addition of 30-130nM of the "super-active" antioxidants. We propose that the mechanism responsible for the extreme antioxidative potency against copper-induced peroxidation in PS-containing liposomes involves replenishment of the antioxidant in a ternary PS-copper-antioxidant complex. Based on structure-activity relationship of the 37 tested antioxidants, the "super-antioxidative potency" is attributed to the recycling of relatively stable semiquinone or semiquinone-like radicals.

  4. Association of vasoactive intestinal peptide with polymer-grafted liposomes: structural aspects for pulmonary delivery.

    PubMed

    Stark, Brigitte; Debbage, Paul; Andreae, Fritz; Mosgoeller, Wilhelm; Prassl, Ruth

    2007-03-01

    A polymer-grafted liposomal formulation that has the potential to be developed for aerosolic pulmonary delivery of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a potent vasodilatory neuropeptide, is described. As VIP is prone to rapid proteolytic degradation in the microenvironment of the lung a proper delivery system is required to increase the half-life and bioavailability of the peptide. Here we investigate structural parameters of unilamellar liposomes composed of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine, lyso-stearyl-phosphatidylglycerol and distearyl-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine covalently linked to polyethylene glycol 2000, and report on VIP-lipid interaction mechanisms. We found that the cationic VIP is efficiently entrapped by the negatively charged spherical liposomes and becomes converted to an amphipathic alpha-helix. By fluorescence spectroscopy using single Trp-modified VIP we could show that VIP is closely associated to the membrane. Our data suggest that the N-terminal random-coiled domain is embedded in the interfacial headgroup region of the phospholipid bilayer. By doing so, neither the bilayer thickness of the lipid membrane nor the mobility of the phospholipid acyl chains are affected as shown by small angle X-ray scattering and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Finally, in an ex vivo lung arterial model system we found that liposomal-associated VIP is recognized by its receptors to induce vasodilatory effects with comparable high relaxation efficiency as free VIP but with a significantly retarded dilatation kinetics. In conclusion, we have designed and characterized a liposomal formulation that is qualified to entrap biologically active VIP and displays structural features to be considered for delivery of VIP to the lung.

  5. Influence of liposome charge on the association of liposomes with Kupffer cells in vitro. Effects of divalent cations and competition with latex particles.

    PubMed

    Dijkstra, J; van Galen, M; Scherphof, G

    1985-03-14

    We studied the interaction of large unilamellar liposomes carrying different surface charges with rat Kupffer cells in maintenance culture. In addition to 14C-labeled phosphatidylcholine, all liposome preparations contained either 3H-labeled inulin or 125I-labeled bovine serum albumin as a non-degradable or a degradable aqueous space marker, respectively. With vesicles carrying no net charge, intracellular processing of internalized liposomes caused nearly complete release of protein label into the medium in acid-soluble form, while phospholipid label was predominantly retained by the cells, only about one third being released. The presence of the lysosomotropic agent, ammonia, inhibited the release of both labels from the cells. At 4 degrees C, the association and degradation of the vesicles were strongly reduced. These results are very similar to what we reported on negatively charged liposomes (Dijkstra, J., Van Galen, W.J.M., Hulstaert, C.E., Kalicharan, D., Roerdink, F.H. and Scherphof, G.L. (1984) Exp. Cell Res. 150, 161-176). The interaction of both types of vesicles apparently proceeds by adsorption to the cell surface followed by virtually complete internalization by endocytosis. Similar experiments with positively charged vesicles indicated that only about half of the liposomes were taken up by the endocytic route, the other half remaining adsorbed to the cell-surface. Attachment of all types of liposomes to the cells was strongly dependent on the presence of divalent cations; Ca2+ appeared to be required for optimal binding. Neutral liposomes only slightly competed with the uptake of negatively charged vesicles, both at 4 degrees and 37 degrees C, whereas negatively charged small unilamellar vesicles and negatively charged latex beads were found to compete very effectively with the large negatively charged liposomes. Neutral vesicles competed effectively for uptake with positively charged ones. These results suggest that neutral and positively charged liposomes are largely bound by the same cell-surface binding sites, while negatively charged vesicles attach mainly to other binding sites.

  6. Structure-function relationships in reconstituted HDL: Focus on antioxidative activity and cholesterol efflux capacity.

    PubMed

    Cukier, Alexandre M O; Therond, Patrice; Didichenko, Svetlana A; Guillas, Isabelle; Chapman, M John; Wright, Samuel D; Kontush, Anatol

    2017-09-01

    High-density lipoprotein (HDL) contains multiple components that endow it with biological activities. Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and surface phospholipids contribute to these activities; however, structure-function relationships in HDL particles remain incompletely characterised. Reconstituted HDLs (rHDLs) were prepared from apoA-I and soy phosphatidylcholine (PC) at molar ratios of 1:50, 1:100 and 1:150. Oxidative status of apoA-I was varied using controlled oxidation of Met112 residue. HDL-mediated inactivation of PC hydroperoxides (PCOOH) derived from mildly pre-oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was evaluated by HPLC with chemiluminescent detection in HDL+LDL mixtures and re-isolated LDL. Cellular cholesterol efflux was characterised in RAW264.7 macrophages. rHDL inactivated LDL-derived PCOOH in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The capacity of rHDL to both inactivate PCOOH and efflux cholesterol via ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) increased with increasing apoA-I/PC ratio proportionally to the apoA-I content in rHDL. Controlled oxidation of apoA-I Met112 gradually decreased PCOOH-inactivating capacity of rHDL but increased ABCA1-mediated cellular cholesterol efflux. Increasing apoA-I content in rHDL enhanced its antioxidative activity towards oxidized LDL and cholesterol efflux capacity via ABCA1, whereas oxidation of apoA-I Met112 decreased the antioxidative activity but increased the cholesterol efflux. These findings provide important considerations in the design of future HDL therapeutics. Non-standard abbreviations and acronyms: AAPH, 2,2'-azobis(-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride; ABCA1, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1; apoA-I, apolipoprotein A-I; BHT, butylated hydroxytoluene; CV, cardiovascular; EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LOOH, lipid hydroperoxides; Met(O), methionine sulfoxide; Met112, methionine 112 residue; Met86, methionine 86 residue; oxLDL, oxidized low-density lipoprotein; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; PC, phosphatidylcholine; PL, phospholipid; PCOOH, phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide; PLOOH, phospholipid hydroperoxide. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Stability and local toxicity evaluation of a liposomal prilocaine formulation.

    PubMed

    Cereda, Cintia M Saia; Tófoli, Giovana R; de Brito Junior, Rui B; de Jesus, Marcelo B; Fraceto, Leonardo F; Groppo, Francisco C; de Araujo, Daniele R; de Paula, Eneida

    2008-01-01

    This study reports a physicochemical stability evaluation of a previously reported liposomal prilocaine (PLC(LUV)) formulation (Cereda et al. J. Pharm. Pharmaceut. Sci. 7:235, 2004) before and after steam sterilization as well as its local toxicity evaluation. Prilocaine (PLC) was encapsulated into extruded unilamellar liposomes (LUVs) composed by egg phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:alfa-tocopherol (4:3:0.07, mole %). Laser light-scattering analysis (p > 0.05) and thiobarbituric acid reaction (p > 0.05) were used to evaluate the liposomes physical (size) and chemical (oxidation) stability, respectively. The prilocaine chemical stability was followed by (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance. These tests detected no differences on the physicochemical stability of PLC or PLC(LUV), sterilized or not, up to 30 days after preparation (p > 0.05). Finally, the paw edema test and histological analysis of rat oral mucosa were used to assess the possible inflammatory effects of PLC(LUV). PLC(LUV) did not evoke rat paw edema (p > 0.05), and no significant differences were found in histological analysis, when compared to the control groups (p > 0.05). The present work shows that PLC(LUV) is stable for a 30-day period and did not induce significant inflammatory effects both in the paw edema test and in histological analysis, giving supporting evidence for its safety and possible clinical use in dentistry.

  8. Oxygen Measurements in Liposome Encapsulated Hemoglobin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phiri, Joshua Benjamin

    Liposome encapsulated hemoglobins (LEH's) are of current interest as blood substitutes. An analytical methodology for rapid non-invasive measurements of oxygen in artificial oxygen carriers is examined. High resolution optical absorption spectra are calculated by means of a one dimensional diffusion approximation. The encapsulated hemoglobin is prepared from fresh defibrinated bovine blood. Liposomes are prepared from hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), cholesterol and dicetylphosphate using a bath sonication method. An integrating sphere spectrophotometer is employed for diffuse optics measurements. Data is collected using an automated data acquisition system employing lock-in -amplifiers. The concentrations of hemoglobin derivatives are evaluated from the corresponding extinction coefficients using a numerical technique of singular value decomposition, and verification of the results is done using Monte Carlo simulations. In situ measurements are required for the determination of hemoglobin derivatives because most encapsulation methods invariably lead to the formation of methemoglobin, a nonfunctional form of hemoglobin. The methods employed in this work lead to high resolution absorption spectra of oxyhemoglobin and other derivatives in red blood cells and liposome encapsulated hemoglobin (LEH). The analysis using singular value decomposition method offers a quantitative means of calculating the fractions of oxyhemoglobin and other hemoglobin derivatives in LEH samples. The analytical methods developed in this work will become even more useful when production of LEH as a blood substitute is scaled up to large volumes.

  9. pH-Responsive Micelle-Based Cytoplasmic Delivery System for Induction of Cellular Immunity.

    PubMed

    Yuba, Eiji; Sakaguchi, Naoki; Kanda, Yuhei; Miyazaki, Maiko; Koiwai, Kazunori

    2017-11-04

    (1) Background: Cytoplasmic delivery of antigens is crucial for the induction of cellular immunity, which is an important immune response for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. To date, fusogenic protein-incorporated liposomes and pH-responsive polymer-modified liposomes have been used to achieve cytoplasmic delivery of antigen via membrane rupture or fusion with endosomes. However, a more versatile cytoplasmic delivery system is desired for practical use. For this study, we developed pH-responsive micelles composed of dilauroyl phosphatidylcholine (DLPC) and deoxycholic acid and investigated their cytoplasmic delivery performance and immunity-inducing capability. (2) Methods: Interaction of micelles with fluorescence dye-loaded liposomes, intracellular distribution of micelles, and antigenic proteins were observed. Finally, antigen-specific cellular immune response was evaluated in vivo using ELIspot assay. (3) Results: Micelles induced leakage of contents from liposomes via lipid mixing at low pH. Micelles were taken up by dendritic cells mainly via macropinocytosis and delivered ovalbumin (OVA) into the cytosol. After intradermal injection of micelles and OVA, OVA-specific cellular immunity was induced in the spleen. (4) Conclusions: pH-responsive micelles composed of DLPC and deoxycholic acid are promising as enhancers of cytosol delivery of antigens and the induction capability of cellular immunity for the treatment of cancer immunotherapy and infectious diseases.

  10. Liposomes as lubricants: beyond drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Goldberg, Ronit; Klein, Jacob

    2012-05-01

    In this paper we review recent work (Goldberg et al., 2011a,b) on a new use for phosphatidylcholine liposomes: as ultra-efficient boundary lubricants at up to the highest physiological pressures. Using a surface force balance, we have measured the normal and shear interactions as a function of surface separation between layers of hydrogenated soy phophatidylcholine (HSPC) small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) adsorbed from dispersion, at both pure water and physiologically high salt concentrations of 0.15 M NaNO(3). Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy shows each surface to be coated by a close-packed HSPC-SUV layer with an over-layer of liposomes on top. The shear forces reveal strikingly low friction coefficients down to 2×10(-5) in pure water system or 6×10(-4) in the 150 mM salt system, up to contact pressures of at least 12 MPa (pure water) or 6 MPa (high salt), comparable with those in the major joints. This low friction is attributed to the hydration lubrication mechanism arising from rubbing of the highly hydrated phosphocholine-headgroup layers exposed at the outer surface of each liposome, and provides support for the conjecture that phospholipids may play a significant role in biological lubrication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Integration of β-carotene molecules in small liposomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andreeva, Atanaska; Popova, Antoaneta

    2010-11-01

    The most typical feature of carotenoids is the long polyene chain with conjugated double bonds suggesting that they can serve as conductors of electrons, acting as ''molecular wires'', important elements in the molecular electronic devices. Carotenoids are essential components of photosynthetic systems, performing different functions as light harvesting, photoprotection and electron transfer. They act also as natural antioxidants. In addition they perform structural role stabilizing the three-dimensional organization of photosynthetic membranes. Carotenoids contribute to the stability of the lipid phase, preserving the membrane integrity under potentially harmful environmental conditions. Carotenoids can be easily integrated into model membranes, facilitating the investigation of their functional roles. In carotenoid-egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) liposomes ß-carotene is randomly distributed in the hydrocarbon interior of the bilayer, without any preferred, well defined orientation and retains a substantial degree of mobility. Here we investigate the degree of integration of ß-carotene in small unilamellar EPC liposomes and the changes in ß-carotene absorption and Raman spectra due to the lipid-pigment interaction. All observed changes in ß-carotene absorption and Raman spectra may be regarded as a result of the lipid-pigment interactions leading to the polyene geometry distortion and increasing of the environment heterogenety in the liposomes as compared to the solutions.

  12. Remote loading of doxorubicin into liposomes driven by a transmembrane phosphate gradient.

    PubMed

    Fritze, Andreas; Hens, Felicitas; Kimpfler, Andrea; Schubert, Rolf; Peschka-Süss, Regine

    2006-10-01

    This study examines a new method for the remote loading of doxorubicin into liposomes. It was shown that doxorubicin can be loaded to a level of up to 98% into large unilamellar vesicles composed of egg phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol (7/3 mol/mol) with a transmembrane phosphate gradient. The different encapsulation efficiencies which were achieved with ammonium salts (citrate 100%, phosphate 98%, sulfate 95%, acetate 77%) were significantly higher as compared to the loading via sodium salts (citrate 54%, phosphate 52%, sulfate 44%, acetate 16%). Various factors, including pH-value, buffer capacity, solubility of doxorubicin in different salt solutions and base counter-flow, which likely has an influence on drug accumulation in the intraliposomal interior are taken into account. In contrast to other methods, the newly developed remote loading method exhibits a pH-dependent drug release property which may be effective in tumor tissues. At physiological pH-value doxorubicin is retained in the liposomes, whereas drug release is achieved by lowering the pH to 5.5 (approximately 25% release at 25 degrees C or 30% at 37 degrees C within two h). The DXR release of liposomes which were loaded via a sulfate gradient showed a maximum of 3% at pH 5.5.

  13. Impaired de novo choline synthesis explains why phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase-deficient mice are protected from diet-induced obesity.

    PubMed

    Jacobs, René L; Zhao, Yang; Koonen, Debby P Y; Sletten, Torunn; Su, Brian; Lingrell, Susanne; Cao, Guoqing; Peake, David A; Kuo, Ming-Shang; Proctor, Spencer D; Kennedy, Brian P; Dyck, Jason R B; Vance, Dennis E

    2010-07-16

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is synthesized from choline via the CDP-choline pathway. Liver cells can also synthesize PC via the sequential methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine, catalyzed by phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT). The current study investigates whether or not hepatic PC biosynthesis is linked to diet-induced obesity. Pemt(+/+) mice fed a high fat diet for 10 weeks increased in body mass by 60% and displayed insulin resistance, whereas Pemt(-/-) mice did not. Compared with Pemt(+/+) mice, Pemt(-/-) mice had increased energy expenditure and maintained normal peripheral insulin sensitivity; however, they developed hepatomegaly and steatosis. In contrast, mice with impaired biosynthesis of PC via the CDP-choline pathway in liver became obese when fed a high fat diet. We, therefore, hypothesized that insufficient choline, rather than decreased hepatic phosphatidylcholine, was responsible for the lack of weight gain in Pemt(-/-) mice despite the presence of 1.3 g of choline/kg high fat diet. Supplementation with an additional 2.7 g of choline (but not betaine)/kg of diet normalized energy metabolism, weight gain, and insulin resistance in high fat diet-fed Pemt(-/-) mice. Furthermore, Pemt(+/+) mice that were fed a choline-deficient diet had increased oxygen consumption, had improved glucose tolerance, and gained less weight. Thus, de novo synthesis of choline via PEMT has a previously unappreciated role in regulating whole body energy metabolism.

  14. PEGylated Liposomes as Carriers of Hydrophobic Porphyrins.

    PubMed

    Dzieciuch, Monika; Rissanen, Sami; Szydłowska, Natalia; Bunker, Alex; Kumorek, Marta; Jamróz, Dorota; Vattulainen, Ilpo; Nowakowska, Maria; Róg, Tomasz; Kepczynski, Mariusz

    2015-06-04

    Sterically stabilized liposomes (SSLs) (PEGylated liposomes) are applied as effective drug delivery vehicles. Understanding the interactions between hydrophobic compounds and PEGylated membranes is therefore important to determine the effectiveness of PEGylated liposomes for delivery of drugs or other bioactive substances. In this study, we have combined fluorescence quenching analysis (FQA) experiments and all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the effect of membrane PEGylation on the location and orientation of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (p-THPP) that has been used in our study as a model hydrophobic compound. First, we consider the properties of p-THPP in the presence of different fluid phosphatidylcholine bilayers that we use as model systems for protein-free cell membranes. Next, we studied the interaction between PEGylated membranes and p-THPP. Our MD simulation results indicated that the arrangement of p-THPP within zwitterionic membranes is dependent on their free volume, and p-THPP solubilized in PEGylated liposomes is localized in two preferred positions: deep within the membrane (close to the center of the bilayer) and in the outer PEG corona (p-THPP molecules being wrapped with the polymer chains). Fluorescence quenching methods confirmed the results of atomistic MD simulations and showed two populations of p-THPP molecules as in MD simulations. Our results provide both an explanation for the experimental observation that PEGylation improves the drug-loading efficiency of membranes and also a more detailed molecular-level description of the interactions between porphyrins and lipid membranes.

  15. Differential inhibitory effects of 2-azafluorenones on PI-PLC activation but not on PC-PLC- or PC-PLD-activation induced by histamine, PAF, PMA or A23187 in C6 glioma cells.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hai-Long; Wang, Li-Chuan; Wei, Jiann-Wu

    2013-02-28

    In this study, C6 glioma cells were used to test the effects of 2-azafluorenone and its related compounds on membrane phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) turnover. An increase of [³H]-labeled inositol phosphate (IP1) formation by histamine (100 μM) or A23187 (100 nM) via the activation of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) to breakdown labeled substrate was observed, and this effect could be partially blocked by about half at 100 μM of 2-azafluorenones. Histamine induced the increase of IP1 formation, but failed to cause an increase in extracellularly releasing of [3H]choline metabolites, or intracellular accumulation of [³H]phosphscholine. However, platelet activation factor (PAF) from 0.2 to 1 μM, and phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) at 1 μM caused an increase in extracellularly releasing of [³H]choline metabolites, and intracellular accumulation of [³H]phosphocholine via the activation on phosphatidylcholine (PC)-PLC. These responses of PAF and PMA were not affected by 2-azafluorenone or 4-methyl-2-azafluorenone even at high concentration (10⁻⁴ M). A23187 induced an increase of intracellular [³H]choline release via the activation of PCphospholipase D (PLD). This increasing effect of 100 nM A23187 was not affected by 2-azafluorenone or 4-methyl-2-azafluorenone even at a high concentration of 10⁻⁴ M. In summary, the inhibitory effect of 2-azafluorenone and its related compound 4-methyl-2-azafluorenone was observed selectively on PIPLC, but not on PC-PLC or PC-PLD based on changes of products after the activation of these enzymes.

  16. Formation of phosphatidylethanol from endogenous phosphatidylcholines in animal tissues from pig, calf, and goat.

    PubMed

    Luginbühl, Marc; Willem, Sytske; Schürch, Stefan; Weinmann, Wolfgang

    2018-02-01

    In the presence of alcohol, phosphatidylcholine (PC) is transformed to the direct alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth). This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme phospholipase D (PLD) and dependent on substrate availability. As recent methods have solely focused on the determination of PEth, information about the PC composition was generally missing. To address this issue and monitor PC (16:0/18:1 and 16:0/18:2) and PEth (16:0/18:1 and 16:0/18:2) simultaneously, a reversed phase LC-MS/MS method based on a C8 core-shell column, coupled to a Sciex 5500 QTrap instrument was developed. By application of polarity switching, at first, PC was measured in ESI positive SRM mode, while PEth was determined at a later stage in ESI negative SRM mode. The PEth method was validated for human blood samples to show its robustness and subsequently applied for the investigation of systematic in vitro PEth formation in animal tissue samples (brain, kidney, liver, and blood) from a pig, a calf, and a goat. Homogenized tissue was incubated at 37°C with varying ethanol concentrations from 1 to 7g/kg (determined by HS-GC-FID) for 5h, whereby a sample was taken every 30min. For all tissue samples, an increase in PEth was measurable. PEth concentrations formed in blood remained below the LLOQ, in agreement with literature. Data analysis of Michaelis-Menten kinetics and PC within the tissue provided a detailed insight about PEth formation, as the occurrence of PEth species can be linked to the observed PC composition. The results of this study show that PEth formation rates vary from tissue to tissue and among different species. Furthermore, new recommendations for PEth analysis are presented. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Role of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase in the metabolism of oxidized phospholipids in plasma: studies with platelet-activating factor-acetyl hydrolase-deficient plasma.

    PubMed

    Subramanian, V S; Goyal, J; Miwa, M; Sugatami, J; Akiyama, M; Liu, M; Subbaiah, P V

    1999-07-09

    To determine the relative importance of platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) and lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in the hydrolysis of oxidized phosphatidylcholines (OXPCs) to lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC), we studied the formation and metabolism of OXPCs in the plasma of normal and PAF-AH-deficient subjects. Whereas the loss of PC following oxidation was similar in the deficient and normal plasmas, the formation of lyso-PC was significantly lower, and the accumulation of OXPC was higher in the deficient plasma. Isolated LDL from the PAF-AH-deficient subjects was more susceptible to oxidation, and stimulated adhesion molecule synthesis in endothelial cells, more than the normal LDL. Oxidation of 16:0-[1-14C]-18:2 PC, equilibrated with plasma PC, resulted in the accumulation of labeled short- and long-chain OXPCs, in addition to the labeled aqueous products. The formation of the aqueous products decreased by 80%, and the accumulation of short-chain OXPC increased by 110% in the deficient plasma, compared to the normal plasma, showing that PAF-AH is predominantly involved in the hydrolysis of the truncated OXPCs. Labeled sn-2-acyl group from the long-chain OXPC was not only hydrolyzed to free fatty acid, but was preferentially transferred to diacylglycerol, in both the normal and deficient plasmas. In contrast, the acyl group from unoxidized PC was transferred only to cholesterol, showing that the specificity of LCAT is altered by OXPC. It is concluded that, while PAF-AH carries out the hydrolysis of mainly truncated OXPCs, LCAT hydrolyzes and transesterifies the long-chain OXPCs.

  18. Inhibition of Phosphatidylcholine-Specific Phospholipase C Interferes with Proliferation and Survival of Tumor Initiating Cells in Squamous Cell Carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Ferri, Renata; Mercurio, Laura; Canevari, Silvana; Podo, Franca; Miotti, Silvia; Iorio, Egidio

    2015-01-01

    Purpose The role of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC), the enzyme involved in cell differentiation and proliferation, has not yet been explored in tumor initiating cells (TICs). We investigated PC-PLC expression and effects of PC-PLC inhibition in two adherent (AD) squamous carcinoma cell lines (A431 and CaSki), with different proliferative and stemness potential, and in TIC-enriched floating spheres (SPH) originated from them. Results Compared with immortalized non-tumoral keratinocytes (HaCaT) A431-AD cells showed 2.5-fold higher PC-PLC activity, nuclear localization of a 66-kDa PC-PLC isoform, but a similar distribution of the enzyme on plasma membrane and in cytoplasmic compartments. Compared with A431-AD, A431-SPH cells showed about 2.8-fold lower PC-PLC protein and activity levels, but similar nuclear content. Exposure of adherent cells to the PC-PLC inhibitor D609 (48h) induced a 50% reduction of cell proliferation at doses comprised between 33 and 50 μg/ml, without inducing any relevant cytotoxic effect (cell viability 95±5%). In A431-SPH and CaSki-SPH D609 induced both cytostatic and cytotoxic effects at about 20 to 30-fold lower doses (IC50 ranging between 1.2 and 1.6 μg/ml). Furthermore, D609 treatment of A431-AD and CaSki-AD cells affected the sphere-forming efficiency, which dropped in both cells, and induced down-modulation of stem-related markers mRNA levels (Oct4, Nestin, Nanog and ALDH1 in A431; Nestin and ALDH1 in CaSki cells). Conclusions These data suggest that the inhibition of PC-PLC activity may represent a new therapeutic approach to selectively target the most aggressive and tumor promoting sub-population of floating spheres originated from squamous cancer cells possessing different proliferative and stemness potential. PMID:26402860

  19. Dietary Components Affect the Plasma and Tissue Levels of Lutein in Aged Rats with Lutein Deficiency--A Repeated Gavage and Dietary Study.

    PubMed

    Sheshappa, Mamatha Bangera; Ranganathan, Arunkumar; Bhatiwada, Nidhi; Talahalli, Ramprasad Ravichandra; Vallikannan, Baskaran

    2015-10-01

    The aim of this study was to find out the influence of selected dietary components on plasma and tissue response of repeated micellar and dietary lutein in aged rats with lutein deficiency. In repeated (16 d) gavage study, micellar lutein was co-ingested with either phosphatidylcholine (PC), lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lysoPC), β-carotene, dietary fiber or vegetable fat (3% soybean oil). In dietary study, rats were fed (4 wk) semi-synthetic diet either with lutein + PC, lutein + dietary fiber or B. alba (lutein source) + PC. The post-prandial plasma and tissue response of lutein was measured by HPLC. Results showed that micellar fat, PC and lysoPC significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the lutein levels in plasma (31.1%, 26.8%, and 34.9%), liver (27.4%, 29.5%, and 8.6%), and eyes (63.5%, 90.2%, and 86%) compared to the control group (group gavaged micelles with no dietary components studied). Similarly, dietary study showed an enhanced plasma, liver, and eye lutein levels by 44.8%, 24.1%, and 42.0% (lutein + PC group) and 51.7%, 39.8%, and 31.7% (B.alba + PC group), respectively compared to control. The activity of antioxidant enzymes in plasma and liver of both the studies were also affected compared to control. Result reveals, that PC enhance the intestinal absorption of both micellar and dietary lutein which is either in free or bound form with food matrices in aged rats with lutein deficiency. Hence, PC at a concentration used in this study can be considered to improve the lutein bioavailability in lutein deficiency. Lutein and zeaxanthin are macular pigments acquired mostly from greens, that play an significant role in protecting vision from Age related macular degeneration (AMD). However, their biological availability is poor and affected by dietary components. This study demonstrates the positive influence of dietary PC and lyso PC in improving intestinal uptake of lutein. Our previous and present finding shows there is a possibility of developing functional/supplemental foods with PC and lyso PC targeted to elderly populace thus minimizing or delaying the vision complication associated like AMD. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  20. Identification and Characterization of the Nuclear Isoform of Drosophila melanogaster CTP:Phosphocholine Cytidylyltransferase

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT) catalyzes the conversion of phosphocholine and cytidine 5'-triphosphate (CTP) to CDP-choline for the eventual synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC). The enzyme is regulated by reversible association with cellular membranes, with the rate of catalysis in...

  1. Mitochondrially-targeted bacterial phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase sustained phosphatidylcholine synthesis of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae Δpem1 Δpem2 double mutant without exogenous choline supply.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Shingo; Mizuike, Aya; Horiuchi, Hiroyuki; Fukuda, Ryouichi; Ohta, Akinori

    2014-09-01

    In eukaryotic cells, phospholipids are synthesized exclusively in the defined organelles specific for each phospholipid species. To explain the reason for this compartmental specificity in the case of phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis, we constructed and characterized a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain that lacked endogenous phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) methyltransferases but had a recombinant PE methyltransferase from Acetobacter aceti, which was fused with a mitochondrial targeting signal from yeast Pet100p and a 3×HA epitope tag. This fusion protein, which we named as mitopmt, was determined to be localized to the mitochondria by fluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation. The expression of mitopmt suppressed the choline auxotrophy of a double deletion mutant of PEM1 and PEM2 (pem1Δpem2Δ) and enabled it to synthesize PC in the absence of choline. This growth suppression was observed even if the Kennedy pathway was inactivated by the repression of PCT1 encoding CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase, suggesting that PC synthesized in the mitochondria is distributed to other organelles without going through the salvage pathway. The pem1Δpem2Δ strain deleted for PSD1 encoding the mitochondrial phosphatidylserine decarboxylase was able to grow because of the expression of mitopmt in the presence of ethanolamine, implying that PE from other organelles, probably from the ER, was converted to PC by mitopmt. These results suggest that PC could move out of the mitochondria, and raise the possibility that its movement is not under strict directional limitations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine by hepatic lipase in discoidal and spheroidal recombinant high-density lipoprotein.

    PubMed

    Tansey, J T; Thuren, T Y; Jerome, W G; Hantgan, R R; Grant, K; Waite, M

    1997-10-07

    Hepatic lipase (HL) hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) was studied in recombinant high-density lipoprotein particles (r-HDL). r-HDL were made from cholate mixed micelles that contained PC, apo AI, and, in some cases, unesterified cholesterol. r-HDL were characterized using chemical composition, nondenaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. The r-HDL were found to be discoidal and in the size range of native HDL. Upon treatment of cholesterol-containing r-HDL with lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), to form cholesteryl ester, the discoidal r-HDL became spheroidal. The effects of r-HDL morphology and size on HL activity were studied on r-HDL made of palmitoyloleoyl-PC, unesterified cholesterol, cholesteryl ester, and apolipoprotein AI. Spheroidal r-HDL were hydrolyzed at a faster rate than discoidal r-HDL. Protein-poor r-HDL were hydrolyzed by HL at a faster rate than protein rich r-HDL. Unesterified cholesterol had no apparent effect on particle PC hydrolysis. The hydrolysis of different species of PC [dipalmitoyl (DPPC), dioleoyl(DOPC), palmitoylarachidonoyl (PAPC), and palmitoyloleoyl (POPC)] in r-HDL was also investigated. In discoidal r-HDL, we found that POPC >/= DOPC = PAPC/DPPC. However, in LCAT-treated spheroidal r-HDL, POPC = DOPC > PAPC/DPPC. In both discoidal and spheroidal rHDL, DPPC containing r-HDL were not hydrolyzed to a significant extent. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that the physico-chemical properties of particles (such as phospholipid packing and phospholipid acyl composition) play a significant role in hydrolysis of HDL phospholipid by HL and, therefore, in reverse cholesterol transport.

  3. Effects of thallium(I) and thallium(III) on liposome membrane physical properties.

    PubMed

    Villaverde, Marcela S; Verstraeten, Sandra V

    2003-09-15

    The hypothesis that thallium (Tl) interaction with membrane phospholipids could result in the alteration of membrane physical properties was investigated. Working with liposomes composed of brain phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine, we found that Tl(+), Tl(3+), and Tl(OH)(3) (0.5-25 microM): (a) increased membrane surface potential, (b) decreased the fluidity of the anionic regions of the membrane, in association with an increased fluidity in the cationic regions, and (c) promoted the rearrangement of lipids through lateral phase separation. The magnitude of these effects followed the order Tl(3+), Tl(OH)(3)>Tl(+). In addition, Tl(3+) also decreased the hydration of phospholipid polar headgroups and induced membrane permeabilization. The present results show that Tl interacts with membranes inducing major alterations in the rheology of the bilayer, which could be partially responsible for the neurotoxic effects of this metal.

  4. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Wenjie; Zhang, Honghu; Feng, Shuren

    Surface-sensitive X-ray scattering and spectroscopy techniques reveal significant adsorption of iron ions and iron-hydroxide (Fe(III)) complexes to a charge-neutral zwitterionic template of phosphatidylcholine (PC). The PC template is formed by a Langmuir monolayer of dipalmitoyl-PC (DPPC) that is spread on the surface of 2 to 40 μM FeCl 3 solutions at physiological levels of KCl (100 mM). At 40 μM of Fe(III) as many as ~3 iron atoms are associated with each PC group. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements indicate a significant disruption in the in-plane ordering of DPPC molecules upon iron adsorption. The binding of iron-hydroxide complexes to amore » neutral PC surface is yet another example of nonelectrostatic, presumably covalent bonding to a charge-neutral organic template. Furthermore, the strong binding and the disruption of in-plane lipid structure has biological implications on the integrity of PC-derived lipid membranes, including those based on sphingomyelin.« less

  5. Penetration enhancer containing vesicles as carriers for dermal delivery of tretinoin.

    PubMed

    Manconi, Maria; Sinico, Chiara; Caddeo, Carla; Vila, Amparo Ofelia; Valenti, Donatella; Fadda, Anna Maria

    2011-06-30

    The ability of a recently developed novel class of liposomes to promote dermal delivery of tretinoin (TRA) was evaluated. New penetration enhancer-containing vesicles (PEVs) were prepared adding to conventional phosphatidylcholine vesicles (control liposomes) different hydrophilic penetration enhancers: Oramix NS10 (OrNS10), Labrasol (Lab), Transcutol P (Trc), and propylene glycol (PG). Vesicles were characterized by morphology, size distribution, zeta potential, incorporation efficiency, stability, rheological behaviour, and deformability. Small, negatively charged, non-deformable, multilamellar vesicles were obtained. Rheological studies showed that PEVs had fluidity higher than conventional liposomes. The influence of the obtained PEVs on (trans)dermal delivery of tretinoin was studied by ex vivo diffusion experiments through new born pig skin using formulations having the drug both inside and outside the vesicles, having TRA only inside, in comparison with non-incorporated drug dispersions of the same composition used to produce the studied vesicles. Main result of these experiments was an improved cutaneous drug accumulation and a reduced transdermal TRA delivery (except for PG-PEVs). TRA deposition provided by PEVs was higher for dialysed than for non-dialysed vesicles. Further, the accumulation increased in the order: control liposomes

  6. Incorporation of liposomes containing squid tunic ACE-inhibitory peptides into fish gelatin.

    PubMed

    Mosquera, Mauricio; Giménez, Begoña; Montero, Pilar; Gómez-Guillén, Maria Carmen

    2016-02-01

    Hydrolysates from collagen of jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) tunics have shown excellent angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity. However, peptides directly included in food systems may suffer a decrease in activity, which could be minimized by loading them into nanoliposomes. A fraction of peptides with molecular weights <1 kDa obtained from hydrolyzed squid tunics, with reasonably high ACE-inhibitory activity (half-maximal inhibitory concentration IC50 = 0.096 g L(-1)), was encapsulated in phosphatidylcholine nanoliposomes. The peptide concentration affected the encapsulation efficiency and the stability of the resulting liposomes, which remained with a high zeta potential value (-54.3 mV) for at least 1 week at the most suitable peptide concentration. The optimal peptide concentration was established as 1.75 g L(-1). Liposomes obtained with this peptide concentration showed an encapsulation efficiency of 53%, a zeta potential of -59 mV, an average diameter of 70.3 nm and proved to be stable in the pH range 3-7 at 4 °C. Liposomes containing ACE-inhibitory peptides were incorporated in fish gelatin without detriment to the rheological properties and thermal stability of the resulting cold-induced gel. The ACE-inhibitory activity of the peptide fraction, which was not affected by the encapsulation process, conferred the bioactive potential to the nanoliposome-containing gelatin gel. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Design, optimization and characterization of coenzyme Q10- and D-panthenyl triacetate-loaded liposomes

    PubMed Central

    Çelik, Burak; Sağıroğlu, Ali Asram; Özdemir, Samet

    2017-01-01

    Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a lipid-soluble molecule found naturally in many eukaryotic cells and is essential for electron transport chain and energy generation in mitochondria. D-Panthenyl triacetate (PTA) is an oil-soluble derivative of D-panthenol, which is essential for coenzyme A synthesis in the epithelium. Liposomal formulations that encapsulate both ingredients were prepared and optimized by applying response surface methodology for increased stability and skin penetration. The optimum formulation comprised 4.17 mg CoQ10, 4.22 mg PTA and 13.95 mg cholesterol per 100 mg of soy phosphatidylcholine. The encapsulation efficiency of the optimized formulation for CoQ10 and PTA was found to be 90.89%±3.61% and 87.84%±4.61%, respectively. Narrow size distribution was achieved with an average size of 161.6±3.6 nm, while a spherical and uniform shape was confirmed via scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images. Cumulative release of 90.93% for PTA and 24.41% for CoQ10 was achieved after 24 hours of in vitro release study in sink conditions. Physical stability tests indicated that the optimized liposomes were suitable for storage at 4°C for at least 60 days. The results suggest that the optimized liposomal formulation would be a promising delivery system for both ingredients in various topical applications. PMID:28744121

  8. Diet fat alters synaptosomal phosphatidylethanolaminemethyl-transferase activity and phosphatidylcholine synthesis in brain

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hargreaves, K.M.; Clandinin, M.T.

    1986-03-05

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) can be synthesized via three routes, each having potentially different metabolic fates. One route for PC synthesis is methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). To examine if dietary fat affects membrane PE composition and phosphatidylethanolaminemethyltransferase (PEMT) activity, male weanling rats were fed semi-purified diets containing 20% (w/w) fat of differing fatty acid composition for 24 days. Microsomal and synaptic plasma membranes were isolated and phospholipid composition analyzed. PEMT activity was measured by incorporation of the methyl group from /sup 3/H-S-adenosylmethionine into PE. Polyunsaturated diets high in omega 6 fatty acids produce a high ratio of omega 6/omega 3 fatty acidsmore » in synaptic plasma membranes. Dietary omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acid levels are reflected in membrane phospholipid content of 22:6(3), 20:4(6), 22:4(6) and 22:5(6). Diet-induced increase in these longer chain homologues of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids and a high ratio of omega 6/omega 3 fatty acids in PE are both associated with increased PEMT activity. These results suggest that diet-fat induced change in fatty acid composition of membrane PE results in transition in PEMT activity and synthesis of PC in brain, by providing preferred species of PE for methylation.« less

  9. Iron complexation to histone deacetylase inhibitors SAHA and LAQ824 in PEGylated liposomes can considerably improve pharmacokinetics in rats.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yan; Tu, Sheng; Steffen, Dana; Xiong, May

    2014-01-01

    The formulation of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) is challenging due to poor water solubility and rapid elimination of drugs in vivo. This study investigated the effects of complexing iron (Fe3+) to the HDACi suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and LAQ824 (LAQ) prior to their encapsulation into PEGylated liposomes, and investigated whether this technique could improve drug solubility, in vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. METHODS. The reaction stoichiometry, binding constants and solubility were measured for Fe complexes of SAHA and LAQ. The complexes were passively encapsulated into PEGylated liposomes and characterized by size distribution, zeta-potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE), and in vitro drug release studies. PC-3 cells were used to verify the in vitro anticancer activity of the formulations. In vivo pharmacokinetic properties of liposomal LAQ-Fe (L-LAQ-Fe) was evaluated in rats. RESULTS. SAHA and LAQ form complexes with Fe at 1:1 stoichiometric ratio, with a binding constant on the order of 104 M-1. Fe complexation improved the aqueous solubility and the liposomal encapsulation efficiency of SAHA and LAQ (29-35% EE, final drug concentration > 1 mM). Liposomal encapsulated complexes (L-HDACi-Fe) exhibited sustained in vitro release properties compared to L-HDACi but cytotoxicity on PC-3 cells was comparable to free drugs. The PK of L-LAQ-Fe revealed 15-fold improvement in the plasma t1/2 (12.11 h)and 211-fold improvement in the AUC∞ (105.7 µg·h/ml) compared to free LAQ (0.79 h, 0.5 µg·h/ml). Similarly, the plasma t1/2 of Fe was determined to be 11.83 h in a separate experiment using radioactive Fe-59. The majority of Fe-59 activity was found in liver and spleen of rats and correlates with liposomal uptake by the mononuclear phagocyte system. CONCLUSIONS. We have demonstrated that encapsulation of Fe complexes of HDACi into PEGylated liposomes can improve overall drug aqueous solubility, in vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties.

  10. Iron Complexation to Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors SAHA and LAQ824 in PEGylated Liposomes Can Considerably Improve Pharmacokinetics in Rats

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yan; Tu, Sheng; Steffen, Dana; Xiong, May P.

    2015-01-01

    PURPOSE The formulation of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) is challenging due to poor water solubility and rapid elimination of drugs in vivo. This study investigated the effects of complexing iron (Fe3+) to the HDACi suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and LAQ824 (LAQ) prior to their encapsulation into PEGylated liposomes, and investigated whether this technique could improve drug solubility, in vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. METHODS The reaction stoichiometry, binding constants and solubility were measured for Fe complexes of SAHA and LAQ. The complexes were passively encapsulated into PEGylated liposomes and characterized by size distribution, zeta-potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE), and in vitro drug release studies. PC-3 cells were used to verify the in vitro anticancer activity of the formulations. In vivo pharmacokinetic properties of liposomal LAQ-Fe (L-LAQ-Fe) was evaluated in rats. RESULTS SAHA and LAQ form complexes with Fe at 1:1 stoichiometric ratio, with a binding constant on the order of 104 M−1. Fe complexation improved the aqueous solubility and the liposomal encapsulation efficiency of SAHA and LAQ (29–35% EE, final drug concentration > 1 mM). Liposomal encapsulated complexes (L-HDACi-Fe) exhibited sustained in vitro release properties compared to L-HDACi but cytotoxicity on PC-3 cells was comparable to free drugs. The PK of L-LAQ-Fe revealed 15-fold improvement in the plasma t1/2 (12.11 h) and 211-fold improvement in the AUC∞ (105.7 μg·h/ml) compared to free LAQ (0.79 h, 0.5 μg·h/ml). Similarly, the plasma t1/2 of Fe was determined to be 11.83 h in a separate experiment using radioactive Fe-59. The majority of Fe-59 activity was found in liver and spleen of rats and correlates with liposomal uptake by the mononuclear phagocyte system. CONCLUSIONS We have demonstrated that encapsulation of Fe complexes of HDACi into PEGylated liposomes can improve overall drug aqueous solubility, in vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties. PMID:25579435

  11. An insertion mutation in ABCB4 is associated with gallbladder mucocele formation in dogs

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The only known physiologic function of the ABCB4 gene product is translocation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) across the hepatocyte plasma membrane into biliary canaliculi. In people, mutations of the ABCB4 gene produce several disease syndromes involving the biliary system including intrahepatic chol...

  12. Plant acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases (LPCATs) have different specificities in their forward and reverse reactions

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT) enzymes have central roles inacyl editing of phosphatidylcholine (PC). Plant LPCAT genes were expressed in yeast and characterized biochemically in microsomal preparations of the cells. Specificities for different acyl-CoAs were similar for se...

  13. Targeting annexin A7 by a small molecule suppressed the activity of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C in vascular endothelial cells and inhibited atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E⁻/⁻mice.

    PubMed

    Li, H; Huang, S; Wang, S; Zhao, J; Su, L; Zhao, B; Zhang, Y; Zhang, S; Miao, J

    2013-09-19

    Phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) is a key factor in apoptosis and autophagy of vascular endothelial cells (VECs), and involved in atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E⁻/⁻ (apoE⁻/⁻) mice. But the endogenous regulators of PC-PLC are not known. We recently found a small chemical molecule (6-amino-2, 3-dihydro-3-hydroxymethyl-1, 4-benzoxazine, ABO) that could inhibit oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced apoptosis and promote autophagy in VECs, and further identified ABO as an inhibitor of annexin A7 (ANXA7) GTPase. Based on these findings, we hypothesize that ANXA7 is an endogenous regulator of PC-PLC, and targeting ANXA7 by ABO may inhibit atherosclerosis in apoE⁻/⁻ mice. In this study, we tested our hypothesis. The results showed that ABO suppressed oxLDL-induced increase of PC-PLC level and activity and promoted the co-localization of ANXA7 and PC-PLC in VECs. The experiments of ANXA7 knockdown and overexpression demonstrated that the action of ABO was ANXA7-dependent in cultured VECs. To investigate the relation of ANXA7 with PC-PLC in atherosclerosis, apoE⁻/⁻ mice fed with a western diet were treated with 50 or 100 mg/kg/day ABO. The results showed that ABO decreased PC-PLC levels in the mouse aortic endothelium and PC-PLC activity in serum, and enhanced the protein levels of ANXA7 in the mouse aortic endothelium. Furthermore, both dosages of ABO significantly enhanced autophagy and reduced apoptosis in the mouse aortic endothelium. As a result, ABO significantly reduced atherosclerotic plaque area and effectively preserved a stable plaques phenotype, including reduced lipid deposition and pro-inflammatory macrophages, increased anti-inflammatory macrophages, collagen content and smooth muscle cells, and less cell death in the plaques. In conclusion, ANXA7 was an endogenous regulator of PC-PLC, and targeting ANXA7 by ABO inhibited atherosclerosis in apoE⁻/⁻ mice.

  14. Blocking phosphatidylcholine utilization in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, via mutagenesis of fatty acid, glycerol and choline degradation pathways, confirms the importance of this nutrient source in vivo.

    PubMed

    Sun, Zhenxin; Kang, Yun; Norris, Michael H; Troyer, Ryan M; Son, Mike S; Schweizer, Herbert P; Dow, Steven W; Hoang, Tung T

    2014-01-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa can grow to very high-cell-density (HCD) during infection of the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. Phosphatidylcholine (PC), the major component of lung surfactant, has been hypothesized to support HCD growth of P. aeruginosa in vivo. The phosphorylcholine headgroup, a glycerol molecule, and two long-chain fatty acids (FAs) are released by enzymatic cleavage of PC by bacterial phospholipase C and lipases. Three different bacterial pathways, the choline, glycerol, and fatty acid degradation pathways, are then involved in the degradation of these PC components. Here, we identified five potential FA degradation (Fad) related fadBA-operons (fadBA1-5, each encoding 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and acyl-CoA thiolase). Through mutagenesis and growth analyses, we showed that three (fadBA145) of the five fadBA-operons are dominant in medium-chain and long-chain Fad. The triple fadBA145 mutant also showed reduced ability to degrade PC in vitro. We have previously shown that by partially blocking Fad, via mutagenesis of fadBA5 and fadDs, we could significantly reduce the ability of P. aeruginosa to replicate on FA and PC in vitro, as well as in the mouse lung. However, no studies have assessed the ability of mutants, defective in choline and/or glycerol degradation in conjunction with Fad, to grow on PC or in vivo. Hence, we constructed additional mutants (ΔfadBA145ΔglpD, ΔfadBA145ΔbetAB, and ΔfadBA145ΔbetABΔglpD) significantly defective in the ability to degrade FA, choline, and glycerol and, therefore, PC. The analysis of these mutants in the BALB/c mouse lung infection model showed significant inability to utilize PC in vitro, resulted in decreased replication fitness and competitiveness in vivo compared to the complement strain, although there was little to no variation in typical virulence factor production (e.g., hemolysin, lipase, and protease levels). This further supports the hypothesis that lung surfactant PC serves as an important nutrient for P. aeruginosa during CF lung infection.

  15. Identification of unknown impurity of azelaic acid in liposomal formulation assessed by HPLC-ELSD, GC-FID, and GC-MS.

    PubMed

    Han, Stanisław; Karłowicz-Bodalska, Katarzyna; Potaczek, Piotr; Wójcik, Adam; Ozimek, Lukasz; Szura, Dorota; Musiał, Witold

    2014-02-01

    The identification of new contaminants is critical in the development of new medicinal products. Many impurities, such as pentanedioic acid, hexanedioic acid, heptanedioic acid, octanedioic acid, decanedioic acid, undecanedioic acid, dodecanedioic acid, tridecanedioic acid, and tetradecanedioic acid, have been identified in samples of azelaic acid. The aim of this study was to identify impurities observed during the stability tests of a new liposomal dosage form of azelaic acid that is composed of phosphatidylcholine and a mixture of ethyl alcohol and water, using high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD), gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection (GC-FID), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. During the research and development of a new liposomal formulation of azelaic acid, we developed a method for determining the contamination of azelaic acid using HPLC-ELSD. During our analytical tests, we identified a previously unknown impurity of a liposomal preparation of azelaic acid that appeared in the liposomal formulation of azelaic acid during preliminary stability studies. The procedure led to the conclusion that the impurity was caused by the reaction of azelaic acid with one of the excipients that was applied in the product. The impurity was finally identified as an ethyl monoester of azelaic acid. The identification procedure of this compound was carried out in a series of experiments comparing the chromatograms that were obtained via the following chromatographic methods: HPLC-ELSD, GC-FID, and GC-MS. The final identification of the compound was carried out by GC with MS.

  16. Formulation and characterization of boanmycin-loaded liposomes prepared by pH gradient experimental design.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yu; Yoo, Sun Dong; Li, Li; Fang, Liang; Wen, Ziyi; Li, Tiefu

    2012-02-01

    This study reports the development of a novel liposomal formulation containing boanmycin (BAM) by the pH-gradient, spherical symmetric experimental design. DSC was used to elucidate the thermotropic transition of the soybean egg phosphatidylcholine (EPCS) bilayers. The DSC analysis showed that the incorporation of cholesterol into the EPCS bilayers caused a reduction in the cooperativity of the bilayer phase transition, leading to a dense and more stable structure. To further explore the possibility of the facilitated molecular interaction between BAM and lipids, the effective chemical shift anisotropy (Δδ) of EPCS was measured by (31)P-NMR spectroscopy in the presence and absence of BAM at 25 °C. The results revealed that the amino group of BAM interacted with the hydrophilic head group of EPCS by electrostatic attraction. Effects of the lipid concentration, pH of the outside buffer and incubation temperature on the encapsulation efficiency of the liposomes were investigated by the spherical symmetric design. Multiple nonlinear regression and second-order polynomial model were fitted to the data, and the resulting equations were used to produce the three dimensional response graphs. The actual response values were in good agreement with the predicted values calculated by the visual FoxPro software. To determine the plasma pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution characteristics of BAM, mice were i.v. injected with BAM-loaded liposomes and the commercial injection solution. The BAM-loaded liposomes exhibited significantly different t(1/2), CL and AUC in plasma and tissues. The MTT assay showed that the BAM-loaded liposomes effectively inhibited the cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Compared to the control group, the BAM-loaded liposomes induced marked apoptotic morphologic alterations, including cell shrinkage and granular apoptotic bodies. © 2012 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.

  17. pH-Cleavable Nucleoside Lipids: A New Paradigm for Controlling the Stability of Lipid-Based Delivery Systems.

    PubMed

    Oumzil, Khalid; Benizri, Sébastien; Tonelli, Giovanni; Staedel, Cathy; Appavoo, Ananda; Chaffanet, Max; Navailles, Laurence; Barthélémy, Philippe

    2015-11-01

    Lipid-based delivery systems are an established technology with considerable clinical acceptance and several applications in human. Herein, we report the design, synthesis and evaluation of novel orthoester nucleoside lipids (ONLs) for the modulation of liposome stability. The ONLs contain head groups with 3'-orthoester nucleoside derivatives featuring positive or negative charges. The insertion of the orthoester function in the NL structures allows the formation of pH-sensitive liposomes. ONL-based liposomes can be hydrolyzed to provide nontoxic products, including nucleoside derivatives and hexadecanol. To allow the release to be tunable at different hydrolysis rates, the charge of the polar head structure is modulated, and the head group can be released at a biologically relevant pH. Crucially, when ONLs are mixed with natural phosphocholine lipids (PC), the resultant liposome evolves toward the formation of a hexadecanol/PC lamellar system. Biological evaluation shows that stable nucleic acid lipid particles (SNALPs) formulated with ONLs and siRNAs can effectively enter into tumor cells and release their nucleic acid payload in response to an intracellular acidic environment. This results in a much higher antitumor activity than conventional SNALPs. The ability to use pH-cleavable nucleolipids to control the stability of lipid-based delivery systems represents a promising approach for the intracellular delivery of drug cargos. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Genetic impairments in folate enzymes increase dependence on dietary choline for phosphatidylcholine production at the expense of betaine synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Ganz, Ariel B.; Shields, Kelsey; Fomin, Vlad G.; Lopez, Yusnier S.; Mohan, Sanjay; Lovesky, Jessica; Chuang, Jasmine C.; Ganti, Anita; Carrier, Bradley; Yan, Jian; Taeswuan, Siraphat; Cohen, Vanessa V.; Swersky, Camille C.; Stover, Julie A.; Vitiello, Gerardo A.; Malysheva, Olga V.; Mudrak, Erika; Caudill, Marie A.

    2016-01-01

    Although single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in folate-mediated pathways predict susceptibility to choline deficiency during severe choline deprivation, it is unknown if effects persist at recommended intakes. Thus, we used stable isotope liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methodology to examine the impact of candidate SNPs on choline metabolism in a long-term, randomized, controlled feeding trial among pregnant, lactating, and nonpregnant (NP) women consuming 480 or 930 mg/d choline (22% as choline-d9, with d9 indicating a deuterated trimethyl amine group) and meeting folate-intake recommendations. Variants impairing folate metabolism, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133, methionine synthase (MTR) rs1805087 [wild-type (WT)], MTR reductase (MTRR) rs1801394, and methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase-formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFD1) rs2236225, influenced choline dynamics, frequently through interactions with reproductive state and choline intake, with fewer genotypic alterations observed among pregnant women. Women with these variants partitioned more dietary choline toward phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis via the cytidine diphosphate (CDP)-choline pathway at the expense of betaine synthesis even when use of betaine as a methyl donor was increased. Choline intakes of 930 mg/d restored partitioning of dietary choline between betaine and CDP-PC among NP (MTHFR rs1801133 and MTR rs1805087 WT) and lactating (MTHFD1 rs2236225) women with risk genotypes. Overall, our findings indicate that loss-of-function variants in folate-metabolizing enzymes strain cellular PC production, possibly via impaired folate-dependent phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT)-PC synthesis, and suggest that women with these risk genotypes may benefit from choline intakes exceeding current recommendations.—Ganz, A. B., Shields, K., Fomin, V. G., Lopez, Y. S., Mohan, S., Lovesky, J., Chuang, J. C., Ganti, A., Carrier, B., Yan, J., Taeswuan, S., Cohen, V. V., Swersky, C. C., Stover, J. A., Vitiello, G. A., Malysheva, O. V., Mudrak, E., Caudill, M. A. Genetic impairments in folate enzymes increase dependence on dietary choline for phosphatidylcholine production at the expense of betaine synthesis. PMID:27342765

  19. Genetic impairments in folate enzymes increase dependence on dietary choline for phosphatidylcholine production at the expense of betaine synthesis.

    PubMed

    Ganz, Ariel B; Shields, Kelsey; Fomin, Vlad G; Lopez, Yusnier S; Mohan, Sanjay; Lovesky, Jessica; Chuang, Jasmine C; Ganti, Anita; Carrier, Bradley; Yan, Jian; Taeswuan, Siraphat; Cohen, Vanessa V; Swersky, Camille C; Stover, Julie A; Vitiello, Gerardo A; Malysheva, Olga V; Mudrak, Erika; Caudill, Marie A

    2016-10-01

    Although single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in folate-mediated pathways predict susceptibility to choline deficiency during severe choline deprivation, it is unknown if effects persist at recommended intakes. Thus, we used stable isotope liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methodology to examine the impact of candidate SNPs on choline metabolism in a long-term, randomized, controlled feeding trial among pregnant, lactating, and nonpregnant (NP) women consuming 480 or 930 mg/d choline (22% as choline-d 9 , with d 9 indicating a deuterated trimethyl amine group) and meeting folate-intake recommendations. Variants impairing folate metabolism, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133, methionine synthase (MTR) rs1805087 [wild-type (WT)], MTR reductase (MTRR) rs1801394, and methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase-formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFD1) rs2236225, influenced choline dynamics, frequently through interactions with reproductive state and choline intake, with fewer genotypic alterations observed among pregnant women. Women with these variants partitioned more dietary choline toward phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis via the cytidine diphosphate (CDP)-choline pathway at the expense of betaine synthesis even when use of betaine as a methyl donor was increased. Choline intakes of 930 mg/d restored partitioning of dietary choline between betaine and CDP-PC among NP (MTHFR rs1801133 and MTR rs1805087 WT) and lactating (MTHFD1 rs2236225) women with risk genotypes. Overall, our findings indicate that loss-of-function variants in folate-metabolizing enzymes strain cellular PC production, possibly via impaired folate-dependent phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT)-PC synthesis, and suggest that women with these risk genotypes may benefit from choline intakes exceeding current recommendations.-Ganz, A. B., Shields, K., Fomin, V. G., Lopez, Y. S., Mohan, S., Lovesky, J., Chuang, J. C., Ganti, A., Carrier, B., Yan, J., Taeswuan, S., Cohen, V. V., Swersky, C. C., Stover, J. A., Vitiello, G. A., Malysheva, O. V., Mudrak, E., Caudill, M. A. Genetic impairments in folate enzymes increase dependence on dietary choline for phosphatidylcholine production at the expense of betaine synthesis. © FASEB.

  20. Effects of different fatty acids composition of phosphatidylcholine on brain function of dementia mice induced by scopolamine.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Miao-Miao; Xue, Yong; Sun, Shu-Hong; Wen, Min; Li, Zhao-Jie; Xu, Jie; Wang, Jing-Feng; Yanagita, Teruyoshi; Wang, Yu-Ming; Xue, Chang-Hu

    2016-08-24

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC), the major source of dietary choline, has been demonstrated to improve the capability of learning and memory in rodent and the amelioration of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on anti-aging and anti-oxidation is widely known as well. In this study, three kinds of PC were chose to demonstrate the role of different fatty acids composition on glycerol backbone in improving the brain function of mice induced by scopolamine which was used to impair cholinergic system and cause oxidative stress. Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: model (M) group, control (Con) group, egg yolk lecithin (EL) group, squid PC (SQ-PC) group and sea cucumber PC (SC-PC) group. The intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine hydrobromide (5 mg/kg) was carried out on the 8(th) of group feeding and sustained daily until the end of test. Morris water maze test was used to evaluate the improvement of cognitive decline and the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AchE), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in brain were measured to assess the physiological changes. In behavior test, the latency of PC groups was significantly reduced, while number of crossing the platform and time in target quadrant were increased in comparison with M group and the improvements of SQ-PC and SC-PC were better than that of EL (P < 0.05). Similar trend was observed in physiological changes. The AchE activity was effectively decreased and the SOD activity increased in hippocampus, cortex and white matter when comparing PC groups with M group. SQ-PC, SC-PC and EL respectively showed 22.82, 28.80 and 11.81 % decrease in MDA level in brain compared with M group. The MAO activity in white matter of SQ-PC, SC-PC and EL group separately depressed 33.05, 33.64 and 19.73 % in comparison with M group. No significance between SQ-PC and SC-PC was found in these indicators except the SOD activity in hippocampus and white matter. SQ-PC group had a higher SOD activity in hippocampus (103.68U/mg · prot.) and lower in white matter (120.57 U/mg · prot.) than SC-PC group (95.53 U/mg · prot. in hippocampus, 134.49 U/mg · prot. in white matter). PC rich in n-3 PUFA acted more ameliorative effects than that barely contained on the indicators above. Different fatty acids composition of PC all could diminish the cognitive decline and biological damage and protect the brain. EPA and DHA partly enhaced to the advantageous effects.

  1. Stimulation of surfactant phospholipid biosynthesis in the lungs of rats treated with silica.

    PubMed Central

    Miller, B E; Hook, G E

    1988-01-01

    The effects of intratracheally instilled silica (10 mg/rat) on the biosynthesis of surfactant phospholipids was investigated in the lungs of rats. The sizes of the intracellular and extracellular pools of surfactant phospholipids were measured 7, 14 and 28 days after silica exposure. The ability of lung slices to incorporate [14C]choline and [3H]palmitate into surfactant phosphatidylcholine (PC) and disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) was also investigated. Both intra- and extra-cellular pools of surfactant phospholipids were increased by silica treatment. The intracellular pool increased linearly over the 28-day time period, ultimately reaching a size 62-fold greater than controls. The extracellular pool also increased, but showed a pattern different from that of the intracellular pool. The extracellular pool increased non-linearly up to 14 days, and then declined. At its maximum, the extracellular pool was increased 16-fold over the control. The ability of lung slices to incorporate phospholipid precursors into surfactant-associated PC and DSPC was elevated at all time periods. The rate of incorporation of [14C]choline into surfactant PC and DSPC was maximal at 14 days and was nearly 3-fold greater than the rate in controls. The rate of incorporation of [3H]palmitate was also maximal at 14 days, approx. 5-fold above controls for PC and 3-fold for DSPC. At this same time point, the microsomal activity of cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase was increased 4.5-fold above controls, but cytosolic activity was not significantly affected by silica treatment. These data indicate that biosynthesis of surfactant PC is elevated after treatment of lungs with silica and that this increased biosynthesis probably underlies the expansion of the intra- and extra-cellular pools of surfactant phospholipids. PMID:2845927

  2. Dynamic properties of the haptenic site of lipid haptens in phosphatidylcholine membranes. Their relation to the phase transition of the host lattice.

    PubMed Central

    Takeshita, K.; Utsumi, H.; Hamada, A.

    1987-01-01

    The relation between the dynamic properties of the haptenic site of lipid haptens and the phase transition of the host lattice was investigated using head group spin-labeled phosphatidylethanolamines, that is, spin-label lipid haptens (Brûlet, P., and H. M. McConnell, 1976, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 73:2977-2981; Brûlet, P., and H. M. McConnell, 1977, Biochemistry, 16:1209-1217). The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of the lipid haptens in liposomal membranes showed three narrow resonance lines, whose widths and hyperfine splitting values suggested that the haptenic site, i.e., the spin-label moiety, should be exposed in the water phase. The line width of each peak depended on the host lipid species and on the incubation temperature. A temperature study using dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes showed that the dynamic properties of the haptenic site were related to the main phase transition and the subphase transition of the host lattice but not to the prephase transition. The angular amplitudes of the tumbling motion of the haptenic site were estimated using oriented multibilayer systems. The angular amplitude of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-N-[[N-(1-oxyl-2,2,6, 6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl)-carbamoyl]-methyl]-ethanolamine in DPPC membranes was 63 degrees at 2 degrees C, and it increased slightly with an increase in temperature regardless of the phase transition of the host lattice. The value for egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) at 25 degrees C was the same as for DPPC above its main phase transition temperature. Rotational correlation time analysis showed that the axial rotation of the haptenic site was preferable to the tumbling motion of the rotational axis, and the predominance depended on the phase transition, Lc----L beta' and P beta'----L alpha. Elongation of the spacer arm between the haptenic site and phosphate increased the angular amplitude of the tumbling motion but reduced the effect of the host lattice. Spin-label lipid haptens with unsaturated fatty acyl chains were distributed heterogeneously in DPPC membranes, whereas those with the same fatty acyl chain as the host lattice were distributed randomly. The ESR spectrum of a lipid hapten under its prephase transition temperature showed two components, broad and narrow. This suggests that at least two different domains, a hapten-rich domain and a hapten-poor one, may coexist in membranes. ESR measurements at various temperatures suggested that the haptenic site fraction in the hapten-rich domain decreased in part during the phase transition from L beta' to P beta', and disappeared completely in the La phase. The spatial mobility and lateral diffusion of lipid haptens will be discussed in greater detail. PMID:2822160

  3. Compressibilities and Volume Fluctuations of Archaeal Tetraether Liposomes

    PubMed Central

    Chong, Parkson Lee-Gau; Sulc, Michael; Winter, Roland

    2010-01-01

    Bipolar tetraether lipids (BTLs) are abundant in crenarchaeota, which thrive in both thermophilic and nonthermophilic environments, with wide-ranging growth temperatures (4–108°C). BTL liposomes can serve as membrane models to explore the role of BTLs in the thermal stability of the plasma membrane of crenarchaeota. In this study, we focus on the liposomes made of the polar lipid fraction E (PLFE). PLFE is one of the main BTLs isolated from the thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Using molecular acoustics (ultrasound velocimetry and densimetry), pressure perturbation calorimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry, we have determined partial specific adiabatic and isothermal compressibility, their respective compressibility coefficients, partial specific volume, and relative volume fluctuations of PLFE large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) over a wide range of temperatures (20–85°C). The results are compared with those obtained from liposomes made of dipalmitoyl-L-α-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), a conventional monopolar diester lipid. We found that, in the entire temperature range examined, compressibilities of PLFE LUVs are low, comparable to those found in gel state of DPPC. Relative volume fluctuations of PLFE LUVs at any given temperature examined are 1.6–2.2 times more damped than those found in DPPC LUVs. Both compressibilities and relative volume fluctuations in PLFE LUVs are much less temperature-sensitive than those in DPPC liposomes. The isothermal compressibility coefficient (βTlipid) of PLFE LUVs changes from 3.59 × 10−10 Pa−1 at 25°C to 4.08 × 10−10 Pa−1 at 78°C. Volume fluctuations of PLFE LUVs change only 0.25% from 30°C to 80°C. The highly damped volume fluctuations and their low temperature sensitivity, echo that PLFE liposomes are rigid and tightly packed. To our knowledge, the data provide a deeper understanding of lipid packing in PLFE liposomes than has been previously reported, as well as a molecular explanation for the low solute permeation and limited membrane lateral motion. The obtained results may help to establish new strategies for rational design of stable BTL-based liposomes for drug/vaccine delivery. PMID:21081080

  4. Bovine insulin-phosphatidylcholine mixed Langmuir monolayers: behavior at the air-water interface.

    PubMed

    Pérez-López, S; Blanco-Vila, N M; Vila-Romeu, N

    2011-08-04

    The behavior of the binary mixed Langmuir monolayers of bovine insulin (INS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) spread at the air-water interface was investigated under various subphase conditions. Pure and mixed monolayers were spread on water, on NaOH and phosphate-buffered solutions of pH 7.4, and on Zn(2+)-containing solutions. Miscibility and interactions between the components were studied on the basis of the analysis of the surface pressure (π)-mean molecular area (A) isotherms, surface compression modulus (C(s)(-1))-π curves, and plots of A versus mole fraction of INS (X(INS)). Our results indicate that intermolecular interactions between INS and PC depend on both the monolayer state and the structural characteristics of INS at the interface, which are strongly influenced by the subphase pH and salt content. Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) was applied to investigate the peptide aggregation pattern at the air-water interface in the presence of the studied lipid under any experimental condition investigated. The influence of the lipid on the INS behavior at the interface strongly depends on the subphase conditions.

  5. Phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C inhibition reduces HER2-overexpression, cell proliferation and in vivo tumor growth in a highly tumorigenic ovarian cancer model

    PubMed Central

    Spadaro, Francesca; Abalsamo, Laura; Pisanu, Maria Elena; Ricci, Alessandro; Cecchetti, Serena; Altabella, Luisa; Buoncervello, Maria; Lozneanu, Ludmila; Bagnoli, Marina; Ramoni, Carlo; Canevari, Silvana; Mezzanzanica, Delia

    2017-01-01

    Antagonizing the oncogenic effects of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) with current anti-HER2 agents has not yet yielded major progress in the treatment of advanced HER2-positive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Using preclinical models to explore alternative molecular mechanisms affecting HER2 overexpression and oncogenicity may lead to new strategies for EOC patient treatment. We previously reported that phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) exerts a pivotal role in regulating HER2 overexpression in breast cancer cells. The present study, conducted on two human HER2-overexpressing EOC cell lines - SKOV3 and its in vivo-passaged SKOV3.ip cell variant characterized by enhanced in vivo tumorigenicity - and on SKOV3.ip xenografts implanted in SCID mice, showed: a) about 2-fold higher PC-PLC and HER2 protein expression levels in SKOV3.ip compared to SKOV3 cells; b) physical association of PC-PLC with HER2 in non-raft domains; c) HER2 internalization and ca. 50% reduction of HER2 mRNA and protein expression levels in SKOV3.ip cells exposed to the PC-PLC inhibitor tricyclodecan-9-yl-potassium xanthate (D609); d) differential effects of D609 and trastuzumab on HER2 protein expression and cell proliferation; e) decreased in vivo tumor growth in SKOV3.ip xenografts during in vivo treatment with D609; f) potential use of in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and imaging (MRI) parameters as biomarkers of EOC response to PC-PLC inhibition. Overall, these findings support the view that PC-PLC inhibition may represent an effective means to target the tumorigenic effects of HER2 overexpression in EOC and that in vivo MR approaches can efficiently monitor its effects. PMID:28903399

  6. Phospholipid hydroperoxide accumulation in liver of rats intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride and its inhibition by dietary alpha-tocopherol.

    PubMed

    Miyazawa, T; Suzuki, T; Fujimoto, K; Kaneda, T

    1990-05-01

    The formation and accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxides, especially of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH), a primary peroxidation product of phosphatidylcholine (PC), in livers of carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rats was investigated. PCOOH in liver and blood plasma was measured by a chemiluminescence-high-performance liquid chromatography procedure originally developed by Miyazawa et al. (Anal. Lett. 20, 915, 1987; Free Radical Biol. Med. 7, 209, 1989). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (120 g body wt., 5 weeks of age) were used in the experiments. The amount of PCOOH in the liver of control rats (CCl4-untreated) was 160 +/- 20 pmol/100 mg protein (mean +/- SD) and the PCOOH/PC molar ratio was 1.1 +/- 0.1 X 10(-5). In CCl4 (0.1 ml/100 g body wt.)-dosed rats, the liver PCOOH was 289 +/- 65 pmol/100 mg protein (PCOOH/PC = 2.4 +/- 0.4 X 10(-5], 764 +/- 271 pmol/100 mg protein (PCOOH/PC = 5.2 +/- 1.7 X 10(-5], and 856 +/- 165 pmol/100 mg protien (PCOOH/PC = 6.0 +/- 0.8 X 10(-5] at 6 h, 24 h, and 1 week after the dose, respectively. Under such conditions, the liver phosphatidylethanolamine hydroperoxide (PEOOH) level was not altered and the concentration was less than 100 pmol/100 mg protein even after the dose. The increments of liver PCOOH were suppressed 56% by the oral supplementation of DL-alpha-tocopherol (5 mg/100 g body wt./day) for a week before CCl4 administration. A relatively larger amount of PEOOH was found after stimulation of PC hydroperoxidation in the liver of rats with a large amount of CCl4 (0.25 ml/100 g body wt.) rather than with the small amount of CCl4 (0.1 ml/100 g body wt.).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  7. Roles of phospholipid methyltransferases in pycnidia development, stress tolerance and secondary metabolism in the taxol-producing fungus Pestalotiopsis microspore.

    PubMed

    Akhberdi, Oren; Zhang, Qian; Wang, Haichuan; Li, Yingying; Chen, Longfei; Wang, Dan; Yu, Xi; Wei, Dongsheng; Zhu, Xudong

    2018-05-01

    Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is an important membrane component of the eukaryotic cell. In yeast fungi, two phospholipid methyltransferases catalyze consecutive steps of methylation in the formation of phosphatidylcholine from phosphatidylethanolamine. However, roles of phospholipid methyltransferases in filamentous fungi remains less investigated. We report here the characterization of two genes, choA and choC, that putatively encoded phospholipid methyltransferases in the taxol-producing fungus Pestalotiopsis microspora. Deletion of choC resulted in defects in PC production, vegetative growth and development of asexual structure. The mutant strains exhibited multiple morphological abnormalities, e.g. swollen hyphal tips and enhanced hyphal branching, and even mycelial autolysis. Some novel roles for the genes were also revealed, for instance, the deletion of either choC or choA impaired the development of pycnidia and conidia, the cell wall integrity. The mutant strains displayed a hypersensitivity to stress conditions, e.g. osmotic stress, cold and metal ions. The osmotic hypersensitivity indicates a crosstalk of PC pathways to other signaling pathways, such as the HOG pathway. Still more, choA, but not choC, was required for the production of secondary metabolites, e.g. pestalotiollide B, suggesting distinct roles of the two genes. This work would contribute to better understanding the function of phospholipid methyltransferases in fungi. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  8. Activation of choline kinase drives aberrant choline metabolism in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.

    PubMed

    Ma, Wang; Wang, Shuangyuan; Zhang, Tengfei; Zhang, Erik Y; Zhou, Lina; Hu, Chunxiu; Yu, Jane J; Xu, Guowang

    2018-06-05

    Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a major health threat worldwide. Research focused on molecular events associated with ESCC carcinogenesis for diagnosis, treatment and prevention is needed. Our goal is to discover novel biomarkers and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of ESCC progression by employing a global metabolomic approach. Sera from 34 ESCC patients and 32 age and sex matched healthy controls were profiled using two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (2D LC-MS). We identified 120 differential metabolites in ESCC patient serums compared to healthy controls. Several amino acids, serine, arginine, lysine and histidine were significantly changed in ESCC patients. Most importantly, we found dysregulated lipid metabolism as an important characteristic in ESCC patients. Several free fat acids (FFA) and carnitines were found down-regulated in ESCC patients. Choline was significantly increased and phosphatidylcholines (PC) were significantly decreased in ESCC serum. The high expression of choline and low expression of total PC in patient serum were associated with the high expression of choline kinase (Chok) and activated Kennedy pathway in ESCC cells. Chok expression can serve as a significant biomarker for ESCC prognosis. In conclusion, metabolite profiles in the ESCC patient serum were significantly different from those in the healthy controls. Phosphatidylcholines and Chok, the key enzyme in the PC metabolism pathway, may serve as novel biomarkers for ESCC. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. ALA10, a Phospholipid Flippase, Controls FAD2/FAD3 Desaturation of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER and Affects Chloroplast Lipid Composition in Arabidopsis thaliana1

    PubMed Central

    Sautron, Emeline; Boudiere, Laurence; Michaud, Morgane; Dubots, Emmanuelle; Albrieux, Catherine; Marechal, Eric; Jouhet, Juliette

    2016-01-01

    The biogenesis of photosynthetic membranes relies on galactoglycerolipids, which are synthesized via pathways that are dispatched over several cell compartments. This membrane biogenesis requires both trafficking of lipid intermediates and a tight homeostatic regulation. In this work, we address the role of ALA10 (for aminophospholipid ATPase), a P4-type ATPase, in a process counteracting the monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) shortage in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaves. ALA10 can interact with protein partners, ALIS1 (for ALA-interacting subunit1) or ALIS5, leading to differential endomembrane localizations of the interacting proteins, close to the plasma membrane with ALIS1 or to chloroplasts with ALIS5. ALA10 interacts also with FATTY ACID DESATURASE2 (FAD2), and modification of ALA10 expression affects phosphatidylcholine (PC) fatty acyl desaturation by disturbing the balance between FAD2 and FAD3 activities. Modulation of ALA10 expression downstream impacts the fatty acyl composition of chloroplast PC. ALA10 expression also enhances leaf growth and improves the MGDG-PC ratio, possibly through MGDG SYNTHASE1 (MGD1) activation by phosphatidic acid. The positive effect of ALA10 on leaf development is significant in conditions such as upon treatment of plants with Galvestine-1, an inhibitor of MGDG synthases, or when plants are grown at chilling temperature. PMID:26620528

  10. Optimization and physicochemical characterization of a cationic lipid-phosphatidylcholine mixed emulsion formulated as a highly efficient vehicle that facilitates adenoviral gene transfer.

    PubMed

    Kim, Soo-Yeon; Lee, Sang-Jin; Kim, Jin-Ki; Choi, Han-Gon; Lim, Soo-Jeong

    2017-01-01

    Cationic lipid-based nanoparticles enhance viral gene transfer by forming electrostatic complexes with adenoviral vectors. We recently demonstrated the superior complexation capabilities of 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium propane (DOTAP) emulsion compared with a liposomal counterpart but the cytotoxicity of DOTAP emulsions remained a challenge. The present study is aimed at formulating an emulsion capable of acting as a highly effective viral gene transfer vehicle with reduced cytotoxicity and to physicochemically characterize the structures of virus-emulsion complexes in comparison with virus-liposome complexes when the only difference between emulsions and liposomes was the presence or absence of inner oil core. The emulsion formulation was performed by 1) reducing the content of DOTAP while increasing the content of zwitterionic lipid 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), and 2) optimizing the oil content. The complexation capability of formulated DOTAP:DMPC mixed emulsions was similar to those of emulsions containing DOTAP alone while displaying significantly lower cytotoxicity. The complexation capabilities of the DOTAP:DMPC mixed emulsion were serum-compatible and were monitored in a variety of cell types, whereas its liposomal counterpart was totally ineffective. Characterization by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and dynamic light scattering studies indicated that the optimized emulsions spontaneously surrounded the virus particles to generate emulsions that encapsulated the viral particles, whereas viral particles merely attached to the surfaces of the counterpart liposomes to form multiviral aggregates. Overall, these studies demonstrated that optimized DOTAP:DMPC mixed emulsions are potentially useful for adenoviral gene delivery due to less cytotoxicity and the unique ability to encapsulate the viral particle, highlighting the importance of nanoparticle formulation.

  11. Optimization and physicochemical characterization of a cationic lipid-phosphatidylcholine mixed emulsion formulated as a highly efficient vehicle that facilitates adenoviral gene transfer

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Soo-Yeon; Lee, Sang-Jin; Kim, Jin-Ki; Choi, Han-Gon; Lim, Soo-Jeong

    2017-01-01

    Cationic lipid-based nanoparticles enhance viral gene transfer by forming electrostatic complexes with adenoviral vectors. We recently demonstrated the superior complexation capabilities of 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium propane (DOTAP) emulsion compared with a liposomal counterpart but the cytotoxicity of DOTAP emulsions remained a challenge. The present study is aimed at formulating an emulsion capable of acting as a highly effective viral gene transfer vehicle with reduced cytotoxicity and to physicochemically characterize the structures of virus-emulsion complexes in comparison with virus–liposome complexes when the only difference between emulsions and liposomes was the presence or absence of inner oil core. The emulsion formulation was performed by 1) reducing the content of DOTAP while increasing the content of zwitterionic lipid 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), and 2) optimizing the oil content. The complexation capability of formulated DOTAP:DMPC mixed emulsions was similar to those of emulsions containing DOTAP alone while displaying significantly lower cytotoxicity. The complexation capabilities of the DOTAP:DMPC mixed emulsion were serum-compatible and were monitored in a variety of cell types, whereas its liposomal counterpart was totally ineffective. Characterization by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and dynamic light scattering studies indicated that the optimized emulsions spontaneously surrounded the virus particles to generate emulsions that encapsulated the viral particles, whereas viral particles merely attached to the surfaces of the counterpart liposomes to form multiviral aggregates. Overall, these studies demonstrated that optimized DOTAP:DMPC mixed emulsions are potentially useful for adenoviral gene delivery due to less cytotoxicity and the unique ability to encapsulate the viral particle, highlighting the importance of nanoparticle formulation. PMID:29070949

  12. Supercritical fluid-mediated liposomes containing cyclosporin A for the treatment of dry eye syndrome in a rabbit model: comparative study with the conventional cyclosporin A emulsion

    PubMed Central

    Karn, Pankaj Ranjan; Kim, Hyun Do; Kang, Han; Sun, Bo Kyung; Jin, Su-Eon; Hwang, Sung-Joo

    2014-01-01

    Background The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of cyclosporin (CsA)-encapsulated liposomes with the commercially available CsA emulsion (Restasis®) for the treatment of dry eye syndrome in rabbits. Methods Liposomes containing CsA were prepared by the supercritical fluid (SCF) method consisted of phosphatidylcholine from soybean (SCF-S100) and egg lecithins (SCF-EPCS). An in vitro permeation study was carried out using artificial cellulose membrane in Franz diffusion cells. Dry eye syndrome was induced in male albino rabbits and further subdivided into untreated, Restasis®-treated, EPCS, and S100-treated groups. Tear formation in the dry-eye-induced rabbits was evaluated using the Schirmer tear test. All formulations were also evaluated by ocular irritation tests using the Draize eye and winking methods with the determination of CsA concentration in rabbit tears. Results After the treatment, the Schirmer tear test value significantly improved in EPCS-treated (P=0.005) and S100-treated (P=0.018) groups compared to the Restasis®-treated group. The AUC0–24 h for rabbit’s tear film after the administration of SCF-S100 was 32.75±9.21 μg·h/mg which was significantly higher than that of 24.59±8.69 μg·h/mg reported with Restasis®. Liposomal CsA formulations used in this study showed lower irritation in rabbit eyes compared with Restasis®. Conclusion These results demonstrate that the novel SCF-mediated liposomal CsA promises a significant improvement in overcoming the challenges associated with the treatment of dry eyes. PMID:25143728

  13. Magnetoliposomes Loaded with Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids as Novel Theranostic Anti-Inflammatory Formulations

    PubMed Central

    Calle, Daniel; Negri, Viviana; Ballesteros, Paloma; Cerdán, Sebastián

    2015-01-01

    We describe the preparation, physico-chemical characterization and anti-inflammatory properties of liposomes containing the superparamagnetic nanoparticle Nanotex, the fluorescent dye Rhodamine-100 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ethyl ester (ω-3 PUFA-EE), as theranostic anti-inflammatory agents. Liposomes were prepared after drying chloroform suspensions of egg phosphatidylcholine, hydration of the lipid film with aqueous phases containing or not Nanotex, Rhodamine-100 dye or ω-3 PUFA-EE, and eleven extrusion steps through nanometric membrane filters. This resulted in uniform preparations of liposomes of approximately 200 nm diameter. Extraliposomal contents were removed from the preparation by gel filtration chromatography. High Resolution Magic Angle Spinning 1H NMR Spectroscopy of the liposomal preparations containing ω-3 PUFA-EE revealed well resolved 1H resonances from highly mobile ω-3 PUFA-EE, suggesting the formation of very small (ca. 10 nm) ω-3 PUFA-EE nanogoticules, tumbling fast in the NMR timescale. Chloroform extraction of the liposomal preparations revealed additionally the incorporation of ω-3 PUFA-EE within the membrane domain. Water diffusion weighted spectra, indicated that the goticules of ω-3 PUFA-EE or its insertion in the membrane did not affect the average translational diffusion coefficient of water, suggesting an intraliposomal localization, that was confirmed by ultrafiltration. The therapeutic efficacy of these preparations was tested in two different models of inflammatory disease as inflammatory colitis or the inflammatory component associated to glioma development. Results indicate that the magnetoliposomes loaded with ω-3 PUFA-EE allowed MRI visualization in vivo and improved the outcome of inflammatory disease in both animal models, decreasing significantly colonic inflammation and delaying, or even reversing, glioma development. Together, our results indicate that magnetoliposomes loaded with ω-3 PUFA-EE may become useful anti-inflammatory agents for image guided drug delivery. PMID:25767616

  14. Supercritical fluid-mediated liposomes containing cyclosporin A for the treatment of dry eye syndrome in a rabbit model: comparative study with the conventional cyclosporin A emulsion.

    PubMed

    Karn, Pankaj Ranjan; Kim, Hyun Do; Kang, Han; Sun, Bo Kyung; Jin, Su-Eon; Hwang, Sung-Joo

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of cyclosporin (CsA)-encapsulated liposomes with the commercially available CsA emulsion (Restasis) for the treatment of dry eye syndrome in rabbits. Liposomes containing CsA were prepared by the supercritical fluid (SCF) method consisted of phosphatidylcholine from soybean (SCF-S100) and egg lecithins (SCF-EPCS). An in vitro permeation study was carried out using artificial cellulose membrane in Franz diffusion cells. Dry eye syndrome was induced in male albino rabbits and further subdivided into untreated, Restasis-treated, EPCS, and S100-treated groups. Tear formation in the dry-eye-induced rabbits was evaluated using the Schirmer tear test. All formulations were also evaluated by ocular irritation tests using the Draize eye and winking methods with the determination of CsA concentration in rabbit tears. After the treatment, the Schirmer tear test value significantly improved in EPCS-treated (P=0.005) and S100-treated (P=0.018) groups compared to the Restasis-treated group. The AUC₀₋₂₄ h for rabbit's tear film after the administration of SCF-S100 was 32.75±9.21 μg·h/mg which was significantly higher than that of 24.59±8.69 μg·h/mg reported with Restasis. Liposomal CsA formulations used in this study showed lower irritation in rabbit eyes compared with Restasis. These results demonstrate that the novel SCF-mediated liposomal CsA promises a significant improvement in overcoming the challenges associated with the treatment of dry eyes.

  15. pH dependent antioxidant activity of lettuce (L. sativa) and synergism with added phenolic antioxidants.

    PubMed

    Altunkaya, Arzu; Gökmen, Vural; Skibsted, Leif H

    2016-01-01

    Influence of pH on the antioxidant activities of combinations of lettuce extract (LE) with quercetin (QC), green tea extract (GTE) or grape seed extract (GSE) was investigated for both reduction of Fremy's salt in aqueous solution using direct electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and in L-α-phosphatidylcholine liposome peroxidation assay measured following formation of conjugated dienes. All examined phenolic antioxidants showed increasing radical scavenging effect with increasing pH values by using both methods. QC, GTE and GSE acted synergistically in combination with LE against oxidation of peroxidating liposomes and with QC showing the largest effect. The pH dependent increase of the antioxidant activity of the phenols is due to an increase of their electron-donating ability upon deprotonation and to their stabilization in alkaline solutions leading to polymerization reaction. Such polymerization reactions of polyphenolic antioxidants can form new oxidizable -OH moieties in their polymeric products resulting in a higher radical scavenging activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Caberoy, Nora B.; Zhou, Yixiong; Alvarado, Gabriela

    To efficiently elucidate the biological roles of phosphatidylserine (PS), we developed open-reading-frame (ORF) phage display to identify PS-binding proteins. The procedure of phage panning was optimized with a phage clone expressing MFG-E8, a well-known PS-binding protein. Three rounds of phage panning with ORF phage display cDNA library resulted in {approx}300-fold enrichment in PS-binding activity. A total of 17 PS-binding phage clones were identified. Unlike phage display with conventional cDNA libraries, all 17 PS-binding clones were ORFs encoding 13 real proteins. Sequence analysis revealed that all identified PS-specific phage clones had dimeric basic amino acid residues. GST fusion proteins were expressedmore » for 3 PS-binding proteins and verified for their binding activity to PS liposomes, but not phosphatidylcholine liposomes. These results elucidated previously unknown PS-binding proteins and demonstrated that ORF phage display is a versatile technology capable of efficiently identifying binding proteins for non-protein molecules like PS.« less

  17. Elucidation of the Interaction Mechanism with Liposomes of gH625-Peptide Functionalized Dendrimers

    PubMed Central

    Falanga, Annarita; Tarallo, Rossella; Carberry, Thomas; Galdiero, Massimiliano; Weck, Marcus; Galdiero, Stefania

    2014-01-01

    We have demonstrated that amide-based dendrimers functionalized with the membrane-interacting peptide gH625 derived from the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) envelope glycoprotein H enter cells mainly through a non-active translocation mechanism. Herein, we investigate the interaction between the peptide-functionalized dendrimer and liposomes composed of PC/Chol using fluorescence spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, and surface plasmon resonance to get insights into the mechanism of internalization. The affinity for the membrane bilayer is very high and the interaction between the peptide-dendrimer and liposomes took place without evidence of pore formation. These results suggest that the presented peptidodendrimeric scaffold may be a promising material for efficient drug delivery. PMID:25423477

  18. [A simple method for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine with the fatty acid substituted in the 2-position].

    PubMed

    Schulze, G; Jung, K; Kunze, D; Egger, E

    1976-01-01

    The preparation of PC with the 14C-fatty acids palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acid at OH-group in position 2 is described. The starting material is egg yolk lecithin. By the attack of snake venom phospholiphase lyso-PC is produced which is reacylated by the appropriate fatty acid anhydride. In comparison with the methods published up to now this preparation has the advantage of higher yields and greater simplicity. By means of in vivo synthesis it is impossible to get PC species with only one fatty acid in a defined position. Working with radioactive fatty acids the specific radioactivity can be adapted to the requirements. The procedure can be made on a semi-technical scale.

  19. Formulation and transport properties of tenofovir loaded liposomes through Caco-2 cell model.

    PubMed

    Zidan, Ahmed S; Spinks, Crystal B; Habib, Muhammad J; Khan, Mansoor A

    2013-12-01

    The aim was to investigate the potential of proliposomes to improve the permeability of tenofovir, anti-HIV, for oral delivery. Tenofovir was incorporated into phosphatidylcholine proliposomes and their absorption was determined in Caco-2 cell cultures grown on Transwell inserts using aqueous drug solutions as reference. Five batches of proliposomes were prepared with different stearylamine levels and characterized in terms of vesicular morphology, drug encapsulation efficiency (EEF), drug leakage, vesicular sizing and surface charges. Cytotoxicity of the reconstituted liposomes was evaluated by the MTT assay. The obtained results showed that increasing the incorporated percentage of stearylamine led to an increase in drug encapsulation, a slower drug leakage and larger liposomes formed. Compared to the drug solutions at corresponding concentrations, the proposed formulations showed a positive relationship (R²= 0.9756) for the influence of increasing the stearylamine percentage on reduction of mitochondrial activity. Regarding the drug permeability, enhancements of apparent permeability by 16.5- and 5.2-folds were observed for proliposomes formulations with 5% and 15% stearylamine, respectively. A good correlation was observed between the Caco-2 and dialysis models that might indicate passive diffusion as well as paracellular transport as suggested mechanisms for drug absorption. Cationic proliposomes offered a potential formulation to improve the permeation of tenofovir.

  20. Differences in the Lipoprotein Distribution of Free and Liposome-Associated All-trans-Retinoic Acid in Human, Dog, and Rat Plasma Are Due to Variations in Lipoprotein Lipid and Protein Content

    PubMed Central

    Wasan, Kishor M.; Ramaswamy, Manisha; Ng, Samson P.; Wong, Wesley; Parrott, Steven C.; Ojwang, Joshua O.; Wallace, Thomas; Cossum, Paul A.

    1998-01-01

    The objective of the proposed study was to determine the distribution in plasma lipoprotein of free all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and liposomal ATRA (Atragen; composed of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine and soybean oil) following incubation in human, rat, and dog plasma. When ATRA and Atragen at concentrations of 1, 5, 10, and 25 μg/ml were incubated in human and rat plasma for 5, 60, and 180 min, the majority of the tretinoin was recovered in the lipoprotein-deficient plasma fraction. However, when ATRA and Atragen were incubated in dog plasma, the majority of the tretinoin (>40%) was recovered in the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) fraction. No differences in the plasma distribution between ATRA and Atragen were found. These data suggest that a significant percentage of tretinoin associates with plasma lipoproteins (primarily the HDL fraction) upon incubation in human, dog, and rat plasma. Differences between the lipoprotein lipid and protein profiles in human plasma and in dog and rat plasma influenced the plasma distribution of ATRA and Atragen. Differences in lipoprotein distribution between ATRA and Atragen were not observed, suggesting that the drug’s distribution in plasma is not influenced by its incorporation into these liposomes. PMID:9660998

  1. Relationship between the mobility of phosphocholine headgroups of liposomes and the hydrophobicity at the membrane interface: a characterization with spectrophotometric measurements.

    PubMed

    Shimanouchi, Toshinori; Sasaki, Masashi; Hiroiwa, Azusa; Yoshimoto, Noriko; Miyagawa, Kazuya; Umakoshi, Hiroshi; Kuboi, Ryoichi

    2011-11-01

    In this study, we investigated the dynamics of a membrane interface of liposomes prepared by eight zwitterionic phosphatidylcholines in terms of their headgroup mobility, with spectroscopic methods such as dielectric dispersion analysis (DDA), fluorescence spectroscopy. The DDA measurement is based on the response of the permanent dipole moment to a driving electric field and could give the information on the axial rotational Brownian motion of a headgroup with the permanent dipole moment. This motion depended on kinds of phospholipids, the diameter of the liposomes, and the temperature. The activation energy required to overcome the intermolecular force between headgroups of phospholipids depended on the strength of the interaction between headgroups such as hydrogen bonds and/or dipole-dipole interaction. Hydration at the phosphorous group of phospholipid and the molecular order of lipid membrane impaired the interaction between headgroups. Furthermore, the hydrophobicity of membrane surface increased parallel to the increase in headgroup mobility. It is, therefore, concluded that hydration of headgroup promoted its mobility to make the membrane surface hydrophobic. The lipid membrane in liquid crystalline phase or the lipid membrane with the larger curvature was more hydrophobic. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Interchromosomal Associations that Alter Nf1 Gene Expression can Modify Clinical Manifestations of Neurofibromatosis 1

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-01

    intracellular portion of the EGFR and stimulates PLD2 activity. PLD2 catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to phosphatidic acid (PA) and...ARF4 can bind with EGFR and activate PLD2. The phosphatidic acid (PA) produced by PLD2 can recruit Sos, which can then colocalize and activate

  3. Dipole potentials indicate restructuring of the membrane interface induced by gadolinium and beryllium ions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ermakov, Y. A.; Averbakh, A. Z.; Yusipovich, A. I.; Sukharev, S.

    2001-01-01

    The dipole component of the membrane boundary potential, phi(d), is an integral parameter that may report on the conformational state of the lipid headgroups and their hydration. In this work, we describe an experimental approach to measurements of the dipole potential changes, Deltaphi(d), and apply it in studies of Be(2+) and Gd(3+) interactions with membranes composed of phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and their mixtures. Deltaphi(d) is determined as the difference between the changes of the total boundary potential, phi(b), measured by the IFC method in planar lipid membranes and the surface potential, phi(s), determined from the electrophoretic mobility of liposomes. The Gouy-Chapman-Stern formalism, combined with the condition of mass balance, well describes the ion equilibria for these high-affinity cations. For the adsorption of Be(2+) and Gd(3+) to PC membranes, and of Mg(2+) to PS membranes, the values of Deltaphi(b) and Deltaphi(s) are the same, indicative of no change of phi(d). Binding of Gd(3+) to PS-containing membranes induces changes of phi(d) of opposite signs depending on the density of ionized PS headgroups in the bilayer. At low density, the induced Deltaphi(d) is negative (-30 mV), consistent with the effect of dehydration of the surface. At maximal density (pure PS, neutral pH), adsorption of Be(2+) or Gd(3+) induces an increase of phi(d) of 35 or 140 mV, respectively. The onset of the strong positive dipole effect on PS membranes with Gd(3+) is observed near the zero charge point and correlates with a six-fold increase of membrane tension. The observed phenomena may reflect concerted reorientation of dipole moments of PS headgroups as a result of ion adsorption and lipid condensation. Their possible implications to in-vivo effects of these high-affinity ions are discussed.

  4. Phospholipid lateral diffusion in phosphatidylcholine-sphingomyelin-cholesterol monolayers; effects of oxidatively truncated phosphatidylcholines.

    PubMed

    Parkkila, Petteri; Stefl, Martin; Olżyńska, Agnieszka; Hof, Martin; Kinnunen, Paavo K J

    2015-01-01

    Oxidative stress is involved in a number of pathological conditions and the generated oxidatively modified lipids influence membrane properties and functions, including lipid-protein interactions and cellular signaling. Brewster angle microscopy demonstrated oxidatively truncated phosphatidylcholines to promote phase separation in monolayers of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (POPC), sphingomyelin (SM) and cholesterol (Chol). More specifically, 1-palmitoyl-2-azelaoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PazePC), was found to increase the miscibility transition pressure of the SM/Chol-phase. Lateral diffusion of lipids is influenced by a variety of membrane properties, thus making it a sensitive parameter to observe the coexistence of different lipid phases, for instance. The dependence on lipid lateral packing of the lateral diffusion of fluorophore-containing phospholipid analogs was investigated in Langmuir monolayers composed of POPC, SM, and Chol and additionally containing oxidatively truncated phosphatidylcholines, using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). To our knowledge, these are the first FCS results on miscibility transition in ternary lipid monolayers, confirming previous results obtained using Brewster angle microscopy on such lipid monolayers. Wide-field fluorescence microscopy was additionally employed to verify the transition, i.e. the loss and reformation of SM/Chol domains. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Plasma fatty acid profile in depressive disorder resembles insulin resistance state.

    PubMed

    Vareka, Tomas; Vecka, Marek; Jirak, Roman; Tvrzicka, Eva; Macasek, Jaroslav; Zak, Ales; Zeman, Miroslav

    2012-01-01

    Depressive disorder is related to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Insulin resistance (IR), connected with altered fatty acid (FA) composition, namely with decreased proportion of polyunsaturated FA could participate in these associations. The aim of the study was to investigate the composition of FA in plasma cholesterol esters (CE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) as well as indices of insulin resistance and oxidative stress in the patients with depressive disorder. Parameters of lipid and glucose homeostasis, concentrations of FA in plasma cholesteryl esters (CE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) and conjugated dienes in LDL were investigated in a group of 47 patients (9M/38F) with depression and compared with 47 control persons (16M/31F). Delta-9 desaturase (D9D) and D6D desaturase were estimated as product to precursor fatty acid ratios. In depressive patients increased concentrations of palmitoleic acid and total monounsaturated FA with decreased proportion of total polyunsaturated FA n-6 (PUFA n-6) (all p<0.05) in CE were found, while in PC increased proportion of saturated FA was observed (p<0.05). Moreover, index of D6D activity was significantly increased in PC and CE (p<0.05). Concomitantly, in depressive patients higher levels of plasma triacylglycerols (p<0.05), conjugated dienes in LDL (p<0.001) and HOMA index of IR (p<0.05) were found. Esterified FA composition of depressive patients revealed changes, similar to those, usually observed in insulin resistance. Dysregulation of FA could participate in the pathogenesis of depression and be associated with an increased risk of CVD and DM2.

  6. In vivo Detection of Phospholipase C by Enzyme-Activated Near-infrared Probes

    PubMed Central

    Mawn, Theresa M.; Popov, Anatoliy V.; Beardsley, Nancy J.; Stefflova, Klara; Milkevitch, Matthew; Zheng, Gang; Delikatny, E. James

    2011-01-01

    In this paper the characterization of the first near-infrared (NIR) phospholipase-activated molecular beacon is reported and its utility for in vivo cancer imaging is demonstrated. The probe consists of three elements: a phospholipid (PL) backbone to which the NIR fluorophore, pyropheophorbide a (Pyro), and the NIR Black Hole Quencher 3 (BHQ) were conjugated. Due to the close proximity of BHQ to Pyro, the Pyro-PtdEtn-BHQ probe is self-quenched until enzyme hydrolysis releases the fluorophore. The Pyro-PtdEtn-BHQ probe is highly specific to one isoform of phospholipase C, phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC), responsible for catabolizing phosphatidylcholine directly to phosphocholine. Incubation of Pyro-PtdEtn-BHQ in vitro with PC-PLC demonstrated a 150-fold increase in fluorescence that could be inhibited by the specific PC-PLC inhibitor tricyclodecan-9-yl xanthogenate (D609) with an IC50 of 34±8 µM. Since elevations in phosphocholine have been consistently observed by magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a wide array of cancer cells and solid tumors, we assessed the utility of Pyro-PtdEtn-BHQ as a probe for targeted tumor imaging. Injection of Pyro-PtdEtn-BHQ into mice bearing DU145 human prostate tumor xenografts followed by in vivo NIR imaging resulted in a 4-fold increase in tumor radiance over background and a 2 fold increase in the tumor:muscle ratio. Tumor fluorescence enhancement was inhibited with administration of D609. The ability to image PC-PLC activity in vivo provides a unique and sensitive method of monitoring one of the critical phospholipase signaling pathways activated in cancer, as well as the phospholipase activities that are altered in response to cancer treatment. PMID:22034913

  7. Percoll gradient-centrifuged capacitated mouse sperm have increased fertilizing ability and higher contents of sulfogalactosylglycerolipid and docosahexaenoic acid-containing phosphatidylcholine compared to washed capacitated mouse sperm.

    PubMed

    Furimsky, Anna; Vuong, Ngoc; Xu, Hongbin; Kumarathasan, Premkumari; Xu, Min; Weerachatyanukul, Wattana; Bou Khalil, Maroun; Kates, Morris; Tanphaichitr, Nongnuj

    2005-03-01

    Although Percoll gradient centrifugation has been used routinely to prepare motile human sperm, its use in preparing motile mouse sperm has been limited. Here, we showed that Percoll gradient-centrifuged (PGC) capacitated mouse sperm had markedly higher fertilizing ability (sperm-zona pellucida [ZP] binding and in vitro fertilization) than washed capacitated mouse sperm. We also showed that the lipid profiles of PGC capacitated sperm and washed capacitated sperm differed significantly. The PGC sperm had much lower contents of cholesterol and phospholipids. This resulted in relative enrichment of male germ cell-specific sulfogalactosylglycerolipid (SGG), a ZP-binding ligand, in PGC capacitated sperm, and this would explain, in part, their increased ZP-binding ability compared with that of washed capacitated sperm. Analyses of phospholipid fatty acyl chains revealed that PGC capacitated sperm were enriched in phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecular species containing highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs), with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22: 6n-3) being the predominant HUFA (42% of total hydrocarbon chains of PC). In contrast, the level of PC-HUFAs comprising arachidonic acid (20:4n-6), docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5n-6), and DHA in washed capacitated sperm was only 27%. Having the highest unsaturation degree among all HUFAs in PC, DHA would enhance membrane fluidity to the uppermost. Therefore, membranes of PGC capacitated sperm would undergo fertilization-related fusion events at higher rates than washed capacitated sperm. These results suggested that PGC mouse sperm should be used in fertilization experiments and that SGG and DHA should be considered to be important biomarkers for sperm fertilizing ability.

  8. Effect of supplementation with flaxseed oil and different doses of fish oil for 2 weeks on plasma phosphatidylcholine fatty acids in young women.

    PubMed

    Hodson, Leanne; Crowe, Francesca L; McLachlan, Kirsten J; Skeaff, C Murray

    2018-06-01

    Although assumed, it remains unclear that fatty acid (FA) biomarkers of n-3 long-chain PUFA reflect wide ranges of intake. However, to be utilised as biomarkers, to predict dietary intake, dose-response curves that cover a spectrum of intakes are required. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the FA composition of plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a sensitive biomarker of n-3 FAs from fish oil, across a range of supplementation doses, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) supplementation, in young, healthy women. A total of 303 young women were randomised to intakes ranging between 0.33 and 4.50 g EPA+DHA/day from fish oil (not all doses used in each year) or flaxseed oil (5.90-6.60 g/d) daily for 14 days in a series of trials, over 5 years. Fasting blood was collected at baseline (day 0) and day 14 and plasma PC FA composition, total and HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations measured. Fourteen days supplementation with fish oil significantly (P < 0.01) increased, in a dose-dependent fashion, plasma PC EPA, DPA and DHA at all doses except 1 and 3 mL/day. For the combined group of women who consumed any fish oil there was a 16% (P < 0.01) decrease in plasma triacylglycerol concentrations after 14 days supplementation. Flaxseed oil supplementation for 14 day resulted in significant (P < 0.01) increases in ALA, EPA and DPA, whilst DHA remained unchanged. Our data demonstrate plasma PC is a sensitive biomarker of n-3 FA intake and reflects changes within 14 days across a range of intakes.

  9. Encapsulation, controlled release, and antitumor efficacy of cisplatin delivered in liposomes composed of sterol-modified phospholipids

    DOE PAGES

    Kieler-Ferguson, Heidi M.; Chan, Darren; Sockolosky, Jonathan; ...

    2017-03-03

    Here, we employed a recently introduced class of sterol-modified lipids (SML) to produce m-PEG-DSPE containing liposome compositions with a range of cis-platinum content release rates. SML have a cholesterol succinate attached to the phosphatidylglycerol head group and a fatty acid at the 2 position. These compositions were compared to the well-studied liposome phospholipid compositions: mPEG-DSPE/Hydrogenated Soy PC/cholesterol or mPEG-DSPE/POPC/cholesterol to determine the effect of the cis-platinum release extent on C26 tumor proliferation in the BALB/c colon carcinoma mouse model. The release rates of cis-platinum from liposomes composed of SML are a function of the acyl chain length. SML-liposomes with shortermore » acyl chain lengths C-8 provided more rapid cisplatin release, lower in vitro IC50, and were easier to formulate compared to liposomes using traditional phospholipid compositions. Similar to other liposome cis-platinum formulations, the half-life of m-PEG-DSPE SML liposome cisplatin is substantially longer than the free drug. This resulted in a higher tumor cisplatin concentration at 48 h post-dosing compared to the free drug and higher Pt-DNA adducts in the tumor. Moreover, the maximum tolerated dose of the liposome formulations where up to four fold greater than the free drug. Using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy on tumor sections, we compared the location of platinum, to the location of a fluorescence lipid incorporated in the liposomes. The liposome platinum co-localized with the fluorescent lipid and both were non-uniformly distributed in the tumor. Non-encapsulated Cis-platinum, albeit at a low concentration, was more uniformly distributed thorough the tumor. Three liposome formulations, including the well studied hydrogenated HSPC composition, had better antitumor activity in the murine colon 26 carcinoma model as compared to the free drug at the same dose but the SML liposome platinum formulations did not perform better than the HSPC formulation.« less

  10. Encapsulation, controlled release, and antitumor efficacy of cisplatin delivered in liposomes composed of sterol-modified phospholipids

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kieler-Ferguson, Heidi M.; Chan, Darren; Sockolosky, Jonathan

    Here, we employed a recently introduced class of sterol-modified lipids (SML) to produce m-PEG-DSPE containing liposome compositions with a range of cis-platinum content release rates. SML have a cholesterol succinate attached to the phosphatidylglycerol head group and a fatty acid at the 2 position. These compositions were compared to the well-studied liposome phospholipid compositions: mPEG-DSPE/Hydrogenated Soy PC/cholesterol or mPEG-DSPE/POPC/cholesterol to determine the effect of the cis-platinum release extent on C26 tumor proliferation in the BALB/c colon carcinoma mouse model. The release rates of cis-platinum from liposomes composed of SML are a function of the acyl chain length. SML-liposomes with shortermore » acyl chain lengths C-8 provided more rapid cisplatin release, lower in vitro IC50, and were easier to formulate compared to liposomes using traditional phospholipid compositions. Similar to other liposome cis-platinum formulations, the half-life of m-PEG-DSPE SML liposome cisplatin is substantially longer than the free drug. This resulted in a higher tumor cisplatin concentration at 48 h post-dosing compared to the free drug and higher Pt-DNA adducts in the tumor. Moreover, the maximum tolerated dose of the liposome formulations where up to four fold greater than the free drug. Using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy on tumor sections, we compared the location of platinum, to the location of a fluorescence lipid incorporated in the liposomes. The liposome platinum co-localized with the fluorescent lipid and both were non-uniformly distributed in the tumor. Non-encapsulated Cis-platinum, albeit at a low concentration, was more uniformly distributed thorough the tumor. Three liposome formulations, including the well studied hydrogenated HSPC composition, had better antitumor activity in the murine colon 26 carcinoma model as compared to the free drug at the same dose but the SML liposome platinum formulations did not perform better than the HSPC formulation.« less

  11. Liposome-encapsulated EF24-HPβCD inclusion complex: a preformulation study and biodistribution in a rat model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agashe, H.; Lagisetty, P.; Sahoo, K.; Bourne, D.; Grady, B.; Awasthi, V.

    2011-06-01

    3,5-Bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24) is an anti-proliferative diphenyldifluoroketone analog of curcumin with more potent activity. The authors describe a liposome preparation of EF24 using a "drug-in-CD-in liposome" approach. An aqueous solution of EF24 and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) inclusion complex (IC) was used to prepare EF24 liposomes. The liposome size was reduced by a combination of multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Co-encapsulation of glutathione inside the liposomes conferred them with the capability of labeling with imageable radionuclide Tc-99m. Phase solubility analysis of EF24-HPβCD mixture provided k 1:1 value of 9.9 M-1. The enhanced aqueous solubility of EF24 (from 1.64 to 13.8 mg/mL) due to the presence of HPβCD helped in the liposome preparation. About 19% of the EF24 IC was encapsulated inside the liposomes (320.5 ± 2.6 nm) by dehydration-rehydration technique. With extrusion technique, the size of 177 ± 6.5 nm was obtained without any effect on encapsulation efficiency. The EF24-liposomes were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity in lung adenocarcinoma H441 and prostate cancer PC-3 cells. The EF24-liposomes demonstrated anti-proliferative activity superior to that of plain EF24 at 10 μM dose. When injected in rats, the Tc-99m-labeled EF24-liposomes cleared from blood with an α- t 1/2 of 21.4 min and β- t 1/2 of 397 min. Tissue radioactivity counting upon necropsy showed that the majority of clearance was due to the uptake in liver and spleen. The results suggest that using "drug-in-CD-in liposome" approach is a feasible strategy to formulate an effective parenteral preparation of EF24. In vitro studies show that the liposomal EF24 remains anti-proliferative, while presenting an opportunity to image its biodistribution.

  12. Liposome-encapsulated EF24-HPβCD inclusion complex: a preformulation study and biodistribution in a rat model.

    PubMed

    Agashe, H; Lagisetty, P; Sahoo, K; Bourne, D; Grady, B; Awasthi, V

    2011-06-01

    3,5-Bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24) is an anti-proliferative diphenyldifluoroketone analog of curcumin with more potent activity. The authors describe a liposome preparation of EF24 using a "drug-in-CD-in liposome" approach. An aqueous solution of EF24 and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) inclusion complex (IC) was used to prepare EF24 liposomes. The liposome size was reduced by a combination of multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Co-encapsulation of glutathione inside the liposomes conferred them with the capability of labeling with imageable radionuclide Tc-99m. Phase solubility analysis of EF24-HPβCD mixture provided k(1:1) value of 9.9 M(-1). The enhanced aqueous solubility of EF24 (from 1.64 to 13.8 mg/mL) due to the presence of HPβCD helped in the liposome preparation. About 19% of the EF24 IC was encapsulated inside the liposomes (320.5 ± 2.6 nm) by dehydration-rehydration technique. With extrusion technique, the size of 177 ± 6.5 nm was obtained without any effect on encapsulation efficiency. The EF24-liposomes were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity in lung adenocarcinoma H441 and prostate cancer PC-3 cells. The EF24-liposomes demonstrated anti-proliferative activity superior to that of plain EF24 at 10 μM dose. When injected in rats, the Tc-99m-labeled EF24-liposomes cleared from blood with an α-t(1/2) of 21.4 min and β-t(1/2) of 397 min. Tissue radioactivity counting upon necropsy showed that the majority of clearance was due to the uptake in liver and spleen. The results suggest that using "drug-in-CD-in liposome" approach is a feasible strategy to formulate an effective parenteral preparation of EF24. In vitro studies show that the liposomal EF24 remains anti-proliferative, while presenting an opportunity to image its biodistribution.

  13. Modulation of cellulase activity by charged lipid bilayers with different acyl chain properties for efficient hydrolysis of ionic liquid-pretreated cellulose.

    PubMed

    Mihono, Kai; Ohtsu, Takeshi; Ohtani, Mai; Yoshimoto, Makoto; Kamimura, Akio

    2016-10-01

    The stability of cellulase activity in the presence of ionic liquids (ILs) is critical for the enzymatic hydrolysis of insoluble cellulose pretreated with ILs. In this work, cellulase was incorporated in the liposomes composed of negatively charged 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (POPG) and zwitterionic phosphatidylcholines (PCs) with different length and degree of unsaturation of the acyl chains. The liposomal cellulase-catalyzed reaction was performed at 45°C in the acetate buffer solution (pH 4.8) with 2.0g/L CC31 as cellulosic substrate. The crystallinity of CC31 was reduced by treating with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) at 120°C for 30min. The liposomal cellulase continuously catalyzed hydrolysis of the pretreated CC31 for 48h producing glucose in the presence of 15wt% [Bmim]Cl. The charged lipid membranes were interactive with [Bmim](+), as elucidated by the [Bmim]Cl-induced alterations in fluorescence polarization of the membrane-embedded 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) molecules. The charged membranes offered the microenvironment where inhibitory effects of [Bmim]Cl on the cellulase activity was relieved. The maximum glucose productivity GP of 10.8 mmol-glucose/(hmol-lipid) was obtained at the reaction time of 48h with the cellulase incorporated in the liposomes ([lipid]=5.0mM) composed of 50mol% POPG and 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosohocholine (DLPC) with relatively short and saturated acyl chains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Sonoporation enhances liposome accumulation and penetration in tumors with low EPR.

    PubMed

    Theek, Benjamin; Baues, Maike; Ojha, Tarun; Möckel, Diana; Veettil, Seena Koyadan; Steitz, Julia; van Bloois, Louis; Storm, Gert; Kiessling, Fabian; Lammers, Twan

    2016-06-10

    The Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect is a highly variable phenomenon. To enhance EPR-mediated passive drug targeting to tumors, several different pharmacological and physical strategies have been evaluated over the years, including e.g. TNFα-treatment, vascular normalization, hyperthermia and radiotherapy. Here, we systematically investigated the impact of sonoporation, i.e. the combination of ultrasound (US) and microbubbles (MB), on the tumor accumulation and penetration of liposomes. Two different MB formulations were employed, and their ability to enhance liposome accumulation and penetration was evaluated in two different tumor models, which are both characterized by relatively low levels of EPR (i.e. highly cellular A431 epidermoid xenografts and highly stromal BxPC-3 pancreatic carcinoma xenografts). The liposomes were labeled with two different fluorophores, enabling in vivo computed tomography/fluorescence molecular tomography (CT-FMT) and ex vivo two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM). In both models, in spite of relatively high inter- and intra-individual variability, a trend towards improved liposome accumulation and penetration was observed. In treated tumors, liposome concentrations were up to twice as high as in untreated tumors, and sonoporation enhanced the ability of liposomes to extravasate out of the blood vessels into the tumor interstitium. These findings indicate that sonoporation may be a useful strategy for improving drug targeting to tumors with low EPR. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Changes in phosphatidylcholine fatty acid composition are associated with altered skeletal muscle insulin responsiveness in normal man.

    PubMed

    Clore, J N; Harris, P A; Li, J; Azzam, A; Gill, R; Zuelzer, W; Rizzo, W B; Blackard, W G

    2000-02-01

    The fatty acid composition of skeletal muscle cell membrane phospholipids (PLs) is known to influence insulin responsiveness in man. We have recently shown that the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylcholine (PC), and not phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), from skeletal muscle membranes is of particular importance in this relationship. Efforts to alter the PL fatty acid composition in animal models have demonstrated induction of insulin resistance. However, it has been more difficult to determine if changes in insulin sensitivity are associated with changes in the skeletal muscle membrane fatty acid composition of PL in man. Using nicotinic acid (NA), an agent known to induce insulin resistance in man, 9 normal subjects were studied before and after treatment for 1 month. Skeletal muscle membrane fatty acid composition of PC and PE from biopsies of vastus lateralis was correlated with insulin responsiveness using a 3-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Treatment with NA was associated with a 25% increase in the half-maximal insulin concentration ([ED50] 52.0 +/- 7.5 to 64.6 +/- 9.0 microU/mL, P < .05), consistent with decreased peripheral insulin sensitivity. Significant changes in the fatty acid composition of PC, but not PE, were also observed after NA administration. An increase in the percentage of 16:0 (21% +/- 0.3% to 21.7% +/- 0.4%, P < .05) and decreases in 18:0 (6.2% +/- 0.5% to 5.1% +/- 0.4%, P = .01), long-chain n-3 fatty acids (1.7% +/- 0.2% to 1.4% +/- 0.1%, P < .01), and total polyunsaturated fatty acids ([PUFAs] 8.7% +/- 0.8% to 8.0% +/- 0.8%, P < .05) are consistent with a decrease in fatty acid length and unsaturation in PC following NA administration. The change in ED50 was significantly correlated with the change in PUFAs (r = -.65, P < .05). These studies suggest that the induction of insulin resistance with NA is associated with changes in the fatty acid composition of PC in man.

  16. Phosphatidylethanolamine Synthesis Is Required for Optimal Virulence of Brucella abortus▿

    PubMed Central

    Bukata, Lucas; Altabe, Silvia; de Mendoza, Diego; Ugalde, Rodolfo A.; Comerci, Diego J.

    2008-01-01

    The Brucella cell envelope contains the zwitterionic phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Synthesis of PC occurs exclusively via the PC synthase pathway, implying that the pathogen depends on the choline synthesized by the host cell to form PC. Notably, PC is necessary to sustain a chronic infection process, which suggests that the membrane lipid content is relevant for Brucella virulence. In this study we investigated the first step of PE biosynthesis in B. abortus, which is catalyzed by phosphatidylserine synthase (PssA). Disruption of pssA abrogated the synthesis of PE without affecting the growth in rich complex medium. In minimal medium, however, the mutant required choline supplementation for growth, suggesting that at least PE or PC is necessary for Brucella viability. The absence of PE altered cell surface properties, but most importantly, it impaired several virulence traits of B. abortus, such as intracellular survival in both macrophages and HeLa cells, the maturation of the replicative Brucella-containing vacuole, and mouse colonization. These results suggest that membrane phospholipid composition is critical for the interaction of B. abortus with the host cell. PMID:18931122

  17. Expression of phosphatidylcholine biosynthetic enzymes during early embryogenesis in the amphibian Bufo arenarum.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Bussy, Rodrigo; Mouguelar, Valeria; Banchio, Claudia; Coux, Gabriela

    2015-04-01

    In the principal route of phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis the regulatory steps are catalysed by CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT) and choline kinase (CK). Knock-out mice in Pcyt1a (CCT gene) and Chka1 (CK gene) resulted in preimplantation embryonic lethality, demonstrating the essential role of this pathway. However, there is still a lack of detailed CCT and CK expression analysis during development. The aim of the current work was to study the expression during early development of both enzymes in the external-fertilization vertebrate Bufo arenarum. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot confirmed their presence in unfertilized eggs. Analysis performed in total extracts from staged embryos showed constant protein levels of both enzymes until the 32-cell stage: then they decreased, reaching a minimum in the gastrula before starting to recover. CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase is an amphitropic enzyme that inter-converts between cytosolic inactive and membrane-bound active forms. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that the cytosolic:total CCT protein ratio does not change throughout embryogenesis, suggesting a progressive decline of CCT activity in early development. However, PC (and phosphatidylethanolamine) content per egg/embryo remained constant throughout the stages analysed. In conclusion, the current data for B. arenarum suggest that net synthesis of PC mediated by CCT and CK is not required in early development and that supplies for membrane biosynthesis are fulfilled by lipids already present in the egg/embryo reservoirs.

  18. Plasma phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin concentrations are associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in a Dutch family-based lipidomics study.

    PubMed

    Demirkan, Ayşe; Isaacs, Aaron; Ugocsai, Peter; Liebisch, Gerhard; Struchalin, Maksim; Rudan, Igor; Wilson, James F; Pramstaller, Peter P; Gyllensten, Ulf; Campbell, Harry; Schmitz, Gerd; Oostra, Ben A; van Duijn, Cornelia M

    2013-03-01

    The central nervous system has the second highest concentration of lipids after adipose tissue. Alterations in neural membrane phospho- and sphingolipid composition can influence crucial intra- and intercellular signalling and alter the membrane's properties. Recently, the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) hypothesis for depression suggests that phospho- and sphingolipid metabolism includes potential pathways for the disease. In 742 people from a Dutch family-based study, we assessed the relationships between 148 different plasma phospho- and sphingolipid species and depression/anxiety symptoms as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS-A and HADS-D) and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). We observed significant differences in plasma sphingomyelins (SPM), particularly the SPM 23:1/SPM 16:0 ratio, which was inversely correlated with depressive symptom scores. We observed a similar trend for plasma phosphatidylcholines (PC), particularly the molar proportion of PC O 36:4 and its ratio to ceramide CER 20:0. Absolute levels of PC O 36:4 were also associated with depression symptoms in an independent replication. To our knowledge this is the first study on depressive symptoms that focuses on specific phospho- and sphingolipid molecules in plasma rather than total PUFA concentrations. The findings of this lipidomic study suggests that plasma sphingomyelins and ether phospholipids should be further studied for their potential as biomarkers and for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this systemic disease. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Structure of phospholipid-cholesterol membranes: an x-ray diffraction study.

    PubMed

    Karmakar, Sanat; Raghunathan, V A

    2005-06-01

    We have studied the phase behavior of mixtures of cholesterol with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), and dilauroyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DLPE), using x-ray diffraction techniques. Phosphatidylcholine (PC)-cholesterol mixtures are found to exhibit a modulated phase for cholesterol concentrations around 15 mol % at temperatures below the chain melting transition. Lowering the relative humidity from 98% to 75% increases the temperature range over which it exists. An electron density map of this phase in DPPC-cholesterol mixtures, calculated from the x-ray diffraction data, shows bilayers with a periodic height modulation, as in the ripple phase observed in many PCs in between the main- and pretransitions. However, these two phases differ in many aspects, such as the dependence of the modulation wavelength on the cholesterol content and thermodynamic stability at reduced humidities. This modulated phase is found to be absent in DLPE-cholesterol mixtures. At higher cholesterol contents the gel phase does not occur in any of these three systems, and the fluid lamellar phase is observed down to the lowest temperature studied (5 degrees C).

  20. Incorporation of a selective sigma-2 receptor ligand enhances uptake of liposomes by multiple cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Yifei; Huang, Yixian; Zhang, Peng; Gao, Xiang; Gibbs, Robert B; Li, Song

    2012-01-01

    Background: The sigma-2 receptor is an attractive target for tumor imaging and targeted therapy because it is overexpressed in multiple types of solid tumors, including prostate cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer. SV119 is a synthetic small molecule that binds to sigma-2 receptors with high affinity and specificity. This study investigates the utility of SV119 in mediating the selective targeting of liposomal vectors in various types of cancer cells. Methods: SV119 was covalently linked with polyethylene glycol-dioleyl amido aspartic acid conjugate (PEG-DOA) to generate a novel functional lipid, SV119-PEG-DOA. This lipid was utilized for the preparation of targeted liposomes to enhance their uptake by cancer cells. Liposomes with various SV119 densities (0, 1, 3, and 5 mole%) were prepared and their cellular uptake was investigated in several tumor cell lines. In addition, doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded into the targeted and unmodified liposomes, and the cytotoxic effect on the DU-145 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Results: Liposomes with or without SV119-PEG-DOA both have a mean diameter of approximately 90 nm and a neutral charge. The incorporation of SV119-PEG-DOA significantly increased the cellular uptake of liposomes by the DU-145, PC-3, A549, 201T, and MCF-7 tumor cells, which was shown by fluorescence microscopy and the quantitative measurement of fluorescence intensity. In contrast, the incorporation of SV119 did not increase the uptake of liposomes by the normal BEAS-2B cells. In a time course study, the uptake of SV119 liposomes by DU-145 cells was also significantly higher at each time point compared to the unmodified liposomes. Furthermore, the DOX-loaded SV119 liposomes showed significantly higher cytotoxicity to DU-145 cells compared to the DOX-loaded unmodified liposomes. Conclusion: SV119 liposomes were developed for targeted drug delivery to cancer cells. The targeting efficiency and specificity of SV119 liposomes to cancer cells was demonstrated in vitro. The results of this study suggest that SV119-modified liposomes might be a promising drug carrier for tumor-targeted delivery. PMID:22927761

  1. Cytidine 5′-Diphosphocholine (CDP-Choline) in Stroke and Other CNS Disorders

    PubMed Central

    Adibhatla, Rao Muralikrishna; Hatcher, J. F.

    2007-01-01

    Brain phosphatidylcholine (PC) levels are regulated by a balance between synthesis and hydrolysis. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1α/β) activate phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and PC-phospholipase C (PC-PLC) to hydrolyze PC. PC hydrolysis by PLA2 releases free fatty acids including arachidonic acid, and lyso-PC, an inhibitor of CTP-phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT). Arachidonic acid metabolism by cyclooxygenases/lipoxygenases is a significant source of reactive oxygen species. CDP-choline might increase the PC levels by attenuating PLA2 stimulation and loss of CCT activity. TNF-α also stimulates proteolysis of CCT. TNF-α and IL-1β are induced in brain ischemia and may disrupt PC homeostasis by increasing its hydrolysis (increase PLA2 and PC-PLC activities) and inhibiting its synthesis (decrease CCT activity). The beneficial effects of CDP-choline may result by counteracting TNF-α and/or IL-1 mediated events, integrating cytokine biology and lipid metabolism. Re-evaluation of CDP-choline phase III stroke clinical trial data is encouraging and future trails are warranted. CDP-choline is non-xenobiotic, safe, well tolerated, and can be considered as one of the agents in multi-drug treatment of stroke. PMID:15756928

  2. [Antibodies to various phospholipids in SLE patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome].

    PubMed

    Reshetniak, T M; Boĭtsekhovskaia, B; Alekberova, Z S; Kalashnikova, L A; Mach, E S; Zabek, Ia

    1999-01-01

    Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) represent a heterogeneous population reacting with negatively charged, less frequently neutral phospholipids and/or phospholipid-binding serum proteins. The study was made of antibodies to a wide spectrum of phospholipids: to negatively charged phospholipids such as phosphatide acid (aPA), cardiolipin (aCL), phosphatidylcholine (aPS), phosphatidylinositol (aPI), phosphatidylglycerol (aPG) and to neutrally charged phospholipid--phosphatidylcholine (aPC)--in 54 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 29 patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS). The test for lupus anticoagulant (LAC) was also made. aPL in SLE patients free of antiphospholipid syndrome were detected in 61, 36 and 9% (aPC, aPS and aPA, aCL, respectively). aPI and aPG did not exceed normal values. 81% of SLE patients with antiphospholipid syndrome were LAC positive and 88% aPL positive. 60, 53, 44, 40, 13 and 17 were positive to aPC, aPA, aPS, aCL, aPG and aPI, respectively. Among patients with PAPS, the highest positivity was by LAC, occurrence of the other aPL was the same as in SLE patients with antiphospholipid syndrome. aCL, aPA, aPC, aPS, aPG and aPI were found in 55, 52, 41, 38, 31 and 21% of cases, respectively. In clinical manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome and negative tests for LAC and aCL it is advisable to make tests for aPS and aPC. aPC occur in SLE patients more frequently than the other aPL: in 63% of SLE patients free of antiphospholipid syndrome and in 60% of SLE patients with this syndrome. Antibodies to other phospholipids, but not to cardiolipin, were present in SLE + APS in half of the cases but in SLE + PAPS in one third of the patients. Occurrence of aCL in the serum of SLE + PAPS patients is associated with the presence of antibodies to any other phospholipid irrespective of the charge. The severity of vascular changes did not correlate with the number of aPL variant found in the serum.

  3. Formation of diacylglycerol by a phospholipase D-phosphatidate phosphatase pathway specific for phosphatidylcholine in endothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Martin, T W

    1988-10-14

    The conversion of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to diacylglycerol (DAG) was studied in sonicated endothelial cells and in subcellular fractions in the presence of 0.05% Triton X-100 and 2 mM EDTA. DAG formation occurred predominantly in an organelle fraction that sedimented at 15,000 x g. In parallel reactions with exogenous 1-oleoyl-2-[3H]oleoyl-PC (sn-2-[3H]DOPC) and phosphatidyl[3H]choline ([choline-3H]PC), [3H]DAG was formed by a reaction pathway in which [3H]choline was the only product derived from [choline-3H]PC. [3H]Choline was not formed secondarily from [3H]glycerophosphocholine or [3H]phosphocholine. Small amounts of [3H]phosphatidate ([3H]PA) were isolated from reactions with sn-2-[3H]DOPC at short incubation times, and substantial PA phosphatase activity was demonstrated. These data, taken together, supported a phospholipase D-PA phosphatase pathway of DAG formation. Kinetic data established that the low ratio of [3H]PA/[3H]DAG formed in reactions with sn-2-[3H]DOPC was due to a 15-fold higher Vmax and 7-fold lower apparent Km of the PA phosphatase. The [3H]PA/[3H]DAG product ratio was increased by addition of unlabeled PA or by selective extraction of phospholipase D with Triton X-100. The characteristics of the phospholipase D indicated a unique enzyme. Activity was optimal in the presence of EDTA and was almost totally dependent upon Triton X-100. The pH profile displayed a peak at 7.0. Of particular significance was the stringent substrate specificity. Phosphatidylinositol was not hydrolyzed, and activities towards phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin were at most 30- to 50-fold lower than those towards PC. Phospholipase D and PA phosphatase were identified in a number of rat tissues and other cells. The highest activities of phospholipase D were present in lung and endothelial cells. Phospholipase D was partially purified from rat lung by Triton X-100 extraction and anion exchange chromatography. When linked with PA phosphatase, the phospholipase D could initiate a pathway of DAG formation that is highly specific for PC.

  4. Influence of oxidized lipids on palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine organization, contribution of Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett films.

    PubMed

    Grauby-Heywang, Christine; Moroté, Fabien; Mathelié-Guinlet, Marion; Gammoudi, Ibtissem; Faye, Ndeye Rokhaya; Cohen-Bouhacina, Touria

    2016-10-01

    In this work, we studied the interaction of two oxidized lipids, PoxnoPC and PazePC, with POPC phospholipid. Mean molecular areas obtained from (π-A) isotherms of mixed PoxnoPC-POPC and PazePC-POPC monolayers revealed different behaviors of these two oxidized lipids: the presence of PoxnoPC in the monolayers induces their expansion, mean molecular areas being higher than those expected in the case of ideal mixtures. PazePC-POPC behave on the whole ideally. This difference can be explained by a different conformation of oxidized lipids. Moreover the carboxylic function of PazePC is protonated under our experimental conditions, as shown by (π-A) isotherms of PazePC at different pH values. Both oxidized lipids induce also an increase of the monolayer elasticity, PoxnoPC being slightly more efficient than PazePC. These monolayers were transferred from the air-water interface onto mica supports for a study by AFM. AFM images are on the whole homogenous, suggesting the presence of only one lipid phase in both cases. However, in the case of PazePC-POPC monolayers, AFM images show also the presence of areas thicker of 7nm to 10nm than the surrounding lipid phase, probably due to the local formation of multilayer systems induced by compression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Initial targets and cellular responses to PDT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodriguez, Myriam E.; Azizuddin, Kashif; Chiu, Song-mao; Delos Santos, Grace; Joseph, Sheeba; Xue, Liang-yan; Oleinick, Nancy L.

    2007-02-01

    Pc 4, a photosensitizer first synthesized at Case Western Reserve University and now in clinical trial at University Hospitals of Cleveland, has been shown to bind preferentially and with high affinity to mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum membranes. Upon photoirradiation of Pc 4-loaded cells, membrane components are photodamaged. In most cancer cells, apoptosis is triggered by the initial photodamage; however, in cells deficient in one of the critical intermediates of apoptosis, this process does not occur, although the cells remain as sensitive to the lethal effects of Pc 4-PDT as the apoptosis-competent cells, when cell death is determined by colony formation. Here we report that an alternative death process, autophagy, is induced in all cells tested and becomes the dominant pathway for elimination of lethally damaged cells when apoptosis is compromised. The anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, when overexpressed, protects only apoptosis-competent cells against loss of clonogenicity, while the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine provides a markedly greater protection to apoptosis-deficient cells. The results suggest that the primary determinant of cell death is not the final pathway for elimination of the cells but the initial photodamage to critical membrane targets. In attempts to identify those targets, we have studied the role of different membrane phospholipids in the localization of Pc 4. Cardiolipin (CL) is a phospholipid found exclusively in the mitochondrial inner membrane and at the contact sites between the inner and outer membranes. Previous fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies revealed colocalization of Pc 4 and CL, which points to CL as a possible binding site and target for Pc 4. Unilamellar liposomes with different lipid compositions were used as membrane models to test the affinity of Pc 4. As revealed by the binding constants, Pc 4 does not display preferential binding to CL in these systems. Moreover, binding affinities appear to be independent of lipid composition. Localization of Pc 4 in mitochondrial membranes is likely determined by proteins or other factors not replicated in the liposomes. Studies in cells with modified CL content could report modified binding affinities.

  6. In vitro skin permeation and anti-atopic efficacy of lipid nanocarriers containing water soluble extracts of Houttuynia cordata.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Taek Kwan; Kim, Jin-Chul

    2014-10-01

    The aims of this work are to enhance the in vitro skin permeation of Houttuynia cordata (water-soluble extract of H. cordata; HCWSE) and to boost the efficacy of HCWSE against atopic dermatitis (AD) - like skin lesion in hairless mice using lipid nano-carriers (liposome and cubosome). HCWSE was obtained by a hot water extraction. Monoolein cubosomal suspension containing HCWSE and egg phosphatidylcholine liposomal suspension containing the same was prepared by a sonication and a film hydration method, respectively. The lipid nano-carriers, especially cubosome, enhanced the in vitro skin permeation of HCWSE. The inhibitory effects of HCWSE-containing lipid carrier suspensions on the development of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like skin lesion in hairless mice were investigated by observing appearance of skin surface, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) level and cytokine expression. HCWSE-containing preparations suppressed IgE production and interleukin 4 expression, whereas they promoted interferon gamma expression. The order of lymphocyte (B-cell, Th1 cell and Th2 cell) modulating effect was HCWSE-containing cubosomal suspension > HCWSE-containing liposomal suspension > HCWSE solution in phosphate buffered saline, indicating that the cubosomal suspension, among the preparations, was the most efficacious in inhibiting the development of DNCB-induced AD-like skin lesion. It is believed that the cubosomal suspension containing HCWSE would be an efficacious preparation for the treatment of AD.

  7. The ring structure and organization of light harvesting 2 complexes in a reconstituted lipid bilayer, resolved by atomic force microscopy.

    PubMed

    Stamouli, Amalia; Kafi, Sidig; Klein, Dionne C G; Oosterkamp, Tjerk H; Frenken, Joost W M; Cogdell, Richard J; Aartsma, Thijs J

    2003-04-01

    The main function of the transmembrane light-harvesting complexes in photosynthetic organisms is the absorption of a light quantum and its subsequent rapid transfer to a reaction center where a charge separation occurs. A combination of freeze-thaw and dialysis methods were used to reconstitute the detergent-solubilized Light Harvesting 2 complex (LH2) of the purple bacterium Rhodopseudomonas acidophila strain 10050 into preformed egg phosphatidylcholine liposomes, without the need for extra chemical agents. The LH2-containing liposomes opened up to a flat bilayer, which were imaged with tapping and contact mode atomic force microscopy under ambient and physiological conditions, respectively. The LH2 complexes were packed in quasicrystalline domains. The endoplasmic and periplasmic sides of the LH2 complexes could be distinguished by the difference in height of the protrusions from the lipid bilayer. The results indicate that the complexes entered in intact liposomes. In addition, it was observed that the most hydrophilic side, the periplasmic, enters first in the membrane. In contact mode the molecular structure of the periplasmic side of the transmembrane pigment-protein complex was observed. Using Föster's theory for describing the distance dependent energy transfer, we estimate the dipole strength for energy transfer between two neighboring LH2s, based on the architecture of the imaged unit cell.

  8. A comparison of the lung clearance kinetics of solid lipid nanoparticles and liposomes by following the 3H-labelled structural lipids after pulmonary delivery in rats.

    PubMed

    Haque, Shadabul; Whittaker, Michael; McIntosh, Michelle P; Pouton, Colin W; Phipps, Simon; Kaminskas, Lisa M

    2018-04-01

    The utility of biodegradable nanosized drug carriers for the local and controlled delivery of therapeutics to the lungs has prompted significant interest in the development of inhalable nanomedicines. Still, little is known about how these systems are cleared from the lungs, including the kinetics of the structural lipids. Most preclinical and clinical studies to date have evaluated the lung clearance of loaded drugs, which in many cases poorly reflects the kinetics of the nanocarrier, or the bulk-labelled particles. This study therefore aimed to describe and compare the pulmonary pharmacokinetic behaviour and patterns of lung clearance of two commonly explored inhalable nanocarriers (anionic ∼150 nm liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles [SLNs]) in rats by following the 3 H-labelled structural lipids (phosphatidylcholine and tristearin respectively). The data showed that SLNs and liposomes were cleared from the lungs at similar rates, despite SLNs being deposited after intratracheal instillation in the upper respiratory track, and primarily via the mucociliary escalator, but this process was more pronounced for SLNs. Structural lipids were mainly associated with plasma proteins rather than nanocarrier in plasma. The lipids also exhibit prolonged lung exposure and are associated with the lung tissue (rather than BALF) over 2 weeks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. RAPESEED PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE HYDROLYSIS TO PHOSPHATIDIC ACID USING PLANT EXTRACTS WITH PHOPSPHOLIPASE D.

    PubMed

    Pasker, Beata; Sosada, Marian; Fraś, Paweł; Boryczka, Monika; Górecki, Michał; Zych, Maria

    2015-01-01

    Phosphatidic acid (PA) has a crucial role in cell membrane structure and function. For that reason it has a possible application in the treatment of some health disorders in humans, can be used as a natural and non toxic emulsifier and the component of drug carriers in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well as a component for synthesis of some new phospholipids. PA is short-lived in the cell and is difficult to extract directly from the biological material. PA may be easily prepared by hydrolysis of phospholipids, especially phosphatidylcholine (PC), using cabbage phospholipase D (PLD). Hydrolytic activity of purified by us PLD extracts from cabbage towards rapeseed phosphatidylcholine (RPC) was investigated. Hydrolysis was carried out in the biphasic system (water/diethyl ether) at pH 6,5 and temp 30°C. Influence of enzymatic extracts from three cabbage varieties, reaction time, Ca2+ concentration and enzyme extracts/PC ratio, on activity towards RPC resulting in rapeseed phosphatidic acid (RPA) formation were examined. Our study shows that the PLD extracts from savoy cabbage (PLDsc), white cabbage (PLDwc) and brussels sprouts (PLDbs) used in experiments exhibit hydrolytic activity towards RPC resulting in rapeseed RPA with different yield. The highest activity towards RPC shows PLD extract from PLDsc with the RPC conversion degree to RPA (90%) was observed at 120 mM Ca2+ concentration, reaction time 60 min and ratio of PLD extract to RPC 6 : 1 (w/w). Our study shows that purified by us PLDsc extracts exhibit hydrolytic activity towards RPC giving new RPA with satisfying conversion degree for use in pharmacy, cosmetics and as a standard in analytical chemistry.

  10. Accumulation, internalization and therapeutic efficacy of neuropilin-1-targeted liposomes

    PubMed Central

    Paoli, Eric E.; Ingham, Elizabeth S.; Zhang, Hua; Mahakian, Lisa M.; Fite, Brett Z.; Gagnon, M. Karen; Tam, Sarah; Kheirolomoom, Azadeh; Cardiff, Robert D.; Ferrara, Katherine W.

    2014-01-01

    Advancements in liposomal drug delivery have produced long circulating and very stable drug formulations. These formulations minimize systemic exposure; however, unfortunately, therapeutic efficacy has remained limited due to the slow diffusion of liposomal particles within the tumor and limited release or uptake of the encapsulated drug. Here, the carboxyl-terminated CRPPR peptide, with affinity for the receptor neuropilin-1 (NRP), which is expressed on both endothelial and cancer cells, was conjugated to liposomes to enhance the tumor accumulation. Using a pH sensitive probe, liposomes were optimized for specific NRP binding and subsequent cellular internalization using in vitro cellular assays. Liposomes conjugated with the carboxyl-terminated CRPPR peptide (termed C-LPP liposomes) bound to the NRP-positive primary prostatic carcinoma cell line (PPC-1) but did not bind to the NRP-negative PC-3 cell line, and binding was observed with liposomal peptide concentrations as low as 0.16 mol%. Binding of the C-LPP liposomes was receptor-limited, with saturation observed at high liposome concentrations. The identical peptide sequence bearing an amide terminus did not bind specifically, accumulating only with a high (2.5 mol%) peptide concentration and adhering equally to NRP positive and negative cell lines. The binding of C-LPP liposomes conjugated with 0.63 mol% of the peptide was 83-fold greater than liposomes conjugated with the amide version of the peptide. Cellular internalization was also enhanced with C-LPP liposomes, with 80% internalized following 3hr incubation. Additionally, fluorescence in the blood pool (~40% of the injected dose) was similar for liposomes conjugated with 0.63 mol% of carboxyl-terminated peptide and non-targeted liposomes at 24 hr after injection, indicating stable circulation. Prior to doxorubicin treatment, in vivo tumor accumulation and vascular targeting were increased for peptide-conjugated liposomes compared to non-targeted liposomes based on confocal imaging of a fluorescent cargo, and the availability of the vascular receptor was confirmed with ultrasound molecular imaging. Finally, over a 4-week course of therapy, tumor knockdown resulting from doxorubicin-loaded, C-LPP liposomes was similar to non-targeted liposomes in syngeneic tumor-bearing FVB mice and C-LPP liposomes reduced doxorubicin accumulation in the skin and heart and eliminated skin toxicity. Taken together, our results demonstrate that a carboxyl-terminated RXXR peptide sequence, conjugated to liposomes at a concentration of 0.63 mol%, retains long circulation but enhances binding and internalization, and reduces toxicity. PMID:24434424

  11. Characterization of hydrophobic interaction and antioxidant properties of the phenothiazine nucleus in mitochondrial and model membranes.

    PubMed

    Borges, Marcelo B D; Dos Santos, Carolina G; Yokomizo, César H; Sood, Rohit; Vitovic, Pavol; Kinnunen, Paavo K J; Rodrigues, Tiago; Nantes, Iseli L

    2010-09-01

    The antioxidant properties of the phenothiazine nucleus (PHT) associated with mitochondrial membranes and liposomes were investigated. PHT exhibited hydrophobic interaction with lipid bilayers, as shown by the quenching of excited states of 1-palmitoyl-2[10-pyran-1-yl)]-decanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phophocholine (PPDPC) incorporated in phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine/cardiolipin liposomes, observed even in high ionic strength; and by the spectral changes of PHT following the addition of mitochondrial membranes. Inserted into bilayers, 5 microM PHT was able to protect lipids and cytochrome c against pro-oxidant agents and exhibited spectral changes suggestive of oxidative modifications promoted by the trapping of the reactive species. In this regard, PHT exhibited the ability to scavenge DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) free radical. PHT was also able to protect rat liver mitochondria against peroxide- and iron-induced oxidative damage and consequent swelling. At the concentration range in which the antioxidant properties were observed, PHT did not cause alterations in the membrane structure and function. This study contributes to the comprehension of the correlation structure and function of phenothiazines and antioxidant properties.

  12. Development and characterization of phosphatidylcholine nanovesicles, containing garlic extract, with antilisterial activity in milk.

    PubMed

    Pinilla, Cristian Mauricio Barreto; Noreña, Caciano Pelayo Zapata; Brandelli, Adriano

    2017-04-01

    Phospholipid nanovesicles were developed to improve the stability of garlic (Allium sativum L.) extract. Electron microscopy of liposomes revealed nanometric and spherical-shaped vesicles with a mean particle size of 174.6±17.3nm and polydispersity index of 0.26±0.02. The entrapment efficiency was 47.5±7.3% and the nanoliposomes had a zeta potential of -16.2±5.5mV. The antimicrobial activity of free and encapsulated garlic extract was evaluated against different strains of Listeria spp. in milk at 37°C for 24h. For free and encapsulated garlic extracts at 5% concentration, a decrease of 4log cycles in viable cell counts was observed at 10h, against four of the five strains of Listeria spp. tested. The results indicate that liposomes constitute a suitable system for encapsulation of unstable garlic active compounds and the encapsulation of garlic extract proves to be a promising technology for multiple applications, including antimicrobial agents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. The transmembrane gradient of the dielectric constant influences the DPH lifetime distribution.

    PubMed

    Konopásek, I; Kvasnicka, P; Amler, E; Kotyk, A; Curatola, G

    1995-11-06

    The fluorescence lifetime distribution of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 1-[4-(trimethylamino)phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) in egg-phosphatidylcholine liposomes was measured in normal and heavy water. The lower dielectric constant (by approximately 12%) of heavy water compared with normal water was employed to provide direct evidence that the drop of the dielectric constant along the membrane normal shifts the centers of the distribution of both DPH and TMA-DPH to higher values and sharpens the widths of the distribution. The profile of the dielectric constant along the membrane normal was not found to be a linear gradient (in contrast to [1]) but a more complex function. Presence of cholesterol in liposomes further shifted the center of the distributions to higher value and sharpened them. In addition, it resulted in a more gradient-like profile of the dielectric constant (i.e. linearization) along the normal of the membrane. The effect of the change of dielectric constant on the membrane proteins is discussed.

  14. Optimization on condition of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) nanoliposomes by response surface methodology and cellular uptake studies in Caco-2 cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Xiaobo; Guan, Rongfa; Chen, Xiaoqiang; Tao, Miao; Ma, Jieqing; Zhao, Jin

    2014-06-01

    The major component in green tea polyphenols, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has been demonstrated to prevent carcinogenesis. To improve the effectiveness of EGCG, liposomes were used as a carrier in this study. Reverse-phase evaporation method besides response surface methodology is a simple, rapid, and beneficial approach for liposome preparation and optimization. The optimal preparation conditions were as follows: phosphatidylcholine-to-cholesterol ratio of 4.00, EGCG concentration of 4.88 mg/mL, Tween 80 concentration of 1.08 mg/mL, and rotary evaporation temperature of 34.51°C. Under these conditions, the experimental encapsulation efficiency and size of EGCG nanoliposomes were 85.79% ± 1.65% and 180 nm ± 4 nm, which were close with the predicted value. The malondialdehyde value and the release test in vitro indicated that the prepared EGCG nanoliposomes were stable and suitable for more widespread application. Furthermore, compared with free EGCG, encapsulation of EGCG enhanced its inhibitory effect on tumor cell viability at higher concentrations.

  15. Liposome-encapsulated EF24-HPβCD inclusion complex: a preformulation study and biodistribution in a rat model

    PubMed Central

    Agashe, H.; Lagisetty, P.; Sahoo, K.; Bourne, D.; Grady, B.

    2011-01-01

    3,5-Bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24) is an anti-proliferative diphenyldifluoroketone analog of curcumin with more potent activity. The authors describe a liposome preparation of EF24 using a “drug-in-CD-in liposome” approach. An aqueous solution of EF24 and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) inclusion complex (IC) was used to prepare EF24 liposomes. The liposome size was reduced by a combination of multiple freeze–thaw cycles. Co-encapsulation of glutathione inside the liposomes conferred them with the capability of labeling with imageable radionuclide Tc-99m. Phase solubility analysis of EF24-HPβCD mixture provided k1:1 value of 9.9 M−1. The enhanced aqueous solubility of EF24 (from 1.64 to 13.8 mg/mL) due to the presence of HPβCD helped in the liposome preparation. About 19% of the EF24 IC was encapsulated inside the liposomes (320.5 ± 2.6 nm) by dehydration–rehydration technique. With extrusion technique, the size of 177 ± 6.5 nm was obtained without any effect on encapsulation efficiency. The EF24-liposomes were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity in lung adenocarcinoma H441 and prostate cancer PC-3 cells. The EF24-liposomes demonstrated anti-proliferative activity superior to that of plain EF24 at 10 μM dose. When injected in rats, the Tc-99m-labeled EF24-liposomes cleared from blood with an α-t1/2 of 21.4 min and β-t1/2 of 397 min. Tissue radioactivity counting upon necropsy showed that the majority of clearance was due to the uptake in liver and spleen. The results suggest that using “drug-in-CD-in liposome” approach is a feasible strategy to formulate an effective parenteral preparation of EF24. In vitro studies show that the liposomal EF24 remains anti-proliferative, while presenting an opportunity to image its biodistribution. PMID:21779150

  16. Cardiolipin content is involved in liver mitochondrial energy wasting associated with cancer-induced cachexia without the involvement of adenine nucleotide translocase.

    PubMed

    Julienne, Cloé Mimsy; Tardieu, Marine; Chevalier, Stéphan; Pinault, Michelle; Bougnoux, Philippe; Labarthe, François; Couet, Charles; Servais, Stéphane; Dumas, Jean-François

    2014-05-01

    Cancer-induced cachexia describes the progressive skeletal muscle wasting associated with many cancers leading to shortened survival time in cancer patients. We previously reported that cardiolipin content and energy-wasting processes were both increased in liver mitochondria in a rat model of peritoneal carcinosis (PC)-induced cachexia. To increase the understanding of the cellular biology of cancer cachexia, we investigated the involvement of adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT) in mitochondrial energy-wasting processes in liver mitochondria of PC and pair-fed control rats and its interactions with cardiolipin in isolated liver mitochondria from healthy rats exposed to cardiolipin-enriched liposomes. We showed in this study that functional ANT content was decreased in liver mitochondria from PC rats but without any effects on the efficiency of ATP synthesis. Moreover, non-phosphorylating energy wasting was not affected by saturating concentrations of carboxyatractylate (CAT), a potent inhibitor of ANT, in liver mitochondria from PC rats. Decreased efficiency of ATP synthesis was found in normal liver mitochondria exposed to cardiolipin-enriched liposomes, with increased non-phosphorylating energy wasting, thus mimicking mitochondria from PC rats. However, the functional ANT content in these cardiolipin-enriched mitochondria was unchanged, although non-phosphorylating energy wasting was reduced by CAT-induced inhibition of ANT. Finally, non-phosphorylating energy wasting was increased in cardiolipin-enriched mitochondria with substrates for complexes 1 and 2, but not for complex 4. In conclusion, increased energy wasting measured in liver mitochondria from rats with cancer cachexia is dependent on cardiolipin but independent of ANT. Interactions between ANT and cardiolipin are modified when cancer cachexia occurs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Zebrafish as an early stage screening tool to study the systemic circulation of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems in vivo.

    PubMed

    Sieber, Sandro; Grossen, Philip; Detampel, Pascal; Siegfried, Salome; Witzigmann, Dominik; Huwyler, Jörg

    2017-10-28

    Nanomedicines have gained much attention for the delivery of small molecules or nucleic acids as treatment options for many diseases. However, the transfer from experimental systems to in vivo applications remains a challenge since it is difficult to assess their circulation behavior in the body at an early stage of drug discovery. Thus, innovative and improved concepts are urgently needed to overcome this issue and to close the gap between empiric nanoparticle design, in vitro assessment, and first in vivo experiments using rodent animal models. This study was focused on the zebrafish as a vertebrate screening model to assess the circulation in blood and extravasation behavior of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems in vivo. To validate this novel approach, monodisperse preparations of fluorescently labeled liposomes with similar size and zeta potential were injected into transgenic zebrafish lines expressing green fluorescent protein in their vasculature. Phosphatidylcholine-based lipids differed by fatty acid chain length and saturation. Circulation behavior and vascular distribution pattern were evaluated qualitatively and semi-quantitatively using image analysis. Liposomes composed of lipids with lower transition temperature (<28°C) as well as PEGylated liposomes showed longer circulation times and extravasation. In contrast, liposomes composed of lipids with transition temperatures>28°C bound to venous parts of the vasculature. This circulation patterns in the zebrafish model did correlate with published and experimental pharmacokinetic data from mice and rats. Our findings indicate that the zebrafish model is a useful vertebrate screening tool for nanoparticulate drug delivery systems to predict their in vivo circulation behavior with respect to systemic circulation time and exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Functionalized liposomes and phytosomes loading Annona muricata L. aqueous extract: Potential nanoshuttles for brain-delivery of phenolic compounds.

    PubMed

    Mancini, Simona; Nardo, Luca; Gregori, Maria; Ribeiro, Inês; Mantegazza, Francesco; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Masserini, Massimo; Grosso, Clara

    2018-03-15

    Multi-target drugs have gained significant recognition for the treatment of multifactorial diseases such as depression. Under a screening study of multi-potent medicinal plants with claimed antidepressant-like activity, the phenolic-rich Annona muricata aqueous extract (AE) emerged as a moderate monoamine oxidase A (hMAO-A) inhibitor and a strong hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) scavenger. In order to protect this extract from gastrointestinal biotransformation and to improve its permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), four phospholipid nanoformulations of liposomes and phytosomes functionalized with a peptide ligand promoting BBB crossing were produced. AE and nanoformulations were characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS n , HPLC-DAD, spectrophotometric, fluorescence and dynamic light scattering methods. Cytotoxicity and permeability studies were carried out using an in vitro transwell model of the BBB, composed of immortalized human microvascular endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3), and in vitro hMAO-A inhibition and H 2 O 2 scavenging activities were performed with all samples. The encapsulation/binding of AE was more efficient with phytosomes, while liposomes were more stable, displaying a slower extract release over time. In general, phytosomes were less toxic than liposomes in hCMEC/D3 cells and, when present, cholesterol improved the permeability across the cell monolayer of all tested nanoformulations. All nanoformulations conserved the antioxidant potential of AE, while phosphatidylcholine interfered with MAO-A inhibition assay. Overall, phytosome formulations registered the best performance in terms of binding efficiency, enzyme inhibition and scavenging activity, thus representing a promising multipotent phenolic-rich nanoshuttle for future in vivo depression treatment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. Structure and biological function of ENPP6, a choline-specific glycerophosphodiester-phosphodiesterase

    PubMed Central

    Morita, Junko; Kano, Kuniyuki; Kato, Kazuki; Takita, Hiroyuki; Sakagami, Hideki; Yamamoto, Yasuo; Mihara, Emiko; Ueda, Hirofumi; Sato, Takanao; Tokuyama, Hidetoshi; Arai, Hiroyuki; Asou, Hiroaki; Takagi, Junichi; Ishitani, Ryuichiro; Nishimasu, Hiroshi; Nureki, Osamu; Aoki, Junken

    2016-01-01

    Choline is an essential nutrient for all living cells and is produced extracellularly by sequential degradation of phosphatidylcholine (PC). However, little is known about how choline is produced extracellularly. Here, we report that ENPP6, a choline-specific phosphodiesterase, hydrolyzes glycerophosphocholine (GPC), a degradation product of PC, as a physiological substrate and participates in choline metabolism. ENPP6 is highly expressed in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and developing oligodendrocytes, which actively incorporate choline and synthesize PC. ENPP6-deficient mice exhibited fatty liver and hypomyelination, well known choline-deficient phenotypes. The choline moiety of GPC was incorporated into PC in an ENPP6-dependent manner both in vivo and in vitro. The crystal structure of ENPP6 in complex with phosphocholine revealed that the choline moiety of the phosphocholine is recognized by a choline-binding pocket formed by conserved aromatic and acidic residues. The present study provides the molecular basis for ENPP6-mediated choline metabolism at atomic, cellular and tissue levels. PMID:26888014

  20. Nanoethosomes for transdermal delivery of tropisetron HCl: multi-factorial predictive modeling, characterization, and ex vivo skin permeation.

    PubMed

    Abdel Messih, Hanaa A; Ishak, Rania A H; Geneidi, Ahmed S; Mansour, Samar

    2017-06-01

    The aim of the present work is to exclusively optimize and model the effect of phospholipid type either egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) or soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC), together with other formulation variables, on the development of nano-ethosomal systems for transdermal delivery of a water-soluble antiemetic drug. Tropisetron HCl (TRO) is available as hard gelatin capsules and IV injections. The transdermal delivery of TRO is considered as a novel alternative route supposing to improve BAV as well as patient convenience. TRO-loaded ethanolic vesicular systems were prepared by hot technique. The effect of formulation variables were optimized through a response surface methodology using 3 × 2 2 -level full factorial design. The concentrations of both PC (A) and ethanol (B) and PC type (C) were the factors, while entrapment efficiency (Y 1 ), vesicle size (Y 2 ), polydispersity index (Y 3 ), and zeta potential (Y 4 ) were the responses. The drug permeation across rat skin from selected formulae was studied. Particle morphology, drug-excipient interactions, and vesicle stability were also investigated. The results proved the critical role of all formulation variables on ethosomal characteristics. The suggested models for all responses showed good predictability. Only the concentration of phospholipid, irrespective to PC type, had a significant effect on the transdermal flux (p < 0.01). The ethosomal vesicles were unilamellar with a nearly spherical shape. EPC-based ethosomes proved good stability. The study suggests the applicability of statistical modeling as a promising tool for prediction of ethosomal characteristics. The ethanolic vesicles were considered as novel potential nanocarriers for accentuated transdermal TRO delivery.

  1. Oxidative stress and neurobehavioral problems in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients undergoing chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Stenzel, Stephanie L; Krull, Kevin R; Hockenberry, Marilyn; Jain, Neelam; Kaemingk, Kris; Miketova, Petra; Moore, Ida M

    2010-03-01

    Neurobehavioral problems after chemotherapy treatment for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been a recent focus of investigation. This study extended previous research that suggested oxidative stress as a potential mechanism for chemotherapy-induced central nervous system injury by examining early markers of oxidative stress in relation to subsequent neurobehavioral problems. Oxidized and unoxidized components of phosphatidylcholine (PC) were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid of 87 children with ALL at diagnosis, induction, and consolidation. Behavioral assessments were conducted postconsolidation and at the end of chemotherapy. Results revealed a significant association between physiologic reactivity (high vs. low PC changes from diagnosis) and behavioral outcomes (high vs. low pathology). Elevated oxidized PC fraction change was predictive of increased problems with aggression at the end of therapy as well as postconsolidation adaptability. Furthermore, symptoms of hyperactivity systematically changed over time in relation to both unoxidized PC and oxidized PC fraction reactivity. These findings suggest that symptoms of behavioral problems occur early in the course of chemotherapy and that increases in the cerebrospinal fluid PC markers of oxidative stress during induction and consolidation may help to predict certain future behavioral problems.

  2. Interleukin 4 receptor signaling in human monocytes and U937 cells involves the activation of a phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C: a comparison with chemotactic peptide, FMLP, phospholipase D, and sphingomyelinase

    PubMed Central

    1994-01-01

    Interleukin 4 (IL-4) diminishes cytokine activation of human macrophage. IL-4 binding to monocyte IL-4R is associated with protein kinase C (PKC) translocation to a nuclear fraction. The cleavage of diacyglycerol (DAG), an activator of PKC, from membrane phospholipids was investigated to define the proximal events of IL-4R signaling. IL-4 induced a statistically significant time-and dose-dependent generation of DAG. The IL-4-triggered production of DAG was not derived from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) hydrolysis, since neither cytosolic calcium flux nor liberation of inositol phosphates was detected in response to IL-4. Experiments were performed using [14C- methyl]choline-labeled U937 cells and monocytes to determine whether IL- 4R activated phospholipase C (PLC), PLD, or PLA2 to use membrane phosphatidylcholine (PC) to form DAG. IL-4 induced a time- and dose- dependent increase of phosphocholine (pchol) with concomitant degradation of membrane PC (p < 0.05 compared with control). The finding that the peak reduction of PC was equivalent to peak production of pchol suggested that IL-4R signaling involved the activation of a PC- specific PLC. Changes in choline (chol) or lyso-PC and glycerolphosphocholine, the respective products of PC cleavage by PLD or PLA2, were not detected in IL-4-treated cells. In contrast, exogenous PLD induced an increase in chol and concomitant loss of membrane PC. Additional investigation suggested that IL-4R signaling does not involve PLD. In cells labeled with L-lyso-3-PC 1-[1- 14C]palmitoyl, PLD but not IL-4, increased the production of phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidyl-ethanol when pretreated with ethanol. Propranolol, an inhibitor of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase, and calyculin A, a phosphatase 1 and 2A inhibitor, blocked DAG production in response to FMLP but not to IL-4. In propranolol pretreated cells, PMA but not IL-4 triggered the production of PA and lowered the amount of DAG. Evidence that PLA2 is not coupled to IL-4R is the detection of arachidonate production in response to FMLP but not to IL-4. Furthermore, IL-4R is not coupled to sphingomyelinase (SMase) since IL-4, unlike exogenous SMase, did not generate ceramide but induced the hydrolysis of PC to pchol that was comparable to exogenous PLC. In summary, IL-4R signaling in monocytes and U937 cells involves PLC and not PLD, PLA2, or SMase, and it uses PC and not PIP2 to form DAG. PMID:7931078

  3. Metronidazole within phosphatidylcholine lipid membranes: new insights to improve the design of imidazole derivatives.

    PubMed

    Lopes-de-Campos, Daniela; Nunes, Cláudia; Sarmento, Bruno; Jakobtorweihen, Sven; Reis, Salette

    2018-05-30

    Metronidazole is a benzimidazole derivative with antibacterial and antiprotozoal activity. Despite its therapeutic efficacy, several studies have been developing new imidazole derivatives with lower toxicity. Considering that drug-membrane interactions are key factors for drugs pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, the aim of this work is to provide new insights into the structure-toxicity relationships of metronidazole within phosphatidylcholine membranes. For that purpose, lipid membrane models (liposomes and monolayers) composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine were used. Experimental techniques (determination of partition coefficients and Langmuir isotherm measurements) were combined with molecular dynamics simulations. Different pHs and lipid phases were evaluated to enable a better extrapolation for in vivo conditions. The partition of metronidazole depends on the pH and on the biphasic system (octanol/water or DPPC/water system). At pH 1.2, metronidazole is hydrophilic. At pH 7.4, metronidazole disturbs the order and the packing of phospholipids. For this toxic effect, the hydroxyl group of the side chain of metronidazole is a key by interacting with the water embedded in the membrane and with the phosphate group and the apolar chains of phospholipids. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Hydrolysis of short-chain phosphatidylcholines by bee venom phospholipase A2.

    PubMed

    Raykova, D; Blagoev, B

    1986-01-01

    In order to find out the aggregation state of the substrate, preferred by bee venom phospholipase A2 (EC 3.1.1.4), its action on short-chain phosphatidylcholines with two identical (C6-C10) fatty acids has been tested. The rate of hydrolysis as a function of acyl chain length showed a maximum at dioctanoylphosphatidylcholine. The effects of alcohols, NaCl and Triton X-100, which affect the aggregation state of phospholipids in water, were also studied. The addition of n-alcohol led to a significant inhibition of the hydrolysis of the substrates present in micellar form and activated the hydrolysis of substrates which form liposomes. The inhibitory effect increased with increasing length of the aliphatic carbon chain of the alcohol. Triton X-100 at low Triton/phospholipid molar ratios enhanced enzyme activity. These results do not agree with the accepted idea that bee venom phospholipase A2 hydrolyzes short-chain lecithins in their molecularly dispersed form and that micelles cannot act as substrates. The data indicate that short-chain lecithins in the aggregated state are hydrolyzed and that the requirements of bee venom phospholipase A2 for the aggregation state of the substrate are not strict.

  5. Photo activation of HPPH encapsulated in "Pocket" liposomes triggers multiple drug release and tumor cell killing in mouse breast cancer xenografts.

    PubMed

    Sine, Jessica; Urban, Cordula; Thayer, Derek; Charron, Heather; Valim, Niksa; Tata, Darrell B; Schiff, Rachel; Blumenthal, Robert; Joshi, Amit; Puri, Anu

    2015-01-01

    We recently reported laser-triggered release of photosensitive compounds from liposomes containing dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and 1,2 bis(tricosa-10,12-diynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DC(8,9)PC). We hypothesized that the permeation of photoactivated compounds occurs through domains of enhanced fluidity in the liposome membrane and have thus called them "Pocket" liposomes. In this study we have encapsulated the red light activatable anticancer photodynamic therapy drug 2-(1-Hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) (Ex/Em410/670 nm) together with calcein (Ex/Em490/517 nm) as a marker for drug release in Pocket liposomes. A mole ratio of 7.6:1 lipid:HPPH was found to be optimal, with >80% of HPPH being included in the liposomes. Exposure of liposomes with a cw-diode 660 nm laser (90 mW, 0-5 minutes) resulted in calcein release only when HPPH was included in the liposomes. Further analysis of the quenching ratios of liposome-entrapped calcein in the laser treated samples indicated that the laser-triggered release occurred via the graded mechanism. In vitro studies with MDA-MB-231-LM2 breast cancer cell line showed significant cell killing upon treatment of cell-liposome suspensions with the laser. To assess in vivo efficacy, we implanted MDA-MB-231-LM2 cells containing the luciferase gene along the mammary fat pads on the ribcage of mice. For biodistribution experiments, trace amounts of a near infrared lipid probe DiR (Ex/Em745/840 nm) were included in the liposomes. Liposomes were injected intravenously and laser treatments (90 mW, 0.9 cm diameter, for an exposure duration ranging from 5-8 minutes) were done 4 hours postinjection (only one tumor per mouse was treated, keeping the second flank tumor as control). Calcein release occurred as indicated by an increase in calcein fluorescence from laser treated tumors only. The animals were observed for up to 15 days postinjection and tumor volume and luciferase expression was measured. A significant decrease in luciferase expression and reduction in tumor volume was observed only in laser treated animal groups injected with liposomes containing HPPH. Histopathological examination of tumor tissues indicated tumor necrosis resulting from laser treatment of the HPPH-encapsulated liposomes that were taken up into the tumor area.

  6. Photo activation of HPPH encapsulated in “Pocket” liposomes triggers multiple drug release and tumor cell killing in mouse breast cancer xenografts

    PubMed Central

    Sine, Jessica; Urban, Cordula; Thayer, Derek; Charron, Heather; Valim, Niksa; Tata, Darrell B; Schiff, Rachel; Blumenthal, Robert; Joshi, Amit; Puri, Anu

    2015-01-01

    We recently reported laser-triggered release of photosensitive compounds from liposomes containing dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and 1,2 bis(tricosa-10,12-diynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DC8,9PC). We hypothesized that the permeation of photoactivated compounds occurs through domains of enhanced fluidity in the liposome membrane and have thus called them “Pocket” liposomes. In this study we have encapsulated the red light activatable anticancer photodynamic therapy drug 2-(1-Hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) (Ex/Em410/670 nm) together with calcein (Ex/Em490/517 nm) as a marker for drug release in Pocket liposomes. A mole ratio of 7.6:1 lipid:HPPH was found to be optimal, with >80% of HPPH being included in the liposomes. Exposure of liposomes with a cw-diode 660 nm laser (90 mW, 0–5 minutes) resulted in calcein release only when HPPH was included in the liposomes. Further analysis of the quenching ratios of liposome-entrapped calcein in the laser treated samples indicated that the laser-triggered release occurred via the graded mechanism. In vitro studies with MDA-MB-231-LM2 breast cancer cell line showed significant cell killing upon treatment of cell-liposome suspensions with the laser. To assess in vivo efficacy, we implanted MDA-MB-231-LM2 cells containing the luciferase gene along the mammary fat pads on the ribcage of mice. For biodistribution experiments, trace amounts of a near infrared lipid probe DiR (Ex/Em745/840 nm) were included in the liposomes. Liposomes were injected intravenously and laser treatments (90 mW, 0.9 cm diameter, for an exposure duration ranging from 5–8 minutes) were done 4 hours postinjection (only one tumor per mouse was treated, keeping the second flank tumor as control). Calcein release occurred as indicated by an increase in calcein fluorescence from laser treated tumors only. The animals were observed for up to 15 days postinjection and tumor volume and luciferase expression was measured. A significant decrease in luciferase expression and reduction in tumor volume was observed only in laser treated animal groups injected with liposomes containing HPPH. Histopathological examination of tumor tissues indicated tumor necrosis resulting from laser treatment of the HPPH-encapsulated liposomes that were taken up into the tumor area. PMID:25565809

  7. Kinetics of phloretin binding to phosphatidylcholine vesicle membranes

    PubMed Central

    1980-01-01

    The submillisecond kinetics for phloretin binding to unilamellar phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles was investigated using the temperature-jump technique. Spectrophotometric studies of the equilibrium binding performed at 328 nm demonstrated that phloretin binds to a single set of independent, equivalent sites on the vesicle with a dissociation constant of 8.0 microM and a lipid/site ratio of 4.0. The temperature of the phloretin-vesicle solution was jumped by 4 degrees C within 4 microseconds producing a monoexponential, concentration-dependent relaxation process with time constants in the 30--200-microseconds time range. An analysis of the concentration dependence of relaxation time constants at pH 7.30 and 24 degrees C yielded a binding rate constant of 2.7 X 10(8) M-1 s-1 and an unbinding constant of 2,900 s-1; approximately 66 percent of total binding sites are exposed at the outer vesicle surface. The value of the binding rate constant and three additional observations suggest that the binding kinetics are diffusion limited. The phloretin analogue, naringenin, which has a diffusion coefficient similar to phloretin yet a dissociation constant equal to 24 microM, bound to PC vesicle with the same rate constant as phloretin did. In addition, the phloretin-PC system was studied in buffers made one to six times more viscous than water by addition of sucrose or glycerol to the differ. The equilibrium affinity for phloretin binding to PC vesicles is independent of viscosity, yet the binding rate constant decreases with the expected dependence (kappa binding alpha 1/viscosity) for diffusion-limited processes. Thus, the binding rate constant is not altered by differences in binding affinity, yet depends upon the diffusion coefficient in buffer. Finally, studies of the pH dependence of the binding rate constant showed a dependence (kappa binding alpha [1 + 10pH-pK]) consistent with the diffusion-limited binding of a weak acid. PMID:7391812

  8. Interaction of cholesterol with sphingomyelins and acyl-chain-matched phosphatidylcholines: a comparative study of the effect of the chain length.

    PubMed Central

    Ramstedt, B; Slotte, J P

    1999-01-01

    In this study we have synthesized sphingomyelins (SM) and phosphatidylcholines (PC) with amide-linked or sn-2 linked acyl chains with lengths from 14 to 24 carbons. The purpose was to examine how the chain length and degree of unsaturation affected the interaction of cholesterol with these phospholipids in model membrane systems. Monolayers of saturated SMs and PCs with acyl chain lengths above 14 carbons were condensed and displayed a high collapse pressure ( approximately 70 mN/m). Monolayers of N-14:0-SM and 1(16:0)-2(14:0)-PC had a much lower collapse pressure (58-60 mN/m) and monounsaturated SMs collapsed at approximately 50 mN/m. The relative interaction of cholesterol with these phospholipids was determined at 22 degreesC by measuring the rate of cholesterol desorption from mixed monolayers (50 mol % cholesterol; 20 mN/m) to beta-cyclodextrin in the subphase (1.7 mM). The rate of cholesterol desorption was lower from saturated SM monolayers than from chain-matched PC monolayers. In SM monolayers, the rate of cholesterol desorption was very slow for all N-linked chains, whereas for PC monolayers we could observe higher desorption rates from monolayers of longer PCs. These results show that cholesterol interacts favorably with SMs (low rate of desorption), whereas its interaction (or miscibility) with long chain PCs is weaker. Introduction of a single cis-unsaturation in the N-linked acyl chain of SMs led to faster rates of cholesterol desorption as compared with saturated SMs. The exception was monolayers of N-22:1-SM and N-24:1-SM from which cholesterol desorbed almost as slowly as from the corresponding saturated SM monolayers. The results of this study suggest that cholesterol is most likely capable of interacting with all physiologically relevant (including long-chain) SMs present in the plasma membrane of cells. PMID:9929492

  9. Iron-Regulated Phospholipase C Activity Contributes to the Cytolytic Activity and Virulence of Acinetobacter baumannii

    PubMed Central

    Fiester, Steven E.; Schmidt, Robert E.; Beckett, Amber C.; Ticak, Tomislav; Carrier, Mary V.; Ghosh, Rajarshi; Ohneck, Emily J.; Metz, Maeva L.; Sellin Jeffries, Marlo K.; Actis, Luis A.

    2016-01-01

    Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen that causes a wide range of infections including pneumonia, septicemia, necrotizing fasciitis and severe wound and urinary tract infections. Analysis of A. baumannii representative strains grown in Chelex 100-treated medium for hemolytic activity demonstrated that this pathogen is increasingly hemolytic to sheep, human and horse erythrocytes, which interestingly contain increasing amounts of phosphatidylcholine in their membranes. Bioinformatic, genetic and functional analyses of 19 A. baumannii isolates showed that the genomes of each strain contained two phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) genes, which were named plc1 and plc2. Accordingly, all of these strains were significantly hemolytic to horse erythrocytes and their culture supernatants tested positive for PC-PLC activity. Further analyses showed that the transcriptional expression of plc1 and plc2 and the production of phospholipase and thus hemolytic activity increased when bacteria were cultured under iron-chelation as compared to iron-rich conditions. Testing of the A. baumannii ATCC 19606T plc1::aph-FRT and plc2::aph isogenic insertion derivatives showed that these mutants had a significantly reduced PC-PLC activity as compared to the parental strain, while testing of plc1::ermAM/plc2::aph demonstrated that this double PC-PLC isogenic mutant expressed significantly reduced cytolytic and hemolytic activity. Interestingly, only plc1 was shown to contribute significantly to A. baumannii virulence using the Galleria mellonella infection model. Taken together, our data demonstrate that both PLC1 and PLC2, which have diverged from a common ancestor, play a concerted role in hemolytic and cytolytic activities; although PLC1 seems to play a more critical role in the virulence of A. baumannii when tested in an invertebrate model. These activities would provide access to intracellular iron stores this pathogen could use during growth in the infected host. PMID:27875572

  10. RNA oxidation catalyzed by cytochrome c leads to its depurination and cross-linking, which may facilitate cytochrome c release from mitochondria

    PubMed Central

    Tanaka, Mikiei; Jaruga, Pawel; Küpfer, Pascal A.; Leumann, Christian J.; Dizdaroglu, Miral; Sonntag, William E.; Chock, P. Boon

    2015-01-01

    Growing evidence indicates that RNA oxidation is correlated with a number of age-related neurodegen-erative diseases, and RNA oxidation has also been shown to induce dysfunction in protein synthesis. Here we study in vitro RNA oxidation catalyzed by cytochrome c (cyt c)/H2O2 or by the Fe(II)/ascorbate/H2O2 system. Our results reveal that the products of RNA oxidation vary with the oxidant used. Guanosine residues are preferentially oxidized by cyt c/H2O2 relative to the Fe(II)/ascorbate/H2O2 system. GC/MS and LC/MS analyses demonstrated that the guanine base was not only oxidized but also depurinated to form an abasic sugar moiety. Results from gel electrophoresis and HPLC analyses show that RNA formed a cross-linked complex with cyt c in an H2O2 concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, when cyt c was associated with liposomes composed of cardiolipin/phosphatidylcholine, and incubated with RNA and H2O2, it was found cross-linked with the oxidized RNA and dissociated from the liposome. Results of the quantitative analysis indicate that the release of the cyt c from the liposome is facilitated by the formation of an RNA–cyt c cross-linked complex. Thus, RNA oxidation may facilitate the release of cyt c from the mitochondrial membrane to induce apoptosis in response to oxidative stress. PMID:22683603

  11. Identification of the Elusive Mammalian Enzyme Phosphatidylcholine-Specific Phospholipase C

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-07-01

    are not curative) is that they manifest serious negative side effects , such as heart problems, liver and kidney damage, increased susceptibility to...alternative treatments with a more targeted effect and less harmful side effects . One possible strategy would be to use agents with a narrower...LPS (Zhang et al., 2011) was not reliable/reproducible/specific and that treatment with LPS was not effective in stimulating PC-PLC activity once a

  12. [Antitumor effects of matrix protein of vesicular stomatic virus on EL4 lymphoma mice].

    PubMed

    Lin, Shi-jia; Yu, Qin-mei; Meng, Wen-tong; Wen, Yan-jun; Chen, Li-juan; Niu, Ting

    2011-03-01

    To explore antitumor effects of plasmid pcDNA3. 1-MP encoding matrix protein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) complexed with cationic liposome (DOTAP:CHOL) in mice with EL4 lymphoma. C57BL/6 mouse model with EL4 lymphoma was established. Sixty mice bearing EL4 lymphoma were divided randomly into five groups including Lip-MP, Lip-pVAX, Lip, ADM and NS groups, which were intravenously injected with liposome-pcDNA 3. 1-MP complex, liposome-pVAX complex, empty liposome, Adriamycin and normal saline respectively every three days. Tumor volumes and survival time were monitored. Microvessel density and tumor proliferative index in tumor tissues were determined by CD31, Ki-67 immunohistochemistry staining, meanwhile the tumor apoptosis index was measured by TUNEL method. From 6 days after treatments on, the tumor volume in Lip-MP group was much smaller than that in Lip-pVAX, Lip and NS group (P < 0.05). The median survival time of mice in Lip-MP group, 44 days after inoculation of tumor cells, was significantly higher than that in other groups (P < 0.05), which was 39 days, 38.5 days and 34 days in Lip-pVAX, Lip and NS groups respectively. The MVD value in tumor tissues in Lip-MP group was less than that in Lip-pVAX, Lip and NS groups (P < 0.05). Ki67 staining revealed that Lip-MP complex apparently suppressed the proliferation of EL4 tumor cells in vivo (P < 0.05). TUNEL assays showed that apoptosis index of tumor cells in Lip-MP group, 10.60 +/- 1.71, was much higher than that in other three groups (P < 0.05). Lip-MP complex, the plasmid encoding matrix protein of VSV (VSV-MP) encapsulated in cationic liposome, significantly inhibited the growth of tumor and prolonged the survival of mice bearing EL4 lymphoma, which may be related to the induction of tumor cell apoptosis, inhibition of tumor angiogenesis, and suppression of tumor cell proliferation.

  13. No Evidence for Spontaneous Lipid Transfer at ER-PM Membrane Contact Sites.

    PubMed

    Merklinger, Elisa; Schloetel, Jan-Gero; Spitta, Luis; Thiele, Christoph; Lang, Thorsten

    2016-04-01

    Non-vesicular lipid transport steps play a crucial role in lipid trafficking and potentially include spontaneous exchange. Since membrane contact facilitates this lipid transfer, it is most likely to occur at membrane contact sites (MCS). However, to date it is unknown whether closely attached biological membranes exchange lipids spontaneously. We have set up a system for studying the exchange of lipids at MCS formed between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the plasma membrane. Contact sites were stably anchored and the lipids cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine (PC) were not capable of transferring spontaneously into the opposed bilayer. We conclude that physical contact between two associated biological membranes is not sufficient for transfer of the lipids PC and cholesterol.

  14. Apoptosis of mouse MS-2 fibrosarcoma cells induced by photodynamic therapy with Zn (II)-phthalocyanine.

    PubMed

    Zhou, C; Shunji, C; Jinsheng, D; Junlin, L; Jori, G; Milanesi, C

    1996-05-01

    The destructive process of mouse MS-2 fibrosarcoma induced by photodynamic therapy (PDT) with liposome-administered Zn(II)-phthalocyanine (ZnPc) was studied by electron microscopy. Pronounced ultrastructural changes characteristic of apoptosis were observed for several tumour cells, including early occurrence of condensation and margination of chromatin, disappearance of nuclear pores, karyopyknosis, karyorrhexis, protuberance formation at the cell surface and cell fragmentation. The findings indicate that apoptosis was involved in the process of tumour cell death induced by ZnPc-PDT. The detailed mechanism and pathways controlling this phenomenon need to be elucidated further.

  15. Biomimetic particles for isolation and reconstitution of receptor function.

    PubMed

    Moura, Sérgio P; Carmona-Ribeiro, Ana M

    2006-01-01

    Biomimetic particles supporting lipid bilayers are becoming increasingly important to isolate and reconstitute protein function. Cholera toxin (CT) from Vibrio cholerae, an 87-kDa AB5 hexameric protein, and its receptor, the monosialoganglioside GM1, a cell membrane glycolipid, self-assembled on phosphatidylcholine (PC) bilayer-covered silica particles at 1 CT/5 GM1 molar ratio in perfect agreement with literature. This receptor-ligand recognition represented a proof-of-concept that receptors in general can be isolated and their function reconstituted using biomimetic particles, i.e., bilayer-covered silica. After incubation of colloidal silica with small unilamellar PC vesicles in saline solution, pH 7.4, PC adsorption isotherms on silica from inorganic phosphorus analysis showed a high PC affinity for silica with maximal PC adsorption at bilayer deposition. At 0.3 mM PC, fluorescence of pyrene-labeled GM(1) showed that GM(1) incorporation in biomimetic particles increased as a function of particles concentration. At 1 mg/mL silica, receptor incorporation increased to a maximum of 40% at 0.2-0.3 mM PC and then decreased as a function of PC concentration. At 5 microM GM(1), 0.3 mM PC, and 1 mg/mL silica, CT binding increased as a function of CT concentration with a plateau at 2 mg bound CT/m2 silica, which corresponded to the 5 GM(1)/1 CT molar proportion and showed successful reconstitution of receptor-ligand interaction.

  16. Invisible liposomes: refractive index matching with sucrose enables flow dichroism assessment of peptide orientation in lipid vesicle membrane.

    PubMed

    Ardhammar, Malin; Lincoln, Per; Nordén, Bengt

    2002-11-26

    Valuable information on protein-membrane organization may in principle be obtained from polarized-light absorption (linear dichroism, LD) measurement on shear-aligned lipid vesicle bilayers as model membranes. However, attempts to probe LD in the UV wavelength region (<250 nm) have so far failed because of strong polarized light scattering from the vesicles. Using sucrose to match the refractive index and suppress the light scattering of phosphatidylcholine vesicles, we have been able to detect LD bands also in the peptide-absorbing region (200-230 nm). The potential of refractive index matching in vesicle LD as a general method for studying membrane protein structure was investigated for the membrane pore-forming oligopeptide gramicidin incorporated into the liposome membranes. In the presence of sucrose, the LD signals arising from oriented tryptophan side chains as well as from n-->pi* and pi-->pi* transitions of the amide chromophore of the polypeptide backbone could be studied. The observation of a strongly negative LD for the first exciton transition ( approximately 204 nm) is consistent with a membrane-spanning orientation of two intertwined parallel gramicidin helices, as predicted by coupled-oscillator theory.

  17. Impact of primary amine group from aminophospholipids and amino acids on marine phospholipids stability: non-enzymatic browning and lipid oxidation.

    PubMed

    Lu, F S H; Nielsen, N S; Baron, C P; Diehl, B W K; Jacobsen, C

    2013-11-15

    The main objective of this study was to investigate the oxidative stability and non-enzymatic browning reactions of marine PL in the presence or in the absence of primary amine group from aminophospholipids and amino acids. Marine phospholipids liposomal dispersions were prepared from two authentic standards (phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine) and two purified PL from marine sources with and without addition of amino acids (leucine, methionine and lysine). Samples were incubated at 60°C for 0, 2, 4 and 6days. Non-enzymatic browning reactions were investigated through measurement of (i) Strecker derived volatiles, (ii) yellowness index (YI), (iii) hydrophobic and (iv) hydrophilic pyrroles content. The oxidative stability of the samples was assessed through measurement of secondary lipid derived volatile oxidation products. The result showed that the presence of PE and amino acids caused the formation of pyrroles, generated Strecker derived volatiles, decreased the YI development and lowered lipid oxidation. The lower degree of lipid oxidation in liposomal dispersions containing amino acids might be attributed to antioxidative properties of pyrroles or amino acids. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Controlling insulin release from reverse hexagonal (HII) liquid crystalline mesophase by enzymatic lipolysis.

    PubMed

    Mishraki-Berkowitz, Tehila; Cohen, Guy; Aserin, Abraham; Garti, Nissim

    2018-01-01

    In the present study we aimed to control insulin release from the reverse hexagonal (H II ) mesophase using Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL) in the environment (outer TLL) or within the H II cylinders (inner TLL). Two insulin-loaded systems differing by the presence (or absence) of phosphatidylcholine (PC) were examined. In general, incorporation of PC into the H II interface (without TLL) increased insulin release, as a more cooperative system was formed. Addition of TLL to the systems' environments resulted in lipolysis of the H II structure. In the absence of PC, the lipolysis was more dominant and led to a significant increase in insulin release (50% after 8h). However, the presence of PC stabilized the interface, hindering the lipolysis, and therefore no impact on the release profile was detected during the first 8h. Entrapment of TLL within the H II cylinders (with and without PC) drastically increased insulin release in both systems up to 100%. In the presence of PC insulin released faster and the structure was more stable. Consequently, the presence of lipases (inner or outer) both enhanced the destruction of the carrier, and provided sustained release of the entrapped insulin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Lysophosphatidylcholine synthesis by lipase-catalyzed ethanolysis.

    PubMed

    Yang, Guolong; Yang, Ruoxi; Hu, Jingbo

    2015-01-01

    Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is amphiphilic substance, and possesses excellent physiological functions. In this study, LPC was prepared through ethanolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) in n-hexane or solvent free media catalyzed by Novozym 435 (from Candida antarctica), Lipozyme TLIM (from Thermomcyces lanuginosus) and Lipozyme RMIM (from Rhizomucor miehei). The results showed that three immobilized lipases from Candida Antarctica, Thermomcyces lanuginosus and Rhizomucor miehei could catalyze ethanolysis of PC efficiently. In n-hexane, the LPC conversions of ethanolysis of PC catalyzed by Novozyme 435, Lipozyme TLIM and Lipozyme RMIM could reach to 98.5 ± 1.6%, 94.6 ± 1.4% and 93.7 ± 1.8%, respectively. In solvent free media, the highest LPC conversions of ethanolysis of PC catalyzed by Novozyme 435, Lipozyme TL IM and Lipozyme RM IM were 97.7 ± 1.7%, 93.5 ± 1.2% and 93.8 ± 1.9%, respectively. The catalytic efficiencies of the three lipases were in the order of Novozyme 435 > Lipozyme TLIM > Lipozyme RMIM. Furthermore, their catalytic efficiencies in n-hexane were better than those in solvent free media.

  20. Possible Domain Formation In PE/PC Bilayers Containing High Cholesterol

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hein, Matthew; Hussain, Fazle; Huang, Juyang

    2015-03-01

    Cholesterol is a significant component of animal cell membranes, and its presence has the effects of not only adding rigidity to the lipid bilayer, but also leading to the formation of lipid domains. Two other lipids of interest are phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), which constitutes about 45 percent of the phospholipids found in human nervous tissues, and phosphatidylcholine (PC), which is found in every cell of the human body. The maximum solubility of cholesterol is the highest mole fraction of cholesterol that the lipid bilayer can retain, at which point cholesterol begins to precipitate out to form cholesterol monohydrate crystals. We have measured the maximum solubility of cholesterol in mixtures of 16:0-18:1PE and 16:0-18:1PC using a new light scattering technique, which utilizes the anisotropic nature of light scattering by cholesterol crystals. This new method is highly accurate and reproducible. Our results show that the maximum solubility of cholesterol increases linearly as a function of the molar ratio POPC/(POPE+POPC), which suggests possible domain formation in mixtures of PE and PC containing maximum amount of cholesterol.

  1. The role of glycerol and phosphatidylcholine in solubilizing and enhancing insulin stability in reverse hexagonal mesophases.

    PubMed

    Amar-Yuli, Idit; Azulay, Doron; Mishraki, Tehila; Aserin, Abraham; Garti, Nissim

    2011-12-15

    The potential of reverse hexagonal mesophases based on monoolein (GMO) and glycerol (as cosolvent) to facilitate the solubilization of proteins, such as insulin was explored. H(II) mesophases composed of GMO/decane/water were compared to GMO/decane/glycerol/water and GMO/phosphatidylcholine (PC)/decane/glycerol/water systems. The stability of insulin was tested, applying external physical modifications such as low pH and heat treatment (up to 70°C), in which insulin is known to form ordered amyloid-like aggregates (that are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases) with a characteristic cross β-pleated sheet structure. The impact of insulin confinement within these carriers on its stability, unfolding, and aggregation pathways was studied by combining SAXS, FTIR, and AFM techniques. These techniques provided a better insight into the molecular level of the "component interplay" in solubilizing and stabilizing insulin and its conformational modifications that dictate its final aggregate morphology. PC enlarged the water channels while glycerol shrank them, yet both facilitated insulin solubilization within the channels. The presence of glycerol within the mesophase water channels led to the formation of stronger hydrogen bonds with the hosting medium that enhanced the thermal stability of the protein and remarkably affected the unfolding process even after heat treatment (at 70°C for 60 min). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. A PC-PU nanoparticle/PU/decellularized scaffold composite vascular patch: Synergistically optimized overall performance promotes endothelialization.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jun; Liu, Cheng; Feng, Fuling; Wang, Dawei; Lu, Shuaishuai; Wei, Guo; Mo, Hong; Qiao, Tong

    2017-12-01

    Composite vascular patches have gained increasingly attention due to the limited availability of autologous patches (vascular graft materials made from the blood vessels of the same recipient), the lack of growth capability of nonautologous patches (vascular graft materials made from the blood vessels of a different donor) and the disadvantages of synthetic patches. In this study, we report a highly biocompatible phosphatidylcholine-polyurethane nanoparticle/polyurethane/decellularized scaffold composite vascular patch (PCVP). It was fabricated by a facile method - cosedimentation. Its in vitro blood and cell compatibility including hemolysis, plasma recalcification time, coagulation time, platelet adhesion and cytotoxicity was evaluated. The surface modified with phosphatidylcholine-polyurethane (PC-PU) nanoparticles exhibited the improved anticoagulation activity. The in vivo performance of the PCVP was investigated in a mouse model. The nanopatterned surface that resembled the concave-convex structure of the luminal surface of native blood vessels enhanced cell attachment, proliferation, migration and differentiation. The decellularized scaffold had the mechanical property similar to that of the targeted blood vessels, which could withstand in vivo dynamic blood pressure. The overall performance of the PCVP was synergistically optimized by each layer of the multilayer design. The patched artery remained patent and the formation of endothelial tissue - endothelialization was achieved 30days after the in vivo implantation in a mouse model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Pregnancy alters choline dynamics: results of a randomized trial using stable isotope methodology in pregnant and nonpregnant women.

    PubMed

    Yan, Jian; Jiang, Xinyin; West, Allyson A; Perry, Cydne A; Malysheva, Olga V; Brenna, J Thomas; Stabler, Sally P; Allen, Robert H; Gregory, Jesse F; Caudill, Marie A

    2013-12-01

    Although biomarkers of choline metabolism are altered by pregnancy, little is known about the influence of human pregnancy on the dynamics of choline-related metabolic processes. This study used stable isotope methodology to examine the effects of pregnancy on choline partitioning and the metabolic activity of choline-related pathways. Healthy third-trimester pregnant (n = 26; initially week 27 of gestation) and nonpregnant (n = 21) women consumed 22% of their total choline intake (480 or 930 mg/d) as methyl-d9-choline for the final 6 wk of a 12-wk feeding study. Plasma d9-betaine:d9-phosphatidylcholine (PC) was lower (P ≤ 0.04) in pregnant than in nonpregnant women, suggesting greater partitioning of choline into the cytidine diphosphate-choline (CDP-choline) PC biosynthetic pathway relative to betaine synthesis during pregnancy. Pregnant women also used more choline-derived methyl groups for PC synthesis via phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) as indicated by comparable increases in PEMT-PC enrichment in pregnant and nonpregnant women despite unequal (pregnant > nonpregnant; P < 0.001) PC pool sizes. Pregnancy enhanced the hydrolysis of PEMT-PC to free choline as shown by greater (P < 0.001) plasma d3-choline:d3-PC. Notably, d3-PC enrichment increased (P ≤ 0.011) incrementally from maternal to placental to fetal compartments, signifying the selective transfer of PEMT-PC to the fetus. The enhanced use of choline for PC production via both the CDP-choline and PEMT pathways shows the substantial demand for choline during late pregnancy. Selective partitioning of PEMT-PC to the fetal compartment may imply a unique requirement of PEMT-PC by the developing fetus.

  4. The effects of metyrapone, chalcone epoxide, benzil, clotrimazole and related compounds on the activity of microsomal epoxide hydrolase in situ, in purified form and in reconstituted systems towards different substrates.

    PubMed

    Seidegård, J; DePierre, J W; Guenthner, T M; Oesch, F

    1986-09-01

    The influence of metyrapone, chalcone epoxide, benzil and clotrimazole on the activity of microsomal epoxide hydrolase towards styrene oxide, benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-oxide, estroxide and androstene oxide was investigated. The studies were performed using liver microsomes from rats, rabbits, mice and humans; epoxide hydrolase purified from rat liver microsomes to apparent homogeneity; and the purified enzyme incorporated into liposomes composed of egg-yolk phosphatidylcholine or total rat liver microsomal lipids. All four effectors were found to activate the hydrolysis of styrene oxide by epoxide hydrolase in situ in rat liver microsomal membranes, in agreement with earlier findings. Epoxide hydrolase activity towards styrene oxide in liver microsomes from mouse, rabbit and man was also increased by all four effectors. The most striking effect was a 680% activation by clotrimazole in rat liver microsomes. However, none of the effectors activated microsomal epoxide hydrolase more than 50% when benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-oxide, estroxide or androstene oxide was used as substrate. Indeed, clotrimazole was found to inhibit microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity towards estroxide 30-50% and towards androstene oxide 60-90%. The effects of these four compounds were found to be virtually identical in the preparations from rats, rabbits, mice and humans. The effects of metyrapone, chalcone epoxide, benzil and clotrimazole on purified epoxide hydrolase were qualitatively the same as those on epoxide hydrolase in intact microsomes, but much smaller in magnitude. These effects were increased in magnitude only slightly by incorporation of the purified enzyme into liposomes made from egg-yolk phosphatidylcholine. However, when incorporation into liposomes composed of total microsomal lipids was performed, the effects seen were essentially of the same magnitude as with intact microsomes. When the extent of activation was plotted against effector concentration, three different patterns were found with different effectors. Activation of epoxide hydrolase activity towards styrene oxide by clotrimazole was found to be uncompetitive with the substrate and highly structure specific. On the other hand, inhibition of epoxide hydrolase activity towards androstene oxide by clotrimazole was found to be competitive in microsomes. It is concluded that the marked effects of these four modulators on microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity are due to an interaction with the enzyme protein itself, but that the presence of total microsomal phospholipids allows the maximal expression leading to similar degrees of modulation as those observed in intact microsomes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

  5. Effect of integral membrane proteins on the lateral mobility of plastoquinone in phosphatidylcholine proteoliposomes.

    PubMed

    Blackwell, M F; Whitmarsh, J

    1990-11-01

    PYRENE FLUORESCENCE QUENCHING BY PLASTOQUINONE WAS USED TO ESTIMATE THE RATE OF PLASTOQUINONE LATERAL DIFFUSION IN SOYBEAN PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE PROTEOLIPOSOMES CONTAINING THE FOLLOWING INTEGRAL MEMBRANE PROTEINS: gramicidin D, spinach cytochrome bf complex, spinach cytochrome f, reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, beef heart mitochondrial cytochrome bc(1), and beef heart mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase. The measured plastoquinone lateral diffusion coefficient varied between 1 and 3 . 10(-7) cm(2) s(-1) in control liposomes that lacked protein. When proteins were added, these values decreased: a 10-fold decrease was observed when 16-26% of the membrane surface area was occupied by protein for all the proteins but gramicidin. The larger protein complexes (cytochrome bf, Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centers, cytochrome bc(1), and cytochrome oxidase), whose hydrophobic volumes were 15-20 times as large as that of cytochrome f and the gramicidin transmembrane dimer, were 15-20 times as effective in decreasing the lateral-diffusion coefficient over the range of concentrations studied. These proteins had a much stronger effect than that observed for bacteriorhodopsin in fluorescence photobleaching recovery measurements. The effect of high-protein concentrations in gramicidin proteoliposomes was in close agreement with fluorescence photobleaching measurements. The results are compared with the predictions of several theoretical models of lateral mobility as a function of integral membrane concentration.

  6. Effect of integral membrane proteins on the lateral mobility of plastoquinone in phosphatidylcholine proteoliposomes

    PubMed Central

    Blackwell, Mary F.; Whitmarsh, John

    1990-01-01

    Pyrene fluorescence quenching by plastoquinone was used to estimate the rate of plastoquinone lateral diffusion in soybean phosphatidylcholine proteoliposomes containing the following integral membrane proteins: gramicidin D, spinach cytochrome bf complex, spinach cytochrome f, reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, beef heart mitochondrial cytochrome bc1, and beef heart mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase. The measured plastoquinone lateral diffusion coefficient varied between 1 and 3 · 10-7 cm2 s-1 in control liposomes that lacked protein. When proteins were added, these values decreased: a 10-fold decrease was observed when 16-26% of the membrane surface area was occupied by protein for all the proteins but gramicidin. The larger protein complexes (cytochrome bf, Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centers, cytochrome bc1, and cytochrome oxidase), whose hydrophobic volumes were 15-20 times as large as that of cytochrome f and the gramicidin transmembrane dimer, were 15-20 times as effective in decreasing the lateral-diffusion coefficient over the range of concentrations studied. These proteins had a much stronger effect than that observed for bacteriorhodopsin in fluorescence photobleaching recovery measurements. The effect of high-protein concentrations in gramicidin proteoliposomes was in close agreement with fluorescence photobleaching measurements. The results are compared with the predictions of several theoretical models of lateral mobility as a function of integral membrane concentration. PMID:19431774

  7. P-glycoprotein retains function when reconstituted into a sphingolipid- and cholesterol-rich environment.

    PubMed

    Modok, Szabolcs; Heyward, Catherine; Callaghan, Richard

    2004-10-01

    P-glycoprotein (P-gp) appears to be associated within specialized raftlike membrane microdomains. The activity of P-gp is sensitive to its lipid environment, and a functional association in raft microdomains will require that P-gp retains activity in the microenvironment. Purified hamster P-gp was reconstituted in liposomes comprising sphingomyelin and cholesterol, both highly enriched in membrane microdomains and known to impart a liquid-ordered phase to bilayers. The activity of P-gp was compared with that of proteoliposomes composed of crude egg phosphatidylcholine (unsaturated) or dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (saturated) in the presence or absence of cholesterol. The maximal rate of ATP hydrolysis was not significantly altered by the nature of the lipid species. However, the potencies of nicardipine and XR9576 to modulate the ATPase activity of P-gp were increased in the sphingolipid-based proteoliposomes. The drug-P-gp interaction was investigated by measurement of the rates of [(3)H]XR9576 association and dissociation from the transporter. The lipid environment of P-gp did not affect these kinetic parameters of drug binding. In summary, P-gp retains function in liquid-ordered cholesterol and sphingolipid model membranes in which the communication between the transmembrane and the nucleotide binding domains after drug binding to the protein is more efficient.

  8. Interaction of phospholipase C with liposome: A conformation transition of the enzyme is critical and specific to liposome composition for burst hydrolysis and fusion in concert

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patra, Samir Kumar; Sengupta, Dipta; Deb, Moonmoon; Kar, Swayamsiddha; Kausar, Chahat

    2017-02-01

    Phospholipase C (PLC)1 is known to help the pathogen B. cereus entry to the host cell and human PLC is over expressed in multiple cancers. Knowledge of dynamic activity of the enzyme PLC while in action on membrane lipids is essential and helpful to drug design and delivery. In view of this, interactions of PLC with liposome of various lipid compositions have been visualized by testing enzyme activity and microenvironments around the intrinsic fluorophores of the enzyme. Overall change of the protein's conformation has been monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD). Liposome aggregation and fusion were predicted by increase in turbidity and vesicle size. PLC in solution has high fluorescence and exhibit appreciable shift in its emission maxima, upon gradual change in excitation wavelength towards the red edge of the absorption band. REES fluorescence studies indicated that certain Trp fluorophores of inactive PLC are in motionally restricted compact/rigid environments in solution conformation. PLC fluorescence decreased in association with liposome and Trps loosed rigidity where liposome aggregation and fusion occurred. We argue that the structural flexibility is the cause of decrease of fluorescence, mostly to gain optimum conformation for maximum activity of the enzyme PLC. Further studies deciphered that the enzyme PLC undergoes change of conformation when mixed to LUVs prepared with specific lipids. CD data at the far-UV and near-UV regions of PLC in solution are in excellent agreement with the previous reports. CD analyses of PLC with LUVs, showed significant reduction of α-helices, increase of β-sheets; and confirmed dramatic change of orientations of Trps. In case of liposome composed of lipid raft like composition, the enzyme binds very fast, hydrolyze PC with higher rate, exhibit highest structural flexibility and promote vesicle fusion. These data strongly suggest marked differences in conformation transition induced PLC activation and liposome fusion on the lipid composition.

  9. Maximally asymmetric transbilayer distribution of anionic lipids alters the structure and interaction with lipids of an amyloidogenic protein dimer bound to the membrane surface

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Sara Y.; Chou, George; Buie, Creighton; Vaughn, Mark W.; Compton, Campbell; Cheng, Kwan H.

    2016-01-01

    We used molecular dynamics simulations to explore the effects of asymmetric transbilayer distribution of anionic phosphatidylserine (PS) lipids on the structure of a protein on the membrane surface and subsequent protein–lipid interactions. Our simulation systems consisted of an amyloidogenic, beta-sheet rich dimeric protein (D42) absorbed to the phosphatidylcholine (PC) leaflet, or protein-contact PC leaflet, of two membrane systems: a single-component PC bilayer and double PC/PS bilayers. The latter comprised of a stable but asymmetric transbilayer distribution of PS in the presence of counterions, with a 1-component PC leaflet coupled to a 1-component PS leaflet in each bilayer. The maximally asymmetric PC/PS bilayer had a non-zero transmembrane potential (TMP) difference and higher lipid order packing, whereas the symmetric PC bilayer had a zero TMP difference and lower lipid order packing under physiologically relevant conditions. Analysis of the adsorbed protein structures revealed weaker protein binding, more folding in the N-terminal domain, more aggregation of the N- and C-terminal domains and larger tilt angle of D42 on the PC leaflet surface of the PC/PS bilayer versus the PC bilayer. Also, analysis of protein-induced membrane structural disruption revealed more localized bilayer thinning in the PC/PS versus PC bilayer. Although the electric field profile in the non-protein-contact PS leaflet of the PC/PS bilayer differed significantly from that in the non-protein-contact PC leaflet of the PC bilayer, no significant difference in the electric field profile in the protein-contact PC leaflet of either bilayer was evident. We speculate that lipid packing has a larger effect on the surface adsorbed protein structure than the electric field for a maximally asymmetric PC/PS bilayer. Our results support the mechanism that the higher lipid packing in a lipid leaflet promotes stronger protein–protein but weaker protein–lipid interactions for a dimeric protein on membrane surfaces. PMID:26827904

  10. Metabolic Acetate Therapy Improves Phenotype in the Tremor Rat Model of Canavan Disease

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-05-13

    treated and untreated female tremor rats (pɘ.05). PA Phosphatidic acid , PC phosphatidylcholine, SM sphingomyelin, PI phosphatidylinositol, PE...was used to confirm the ASPA-deficient phenotype of homozygous tremor rats. The ASPA antibodies were generated against an 18 amino acid sequence from... acid ; 40:50:2:0.2 v/v) solvent front advanced 2/3rds plate height and dried. Solvent system 2 (diethyl ether: hexane; 6:94 v/v) was run the full plate

  11. Neuroprotective Actions of Dietary Choline

    PubMed Central

    Blusztajn, Jan Krzysztof; Slack, Barbara E.; Mellott, Tiffany J.

    2017-01-01

    Choline is an essential nutrient for humans. It is a precursor of membrane phospholipids (e.g., phosphatidylcholine (PC)), the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and via betaine, the methyl group donor S-adenosylmethionine. High choline intake during gestation and early postnatal development in rat and mouse models improves cognitive function in adulthood, prevents age-related memory decline, and protects the brain from the neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and neurological damage associated with epilepsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, and inherited conditions such as Down and Rett syndromes. These effects of choline are correlated with modifications in histone and DNA methylation in brain, and with alterations in the expression of genes that encode proteins important for learning and memory processing, suggesting a possible epigenomic mechanism of action. Dietary choline intake in the adult may also influence cognitive function via an effect on PC containing eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids; polyunsaturated species of PC whose levels are reduced in brains from AD patients, and is associated with higher memory performance, and resistance to cognitive decline. PMID:28788094

  12. Neuroprotective Actions of Dietary Choline.

    PubMed

    Blusztajn, Jan Krzysztof; Slack, Barbara E; Mellott, Tiffany J

    2017-07-28

    Choline is an essential nutrient for humans. It is a precursor of membrane phospholipids (e.g., phosphatidylcholine (PC)), the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and via betaine, the methyl group donor S -adenosylmethionine. High choline intake during gestation and early postnatal development in rat and mouse models improves cognitive function in adulthood, prevents age-related memory decline, and protects the brain from the neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and neurological damage associated with epilepsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, and inherited conditions such as Down and Rett syndromes. These effects of choline are correlated with modifications in histone and DNA methylation in brain, and with alterations in the expression of genes that encode proteins important for learning and memory processing, suggesting a possible epigenomic mechanism of action. Dietary choline intake in the adult may also influence cognitive function via an effect on PC containing eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids; polyunsaturated species of PC whose levels are reduced in brains from AD patients, and is associated with higher memory performance, and resistance to cognitive decline.

  13. Regulation of phospholipid synthesis in phosphatidylserine synthase-deficient (chol) mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Letts, V.A.; Henry, S.A.

    1985-08-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants, chol, are deficient in the synthesis of the phospholipid phosphatidylserine owing to lowered activity of the membrane-associated enzyme phosphatidylserine synthase. These mutants are auxotrophic for ethanolamine or choline and, in the absence of these supplements, cannot synthesize phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylcholine (PC). The authors exploited these characteristics of the chol mutants to examine the regulation of phospholipid metabolism in S. cerevisiae. Macromolecular synthesis and phospholipid metabolism were examined in chol cells starved for ethanolamine. Coupled to the decline in PC biosynthesis was a simultaneous decrease in the overall rate of phospholipid synthesis. In particular, the rate of synthesismore » of phosphatidylinositol decreased in parallel with the decline in PC biosynthesis. However, under conditions of ethanolamine deprivation in chol cells, the cytoplasmic enzyme inositol-1-phosphate synthase could not be repressed by exogenous inositol, and the endogenous synthesis of the phospholipid precursor inositol appeared to be elevated. The implications of these findings with respect to the coordinated regulation of phospholipid synthesis are discussed.« less

  14. Naproxen-PC: a GI safe and highly effective anti-inflammatory.

    PubMed

    Lichtenberger, L M; Romero, J J; Dial, E J; Moore, J E

    2009-02-01

    We have been developing a family of phosphatidylcholine (PC)-associated NSAIDs, which appear to have improved GI safety and therapeutic efficacy in both rodent model systems and pilot clinical trials. As naproxen has been demonstrated to be associated with the lowest cardiovascular adverse events in comparison with both COX-2 selective inhibitors and conventional NSAIDs, we have been developing a Naproxen-PC formulation for evaluation in animal models and clinical trials. We have determined that an oil-based formulation of naproxen and triple strength soy lecithin provides excellent GI protection in both: 1) an acute NSAID-induced intestinal bleeding model in rats pretreated with L-NAME that are intragastrically administered a single dose of naproxen (at a dose of 50 mg/kg) vs the equivalent dose of Naproxen-PC; and 2) a more chronic model (at a naproxen dose of 25 mg/kg BID) in rats that have pre-existing hindpaw inflammation (induced with a intradermal injection of Complete Freund's Adjuvant/CFA). Both models demonstrate the superior GI safety of Naproxen-PC vs naproxen while this novel formulation had significant anti-inflammatory efficacy to reduce hindpaw edema and the generation of PGE(2) in the collected joint synovial fluid. Naproxen-PC appears to induce significantly less GI injury and bleeding in two rodent model systems while maintaining anti-inflammatory and COX-inhibitory activity.

  15. Activation of calcineurin by phosphotidylserine containing vesicles

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Politino, M.; King, M.M.

    1986-05-01

    Calcineurin (CaN) is a Ca/sup 2 +/- and calmodulin-regulated phosphatase. Recent findings suggested an association of CaN with biological membranes and prompted the present investigation into the interactions of the phosphatase with phospholipids in vitro. In the absence of calmodulin, sonicated preparations of phosphatidylserine (PS) provided a five-fold activation of the Ni- and Mn-supported activities of CaN towards (/sup 32/P) histone Hl; activation in the presence of calmodulin was much less pronounced. Half-maximal activation in the absence of calmodulin required approximately 0.1 mg/ml of PS. Activation of CaN was also observed with mixed vesicles of phosphatidylcholine (PC) containing 20% PSmore » but not with PC alone, or with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Molecular sieve chromatography on Ultrogel AcA 34 provided further evidence that CaN associates with phospholipid vesicles composed of PS, or PC containing 20% PS, but not with vesicles of PC or PE. Complete association with medium sized vesicles of PS and PC/PS required Ca/sup 2 +/ ions; in the absence of the metal ion at least 60% of the enzyme failed to interact with the lipids while the remainder preferentially migrated with larger vesicles. These results suggest a role for Ca/sup 2 +/ in regulating CaN's interaction with phospholipids.« less

  16. Structural Factors and Mechanisms Underlying the Improved Photodynamic Cell Killing with Silicon Phthalocyanine Photosensitizers Directed to Lysosomes Versus Mitochondria

    PubMed Central

    Rodriguez, Myriam E.; Zhang, Ping; Azizuddin, Kashif; Delos Santos, Grace B.; Chiu, Song-mao; Xue, Liang-yan; Berlin, Jeffery C.; Peng, Xinzhan; Wu, Hongqiao; Lam, Minh; Nieminen, Anna-Liisa; Kenney, Malcolm E.; Oleinick, Nancy L.

    2012-01-01

    The phthalocyanine photosensitizer Pc 4 has been shown to bind preferentially to mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum membranes. Upon photoirradiation of Pc 4-loaded cells, membrane components, especially Bcl-2, are photodamaged and apoptosis, as indicated by activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, is triggered. A series of analogs of Pc 4 were synthesized, and the results demonstrate that Pcs with the aminopropylsiloxy ligand of Pc 4 or a similar one on one side of the Pc ring and a second large axial ligand on the other side of the ring have unexpected properties, including enhanced cell uptake, greater monomerization resulting in greater intracellular fluorescence and three-fold higher affinity constants for liposomes. The hydroxyl-bearing axial ligands tend to reduce aggregation of the Pc and direct it to lysosomes, resulting in four to six times more killing of cells, as defined by loss of clonogenicity, than with Pc 4. Whereas Pc 4-PDT photodamages Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, Pc 181-PDT causes much less photodamage to Bcl-2 over the same dose–response range relative to cell killing, with earlier cleavage of Bid and slower caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. Therefore, within this series of photosensitizers, these hydroxyl-bearing axial ligands are less aggregated than is Pc 4, tend to localize to lysosomes and are more effective in overall cell killing than is Pc 4, but induce apoptosis more slowly and by a modified pathway. PMID:19508642

  17. Concentration-dependent effect of melatonin on DSPC membrane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sahin, Ipek; Bilge, Duygu; Kazanci, Nadide; Severcan, Feride

    2013-11-01

    The concentration-induced effects of melatonin on distearoyl phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) model membranes were investigated by using two different non-invasive techniques, namely Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). An investigation of the Csbnd H, Cdbnd O and PO2- double bond stretching mode in FTIR spectra and DSC studies reveals that the inclusion of melatonin changes the physical properties of the DSPC multilamellar liposomes (MLVs) by shifting the main phase transition to lower temperatures, abolishing the pretransition, ordering the system in the gel phase and slightly disordering the system in the liquid crystalline phase, increasing the dynamics both in the gel phase and liquid crystalline phases. Melatonin also causes strong hydrogen bonding between Cdbnd O and PO2- groups of lipids and the water molecules around.

  18. Material Properties of Matrix Lipids Determine Conformation and Intermolecular Reactivity of a Diacetylenic Phosphatidylcholine in the Lipid Bilayer

    PubMed Central

    Puri, Anu; Jang, Hyunbum; Yavlovich, Amichai; Masood, M. Athar; Veenstra, Timothy D.; Luna, Carlos; Aranda-Espinoza, Helim; Nussinov, Ruth; Blumenthal, Robert

    2011-01-01

    Photopolymerizable phospholipid DC8,9PC (1,2-bis-(tricosa-10,12-diynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) exhibits unique assembly characteristics in the lipid bilayer. Due to the presence of the diacetylene groups, DC8,9PC undergoes polymerization upon UV (254 nm) exposure and assumes chromogenic properties. DC8,9PC photopolymerization in a gel phase matrix lipid 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) monitored by UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy occurred within 2 minutes after UV treatment, whereas no spectral shifts were observed when DC8,9PC was incorporated in a liquid phase matrix 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis showed a decrease in DC8,9PC monomer in both DPPC and POPC environments without any change in matrix lipids in UV-treated samples. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of DPPC/DC8,9PC and POPC/DC8,9PC bilayers indicate that the DC8,9PC molecules adjust to the thickness of the matrix lipid bilayer. Furthermore, motions of DC8,9PC in the gel phase bilayer are more restricted than in the fluid bilayer. The restricted motional flexibility of DC8,9PC (in the gel phase) enables the reactive diacetylenes in individual molecules to align and undergo polymerization, whereas the unrestricted motions in the fluid bilayer restrict polymerization due to the lack of appropriate alignment of the DC8,9PC fatty acyl chains. Fluorescence microscopy data indicates homogenous distribution of the lipid probe 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-lissamine rhodamine B sulfonyl ammonium salt (N-Rh-PE) in POPC/DC8,9PC monolayers, but domain formation in DPPC/DC8,9PC monolayers. These results show that the DC8,9PC molecules cluster and assume the preferred conformation in the gel phase matrix for UV-triggered polymerization reaction. PMID:22053903

  19. INSIGHT INTO NSAID-INDUCED MEMBRANE ALTERATIONS, PATHOGENESIS AND THERAPEUTICS: CHARACTERIZATION OF INTERACTION OF NSAIDS WITH PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE

    PubMed Central

    Lichtenberger, Lenard M.; Zhou, Yong; Jayaraman, Vasanthi; Doyen, Janice R.; O’Neil, Roger G.; Dial, Elizabeth J.; Volk, David E.; Gorenstein, David G.; Boggara, Mohan Babu; Krishnamoorti, Ramanan

    2012-01-01

    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most widely consumed pharmaceuticals, yet both the mechanisms involved in their therapeutic actions and side-effects, notably gastrointestinal (GI) ulceration/bleeding, have not been clearly defined. In this study, we have used a number of biochemical, structural, computational and biological systems including; Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR). Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, and cell culture using a specific fluorescent membrane probe, to demonstrate that NSAIDs have a strong affinity to form ionic and hydrophobic associations with zwitterionic phospholipids, and specifically phosphatidylcholine (PC), that are reversible and non-covalent in nature. We propose that the pH-dependent partition of these potent anti-inflammatory drugs into the phospholipid bilayer, and possibly extracellular mono/multilayers present on the luminal interface of the mucus gel layer, may result in profound changes in the hydrophobicity, fluidity, permeability, biomechanical properties and stability of these membranes and barriers. These changes may not only provide an explanation of how NSAIDs induce surface injury to the GI mucosa as a component in the pathogenic mechanism leading to peptic ulceration and bleeding, but potentially an explanation for a number of (COX-independent) biological actions of this family of pharmaceuticals. This insight also has proven useful in the design and development of a novel class of PC-associated NSAIDs that have reduced GI toxicity while maintaining their essential therapeutic efficacy to inhibit pain and inflammation. PMID:22521764

  20. Stage-Specific Fatty Acid Fluxes Play a Regulatory Role in Glycerolipid Metabolism during Seed Development in Jatropha curcas L.

    PubMed

    Chaitanya, Bharatula Sri Krishna; Kumar, Sumit; Kaki, Shiva Shanker; Balakrishna, Marrapu; Karuna, Mallampalli Sri Lakshmi; Prasad, Rachapudi Badari Narayana; Sastry, Pidaparty Seshadri; Reddy, Attipalli Ramachandra

    2015-12-23

    The present study describes the changes in lipid profile as well as fatty acid fluxes during seed development in Jatropha curcas L. Endosperm from 34, 37, and 40 days after anthesis (DAA), incubated with [(14)C]acetate, showed significant synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) at seed maturation. The fatty acid methyl ester profile showed PC from 34 DAA was rich in palmitic acid (16:0), whereas PC from 37 and 40 DAA was rich in oleic acid (18:1n-9). Molecular species analysis of diacylglycerol (DAG) indicated DAG (16:0/18:2n-6) was in abundance at 34 DAA, whereas DAG (18:1n-9/18:2n-6) was significantly high at 40 DAA. Triacylglycerol (TAG) analysis revealed TAG (16:0/18:2n-6/16:0) was abundant at 34 DAA, whereas TAG (18:1n-9/18:2n-6/18:1n-9) formed the majority at 40 DAA. Expression of two types of diacylglycerol acyltransferases varied with seed maturation. These data demonstrate stage-specific distinct pools of PC and DAG synthesis during storage TAG accumulation in Jatropha seed.

  1. The Significance of Different Diacylgycerol Synthesis Pathways on Plant Oil Composition and Bioengineering

    PubMed Central

    Bates, Philip D.; Browse, John

    2012-01-01

    The unique properties of vegetable oils from different plants utilized for food, industrial feedstocks, and fuel is dependent on the fatty acid (FA) composition of triacylglycerol (TAG). Plants can use two main pathways to produce diacylglycerol (DAG), the immediate precursor molecule to TAG synthesis: (1) De novo DAG synthesis, and (2) conversion of the membrane lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC) to DAG. The FA esterified to PC are also the substrate for FA modification (e.g., desaturation, hydroxylation, etc.), such that the FA composition of PC-derived DAG can be substantially different than that of de novo DAG. Since DAG provides two of the three FA in TAG, the relative flux of TAG synthesis from de novo DAG or PC-derived DAG can greatly affect the final oil FA composition. Here we review how the fluxes through these two alternate pathways of DAG/TAG synthesis are determined and present evidence that suggests which pathway is utilized in different plants. Additionally, we present examples of how the endogenous DAG synthesis pathway in a transgenic host plant can produce bottlenecks for engineering of plant oil FA composition, and discuss alternative strategies to overcome these bottlenecks to produce crop plants with designer vegetable oil compositions. PMID:22783267

  2. Dimethylethanolamine does not prevent liver failure in phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase-deficient mice fed a choline-deficient diet.

    PubMed

    Waite, Kristin A; Vance, Dennis E

    2004-03-22

    Mice that lack phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT) and are fed a choline-deficient (CD) diet suffer severe liver damage and do not survive. Since phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine (PDME) has physical properties similar to those of phosphatidylcholine (PC), we hypothesized that dimethylethanolamine (DME) would be converted into PDME that might substitute for PC, and therefore abrogate the liver damage in the Pemt -/- mice fed a CD diet. We fed Pemt -/- mice either a CD diet, a CD diet supplemented with choline, or a CD diet supplemented with DME (CD + DME). Pemt -/- mice fed the CD diet developed severe liver failure by 4 days while CD + DME-fed mice developed severe liver failure by 5 days. The hepatic PC level in choline-supplemented (CS) mice was 67 +/- 4 nmol/mg protein, whereas the PC content was reduced in CD- and CD + DME-fed mice (49 +/- 3 and 30 +/- 3 nmol/mg protein, respectively). Upon supplementation of the CD diet with DME the amount of hepatic PDME was 81 +/- 9 nmol/mg protein so that the hepatic content of PC + PDME combined was 111 nmol/mg protein. Moreover, plasma apolipoprotein B100 and Al levels were markedly lower in mice fed the CD + DME diet compared to mice fed the CS diet, as was the plasma content of PC. Thus, despite replacement of the deficit in hepatic PC with PDME in Pemt -/- mice fed a CD diet, normal liver function was not restored. We conclude that although PC and PDME exhibit similar physical properties, the three methyl groups of choline are required for hepatic function in mice.

  3. Safety assessment of azelaic acid and its derivatives entrapped in nanovesicles.

    PubMed

    Panyosak, A; Manosroi, J; Rojanasakul, Y; Manosroi, A

    2009-06-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the safety of azelaic acid (AA) and its derivatives in nanovesicles for pharmaceutical and cosmetic uses. The hydrophilic property of AA was modified by complexing AA with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (AACD). The lipophilic property of AA was improved to diethyl azelate (DA) by esterification with Fischer reaction. AA, AACD and DA were entrapped in liposomes and niosomes with the compositions of L-alpha-dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol = 7:3 and Tween 61/cholesterol = 1:1, respectively, by chloroform film method with sonication. The size of the vesicles ranged from 50 to 200 nm, indicating nanosize characteristics. The cytotoxicity of AA, AACD and DA entrapped nanovesicular formulations on mouse epidermal cell lines (JB6, normal cell lines) by the sulforhodamine B assay was modest when compared with cisplatin. Blank liposomes and niosomes gave no growth inhibitory effect. The irritation of AA, AACD and DA entrapped and not entrapped in nanovesicles on rabbit skin was examined according to the Environmental Protection Agency health effect test guidelines. The results showed no signs of erythema or edema within 72 h. AA and its derivatives were safe for topical use when entrapped in nanovesicles because of no toxicity to normal cell lines and no allergy on rabbit skin.

  4. Role of the Phosphatidylserine Receptor TIM-1 in Enveloped-Virus Entry

    PubMed Central

    Moller-Tank, Sven; Kondratowicz, Andrew S.; Davey, Robert A.; Rennert, Paul D.

    2013-01-01

    The cell surface receptor T cell immunoglobulin mucin domain 1 (TIM-1) dramatically enhances filovirus infection of epithelial cells. Here, we showed that key phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) binding residues of the TIM-1 IgV domain are critical for Ebola virus (EBOV) entry through direct interaction with PtdSer on the viral envelope. PtdSer liposomes but not phosphatidylcholine liposomes competed with TIM-1 for EBOV pseudovirion binding and transduction. Further, annexin V (AnxV) substituted for the TIM-1 IgV domain, supporting a PtdSer-dependent mechanism. Our findings suggest that TIM-1-dependent uptake of EBOV occurs by apoptotic mimicry. Additionally, TIM-1 enhanced infection of a wide range of enveloped viruses, including alphaviruses and a baculovirus. As further evidence of the critical role of enveloped-virion-associated PtdSer in TIM-1-mediated uptake, TIM-1 enhanced internalization of pseudovirions and virus-like proteins (VLPs) lacking a glycoprotein, providing evidence that TIM-1 and PtdSer-binding receptors can mediate virus uptake independent of a glycoprotein. These results provide evidence for a broad role of TIM-1 as a PtdSer-binding receptor that mediates enveloped-virus uptake. Utilization of PtdSer-binding receptors may explain the wide tropism of many of these viruses and provide new avenues for controlling their virulence. PMID:23698310

  5. Identification of Altered Metabolomic Profiles Following a Panchakarma-based Ayurvedic Intervention in Healthy Subjects: The Self-Directed Biological Transformation Initiative (SBTI).

    PubMed

    Peterson, Christine Tara; Lucas, Joseph; John-Williams, Lisa St; Thompson, J Will; Moseley, M Arthur; Patel, Sheila; Peterson, Scott N; Porter, Valencia; Schadt, Eric E; Mills, Paul J; Tanzi, Rudolph E; Doraiswamy, P Murali; Chopra, Deepak

    2016-09-09

    The effects of integrative medicine practices such as meditation and Ayurveda on human physiology are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to identify altered metabolomic profiles following an Ayurveda-based intervention. In the experimental group, 65 healthy male and female subjects participated in a 6-day Panchakarma-based Ayurvedic intervention which included herbs, vegetarian diet, meditation, yoga, and massage. A set of 12 plasma phosphatidylcholines decreased (adjusted p < 0.01) post-intervention in the experimental (n = 65) compared to control group (n = 54) after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing; within these compounds, the phosphatidylcholine with the greatest decrease in abundance was PC ae C36:4 (delta = -0.34). Application of a 10% FDR revealed an additional 57 metabolites that were differentially abundant between groups. Pathway analysis suggests that the intervention results in changes in metabolites across many pathways such as phospholipid biosynthesis, choline metabolism, and lipoprotein metabolism. The observed plasma metabolomic alterations may reflect a Panchakarma-induced modulation of metabotypes. Panchakarma promoted statistically significant changes in plasma levels of phosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins and others in just 6 days. Forthcoming studies that integrate metabolomics with genomic, microbiome and physiological parameters may facilitate a broader systems-level understanding and mechanistic insights into these integrative practices that are employed to promote health and well-being.

  6. Enhanced Bioavailability of Curcumin Nanoemulsions Stabilized with Phosphatidylcholine Modified with Medium Chain Fatty Acids.

    PubMed

    Ochoa-Flores, Angélica A; Hernández-Becerra, Josafat A; Cavazos-Garduño, Adriana; Soto-Rodríguez, Ida; Sanchez-Otero, Maria Guadalupe; Vernon-Carter, Eduardo J; García, Hugo S

    2017-01-01

    Curcumin is a natural, oil-soluble polyphenolic compound with potent anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. In its free form, it is very poorly absorbed in the gut due to its very low solubility. The use of nanoemulsions as carrier is a feasible way for improving curcumin bioavailability. To this end, the choice of emulsifying agent for stabilizing the nanoemulsions is of the upmost importance for achieving a desired functionality. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidycholine enriched (PCE) with medium chain fatty acids (42.5 mol %) in combination with glycerol as co-surfactant, were used for preparing oil-in water nanoemulsions coded as NEPC and NEPCE, respectively. NEPCE displayed significantly smaller mean droplet size (30 nm), equal entrapment efficiency (100%), better droplet stability and suffered lower encapsulation efficiency loss (3%) during storage time (120 days, 4ºC) than NEPC. Bioavailability, measured in terms of area under the curve of curcumin concentration versus time, and maximum curcumin plasma concentration, was in general terms significantly higher for NEPCE than for NEPC, and for curcumin coarse aqueous suspension (CCS). Also, NEPCE produced significantly higher curcumin concentrations in liver and lung than NEPC and CCS. These data support the role of phosphatidylcholine enriched with medium chain fatty acids to increase the bioavailability of nanoemulsions for therapeutic applications. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  7. Binding and internalization of NGR-peptide-targeted liposomal doxorubicin (TVT-DOX) in CD13-expressing cells and its antitumor effects.

    PubMed

    Garde, Seema V; Forté, André J; Ge, Michael; Lepekhin, Eugene A; Panchal, Chandra J; Rabbani, Shafaat A; Wu, Jinzi J

    2007-11-01

    In an effort to develop new agents and molecular targets for the treatment of cancer, aspargine-glycine-arginine (NGR)-targeted liposomal doxorubicin (TVT-DOX) is being studied. The NGR peptide on the surface of liposomal doxorubicin (DOX) targets an aminopeptidase N (CD13) isoform, specific to the tumor neovasculature, making it a promising strategy. To further understand the molecular mechanisms of action, we investigated cell binding, kinetics of internalization as well as cytotoxicity of TVT-DOX in vitro. We demonstrate the specific binding of TVT-DOX to CD13-expressing endothelial [human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and Kaposi sarcoma-derived endothelial cells (SLK)] and tumor (fibrosarcoma, HT-1080) cells in vitro. Following binding, the drug was shown to internalize through the endosomal pathway, eventually leading to the localization of doxorubicin in cell nuclei. TVT-DOX showed selective toxicity toward CD13-expressing HUVEC, sparing the CD13-negative colon-cancer cells, HT-29. Additionally, the nontargeted counterpart of TVT-DOX, Caelyx, was less cytotoxic to the CD13-positive HUVECs demonstrating the advantages of NGR targeting in vitro. The antitumor activity of TVT-DOX was tested in nude mice bearing human prostate-cancer xenografts (PC3). A significant growth inhibition (up to 60%) of PC3 tumors in vivo was observed. Reduction of tumor vasculature following treatment with TVT-DOX was also apparent. We further compared the efficacies of TVT-DOX and free doxorubicin in the DOX-resistant colon-cancer model, HCT-116, and observed the more pronounced antitumor effects of the TVT-DOX formulation over free DOX. The potential utility of TVT-DOX in a variety of vascularized solid tumors is promising.

  8. Nanoscale Packing Differences in Sphingomyelin and Phosphatidylcholine Revealed by BODIPY Fluorescence in Monolayers: Physiological Implications

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Phosphatidycholines (PC) with two saturated acyl chains (e.g., dipalmitoyl) mimic natural sphingomyelin (SM) by promoting raft formation in model membranes. However, sphingoid-based lipids, such as SM, rather than saturated-chain PCs have been implicated as key components of lipid rafts in biomembranes. These observations raise questions about the physical packing properties of the phase states that can be formed by these two major plasma membrane lipids with identical phosphocholine headgroups. To investigate, we developed a monolayer platform capable of monitoring changes in surface fluorescence by acquiring multiple spectra during measurement of a lipid force–area isotherm. We relied on the concentration-dependent emission changes of 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY)-labeled PC to detect nanoscale alterations in lipid packing and phase state induced by monolayer lateral compression. The BODIPY-PC probe contained an indacene ring with four symmetrically located methyl (Me) substituents to enhance localization to the lipid hydrocarbon region. Surface fluorescence spectra indicated changes in miscibility even when force–area isotherms showed no deviation from ideal mixing behavior in the surface pressure versus cross-sectional molecular area response. We detected slightly better mixing of Me4-BODIPY-8-PC with the fluid-like, liquid expanded phase of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-PC compared to N-oleoyl-SM. Remarkably, in the gel-like, liquid condensed phase, Me4-BODIPY-8-PC mixed better with N-palmitoyl-SM than dipalmitoyl-PC, suggesting naturally abundant SMs with saturated acyl chains form gel-like lipid phase(s) with enhanced ability to accommodate deeply embedded components compared to dipalmitoyl-PC gel phase. The findings reveal a fundamental difference in the lateral packing properties of SM and PC that occurs even when their acyl chains match. PMID:24564829

  9. The Form of Choline in the Maternal Diet Affects Immune Development in Suckled Rat Offspring.

    PubMed

    Lewis, Erin D; Richard, Caroline; Goruk, Susan; Dellschaft, Neele S; Curtis, Jonathan M; Jacobs, René L; Field, Catherine J

    2016-04-01

    Lipid-soluble phosphatidylcholine (PC) and aqueous free choline are absorbed and metabolized differently, but the metabolic effects of feeding these 2 forms of choline have not been thoroughly investigated. We sought to compare the effects of PC and free choline in the maternal diet on the development of the offspring's immune system. During lactation, Sprague-Dawley dams (n= 10) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 diet groups containing the same concentration of total choline (1 g/kg diet) as free choline (choline bitartrate) or PC (egg lecithin). The splenocytes of pups aged 21 d were isolated and stimulated ex vivo with concanavalin A (ConA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the choline concentrations of stomach content, plasma, and the spleen were measured. Pups from PC-fed dams had a lower proportion of cells involved in antigen presentation but produced 54% more interleukin (IL)-2, 163% more IL-6, and 107% more IFN-γ after ConA stimulation and 110% more IL-6 and 43% more tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α after LPS stimulation (allP< 0.05). The PC concentrations were significantly higher in the plasma and spleen of pups from PC-fed dams (P< 0.05). Increasing the supply of PC in the form of lysophosphatidylcholine to splenocytes in vitro increased the rate of proliferation and IL-2 production and the surface expression of CD25, CD28, CD71, and CD152 on CD8+ T cells, suggesting 1 possible mechanism. The results of this study demonstrate that providing choline to rats in the form of PC (compared to free choline), possibly by increasing the supply of PC to the suckling pups, promotes maturation and improves function of the offspring's immune system. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  10. Liposomal flucytosine capped with gold nanoparticle formulations for improved ocular delivery

    PubMed Central

    Salem, Heba F; Ahmed, Sayed M; Omar, Mahmoud M

    2016-01-01

    Nanoliposomes have an organized architecture that provides versatile functions. In this study, liposomes were used as an ocular carrier for nanogold capped with flucytosine antifungal drug. Gold nanoparticles were used as a contrasting agent that provides tracking of the drug to the posterior segment of the eye for treating fungal intraocular endophthalmitis. The nanoliposomes were prepared with varying molar ratios of lecithin, cholesterol, Span 60, a positive charge inducer (stearylamine), and a negative charge inducer (dicetyl phosphate). Formulation F6 (phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, Span 60, and stearylamine at a molar ratio of 1:1:1:0.15) demonstrated the highest extent of drug released, which reached 7.043 mg/h. It had a zeta potential value of 42.5±2.12 mV and an average particle size approaching 135.1±12.0 nm. The ocular penetration of the selected nanoliposomes was evaluated in vivo using a computed tomography imaging technique. It was found that F6 had both the highest intraocular penetration depth (10.22±0.11 mm) as measured by the computed tomography and the highest antifungal efficacy when evaluated in vivo using 32 infected rabbits’ eyes. The results showed a strong correlation between the average intraocular penetration of the nanoparticles capped with flucytosine and the percentage of the eyes healed. After 4 weeks, all the infected eyes (n=8) were significantly healed (P<0.01) when treated with liposomal formulation F6. Overall, the nanoliposomes encapsulating flucytosine have been proven efficient in treating the infected rabbits’ eyes, which proves the efficiency of the nanoliposomes in delivering both the drug and the contrasting agent to the posterior segment of the eye. PMID:26834459

  11. Maximally asymmetric transbilayer distribution of anionic lipids alters the structure and interaction with lipids of an amyloidogenic protein dimer bound to the membrane surface.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Sara Y; Chou, George; Buie, Creighton; Vaughn, Mark W; Compton, Campbell; Cheng, Kwan H

    2016-03-01

    We used molecular dynamics simulations to explore the effects of asymmetric transbilayer distribution of anionic phosphatidylserine (PS) lipids on the structure of a protein on the membrane surface and subsequent protein-lipid interactions. Our simulation systems consisted of an amyloidogenic, beta-sheet rich dimeric protein (D42) absorbed to the phosphatidylcholine (PC) leaflet, or protein-contact PC leaflet, of two membrane systems: a single-component PC bilayer and double PC/PS bilayers. The latter comprised of a stable but asymmetric transbilayer distribution of PS in the presence of counterions, with a 1-component PC leaflet coupled to a 1-component PS leaflet in each bilayer. The maximally asymmetric PC/PS bilayer had a non-zero transmembrane potential (TMP) difference and higher lipid order packing, whereas the symmetric PC bilayer had a zero TMP difference and lower lipid order packing under physiologically relevant conditions. Analysis of the adsorbed protein structures revealed weaker protein binding, more folding in the N-terminal domain, more aggregation of the N- and C-terminal domains and larger tilt angle of D42 on the PC leaflet surface of the PC/PS bilayer versus the PC bilayer. Also, analysis of protein-induced membrane structural disruption revealed more localized bilayer thinning in the PC/PS versus PC bilayer. Although the electric field profile in the non-protein-contact PS leaflet of the PC/PS bilayer differed significantly from that in the non-protein-contact PC leaflet of the PC bilayer, no significant difference in the electric field profile in the protein-contact PC leaflet of either bilayer was evident. We speculate that lipid packing has a larger effect on the surface adsorbed protein structure than the electric field for a maximally asymmetric PC/PS bilayer. Our results support the mechanism that the higher lipid packing in a lipid leaflet promotes stronger protein-protein but weaker protein-lipid interactions for a dimeric protein on membrane surfaces. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Alpha-helical hydrophobic polypeptides form proton-selective channels in lipid bilayers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oliver, A. E.; Deamer, D. W.

    1994-01-01

    Proton translocation is important in membrane-mediated processes such as ATP-dependent proton pumps, ATP synthesis, bacteriorhodopsin, and cytochrome oxidase function. The fundamental mechanism, however, is poorly understood. To test the theoretical possibility that bundles of hydrophobic alpha-helices could provide a low energy pathway for ion translocation through the lipid bilayer, polyamino acids were incorporated into extruded liposomes and planar lipid membranes, and proton translocation was measured. Liposomes with incorporated long-chain poly-L-alanine or poly-L-leucine were found to have proton permeability coefficients 5 to 7 times greater than control liposomes, whereas short-chain polyamino acids had relatively little effect. Potassium permeability was not increased markedly by any of the polyamino acids tested. Analytical thin layer chromatography measurements of lipid content and a fluorescamine assay for amino acids showed that there were approximately 135 polyleucine or 65 polyalanine molecules associated with each liposome. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that a major fraction of the long-chain hydrophobic peptides existed in an alpha-helical conformation. Single-channel recording in both 0.1 N HCl and 0.1 M KCl was also used to determine whether proton-conducting channels formed in planar lipid membranes (phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine, 1:1). Poly-L-leucine and poly-L-alanine in HCl caused a 10- to 30-fold increase in frequency of conductive events compared to that seen in KCl or by the other polyamino acids in either solution. This finding correlates well with the liposome observations in which these two polyamino acids caused the largest increase in membrane proton permeability but had little effect on potassium permeability. Poly-L-leucine was considerably more conductive than poly-L-alanine due primarily to larger event amplitudes and, to a lesser extent, a higher event frequency. Poly-L-leucine caused two populations of conductive events, one in the 0.1-0.5 pA range, and one in the 1.0-5.0 pA range, whereas nearly all events caused by poly-L-alanine were in the 0.1-0.5 pA range at an applied voltage of +60 mV. The channel-like activity appeared to switch between conductive and nonconductive states, with most open-times in the range of 50-200 ms. We conclude that hydrophobic polyamino acids produce proton-conducting defects in lipid bilayers that may be used to model functional proton channels in biological membranes.

  13. The Recombinant Sea Urchin Immune Effector Protein, rSpTransformer-E1, Binds to Phosphatidic Acid and Deforms Membranes

    PubMed Central

    Lun, Cheng Man; Samuel, Robin L.; Gillmor, Susan D.; Boyd, Anthony; Smith, L. Courtney

    2017-01-01

    The purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, possesses a sophisticated innate immune system that functions without adaptive capabilities and responds to pathogens effectively by expressing the highly diverse SpTransformer gene family (formerly the Sp185/333 gene family). The swift gene expression response and the sequence diversity of SpTransformer cDNAs suggest that the encoded proteins have immune functions. Individual sea urchins can express up to 260 distinct SpTransformer proteins, and their diversity suggests that different versions may have different functions. Although the deduced proteins are diverse, they share an overall structure of a hydrophobic leader, a glycine-rich N-terminal region, a histidine-rich region, and a C-terminal region. Circular dichroism analysis of a recombinant SpTransformer protein, rSpTransformer-E1 (rSpTrf-E1) demonstrates that it is intrinsically disordered and transforms to α helical in the presence of buffer additives and binding targets. Although native SpTrf proteins are associated with the membranes of perinuclear vesicles in the phagocyte class of coelomocytes and are present on the surface of small phagocytes, they have no predicted transmembrane region or conserved site for glycophosphatidylinositol linkage. To determine whether native SpTrf proteins associate with phagocyte membranes through interactions with lipids, when rSpTrf-E1 is incubated with lipid-embedded nylon strips, it binds to phosphatidic acid (PA) through both the glycine-rich region and the histidine-rich region. Synthetic liposomes composed of PA and phosphatidylcholine show binding between rSpTrf-E1 and PA by fluorescence resonance energy transfer, which is associated with leakage of luminal contents suggesting changes in lipid organization and perhaps liposome lysis. Interactions with liposomes also change membrane curvature leading to liposome budding, fusion, and invagination, which is associated with PA clustering induced by rSpTrf-E1 binding. Longer incubations result in the extraction of PA from the liposomes, which form disorganized clusters. CD shows that when rSpTrf-E1 binds to PA, it changes its secondary structure from disordered to α helical. These results provide evidence for how SpTransformer proteins may associate with molecules that have exposed phosphates including PA on cell membranes and how the characteristic of protein multimerization may drive changes in the organization of membrane lipids. PMID:28553283

  14. A liposomal model that mimics the cutaneous production of vitamin D3. Studies of the mechanism of the membrane-enhanced thermal isomerization of previtamin D3 to vitamin D3

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tian, X. Q.; Holick, M. F.

    1999-01-01

    We reported previously that the rate of previtamin D3 (preD3) <==> vitamin D3 isomerization was enhanced by about 10 times in the skin compared with that in organic solvents. To elucidate the mechanism by which the rate of this reaction is enhanced in the skin, we developed a liposomal model that mimicked the enhanced isomerization of preD3 to vitamin D3 that was described in human skin. Using this model we studied the effect of changing the polarity of preD3 as well as changing the chain length and the degree of saturation of liposomal phospholipids on the kinetics of preD3 <==> vitamin D3 isomerization. We found that a decrease in the hydrophilic interaction of the preD3 with liposomal phospholipids by an esterification of the 3beta-hydroxy of preD3 (previtamin D3-3beta-acetate) reduced the rate of the isomerization by 67%. The addition of a hydroxyl on C-25 of the hydrophobic side chain (25-hydroxyprevitamin D3), which decreased the hydrophobic interaction of preD3 with the phospholipids, reduced the rate by 87%. In contrast, in an isotropic n-hexane solution, there was little difference among the rates of the conversion of preD3, its 3beta-acetate, and 25-hydroxy derivatives to their corresponding vitamin D3 compounds. We also determined rate constants (k) of preD3 <==> vitamin D3 isomerization in liposomes containing phosphatidylcholines with different carbon chain lengths. The rates of the reaction were found to be enhanced as the number of carbons (Cn) in the hydrocarbon chain of the phospholipids increased from 10 to 18. In conclusion, these results support our hypothesis that amphipathic interactions between preD3 and membrane phospholipids stabilize preD3 in its "cholesterol like" cZc-conformer, the only conformer of preD3 that can convert to vitamin D3. The stronger these interactions were, the more preD3 was likely in its cZc conformation at any moment and the faster was the rate of its conversion to vitamin D3.

  15. Comparative Study of Different Polar Groups of EPA-Enriched Phospholipids on Ameliorating Memory Loss and Cognitive Deficiency in Aged SAMP8 Mice.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Miao-Miao; Che, Hong-Xia; Huang, Jia-Qi; Zhang, Tian-Tian; Xu, Jie; Xue, Chang-Hu; Wang, Yu-Ming

    2018-04-01

    Recent studies have shown that omega-3 PUFAs enriched phospholipids (n-3 PUFA-PLs) have beneficial effects on memory and cognition. However, most reports only attribute the benefit to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and pay little attention to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). We investigate the effect of EPA-enriched phospholipids on cognitive deficiency in senescence-accelerated prone 8 (SAMP8) mouse. Ten-month-old SAMP8 mice are fed with 2% (w/w) EPA-enriched phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidyl ethanolamine (EPA-PC/PE; EPA:DHA = 46.8:3.01) or 2% EPA-enriched phosphatidylserine (EPA-PS; biosynthesized from EPA-PC/PE) for 8 weeks; we then test the behavioral performances in the Barnes maze test and Morris maze test; the changes of oxidative stress, apoptosis, neurotrophic factors, tau phosphorylation, and Aβ pathology are also measured. The results of behavior tests indicate that both EPA-PC/PE and EPA-PS significantly improve memory and cognitive deficiency. It is found that remarkable amelioration of oxidative stress and apoptosis occurs in both EPA-PC/PE and EPA-PS groups. EPA-PS shows more ameliorative effects than EPA-PC/PE on neurotrophic activity by decreasing hyper-phosphorylation of tau and depressing the generation and accumulation of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ). These data suggest that EPA-PS exhibits better effects than EPA-PC/PE on ameliorating memory and cognitive function, which might be attributed to the phospholipid polar groups. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Identification of Biomarkers of Necrosis in Xenografts Using Imaging Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernández, Roberto; Garate, Jone; Lage, Sergio; Terés, Silvia; Higuera, Mónica; Bestard-Escalas, Joan; López, Daniel H.; Guardiola-Serrano, Francisca; Escribá, Pablo V.; Barceló-Coblijn, Gwendolyn; Fernández, José A.

    2016-02-01

    Xenografts are commonly used to test the effect of new drugs on human cancer. However, because of their heterogeneity, analysis of the results is often controversial. Part of the problem originates in the existence of tumor cells at different metabolic stages: from metastatic to necrotic cells, as it happens in real tumors. Imaging mass spectrometry is an excellent solution for the analysis of the results as it yields detailed information not only on the composition of the tissue but also on the distribution of the biomolecules within the tissue. Here, we use imaging mass spectrometry to determine the distribution of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and their plasmanyl- and plasmenylether derivatives (PC-P/O and PE-P/O) in xenografts of five different tumor cell lines: A-549, NCI-H1975, BX-PC3, HT29, and U-87 MG. The results demonstrate that the necrotic areas showed a higher abundance of Na+ adducts and of PC-P/O species, whereas a large abundance of PE-P/O species was found in all the xenografts. Thus, the PC/PC-ether and Na+/K+ ratios may highlight the necrotic areas while an increase on the number of PE-ether species may be pointing to the existence of viable tumor tissues. Furthermore, the existence of important changes in the concentration of Na+ and K+ adducts between different tissues has to be taken into account while interpreting the imaging mass spectrometry results.

  17. Lipidomics profiling reveals the role of glycerophospholipid metabolism in psoriasis.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Chunwei; Wen, Bo; Hou, Guixue; Lei, Li; Mei, Zhanlong; Jia, Xuekun; Chen, Xiaomin; Zhu, Wu; Li, Jie; Kuang, Yehong; Zeng, Weiqi; Su, Juan; Liu, Siqi; Peng, Cong; Chen, Xiang

    2017-10-01

    Psoriasis is a common and chronic inflammatory skin disease that is complicated by gene-environment interactions. Although genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses have been performed to investigate the pathogenesis of psoriasis, the role of metabolites in psoriasis, particularly of lipids, remains unclear. Lipids not only comprise the bulk of the cellular membrane bilayers but also regulate a variety of biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, immunity, angiogenesis, and inflammation. In this study, an untargeted lipidomics approach was used to study the lipid profiles in psoriasis and to identify lipid metabolite signatures for psoriasis through ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. Plasma samples from 90 participants (45 healthy and 45 psoriasis patients) were collected and analyzed. Statistical analysis was applied to find different metabolites between the disease and healthy groups. In addition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to validate differentially expressed lipids in psoriatic patient plasma. Finally, we identified differential expression of several lipids including lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidic acid (PA); among these metabolites, LPA, LysoPC, and PA were significantly increased, while PC and PI were down-regulated in psoriasis patients. We found that elements of glycerophospholipid metabolism such as LPA, LysoPC, PA, PI, and PC were significantly altered in the plasma of psoriatic patients; this study characterizes the circulating lipids in psoriatic patients and provides novel insight into the role of lipids in psoriasis. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

  18. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Martinson, E.A.; Goldstein, D.; Brown, J.H.

    We examined the relationship between phosphatidylcholine (PC) hydrolysis, phosphoinositide hydrolysis, and diacylglycerol (DAG) formation in response to muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) stimulation in 1321N1 astrocytoma cells. Carbachol increases the release of (3H)choline and (3H)phosphorylcholine ((3H)Pchol) from cells containing (3H)choline-labeled PC. The production of Pchol is rapid and transient, while choline production continues for at least 30 min. mAChR-stimulated release of Pchol is reduced in cells that have been depleted of intracellular Ca2+ stores by ionomycin pretreatment, whereas choline release is unaffected by this pretreatment. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) increases the release of choline, but not Pchol, from 1321N1 cells, andmore » down-regulation of protein kinase C blocks the ability of carbachol to stimulate choline production. Taken together, these results suggest that Ca2+ mobilization is involved in mAChR-mediated hydrolysis of PC by a phospholipase C, whereas protein kinase C activation is required for mAChR-stimulated hydrolysis of PC by a phospholipase D. Both carbachol and PMA rapidly increase the formation of (3H)phosphatidic acid ((3H)PA) in cells containing (3H)myristate-labeled PC. (3H)Diacylglycerol ((3H)DAG) levels increase more slowly, suggesting that the predominant pathway for PC hydrolysis is via phospholipase D. When cells are labeled with (3H)myristate and (14C)arachidonate such that there is a much greater 3H/14C ratio in PC compared with the phosphoinositides, the 3H/14C ratio in DAG and PA increases with PMA treatment but decreases in response to carbachol.« less

  19. Thermal Response Analysis of Phospholipid Bilayers Using Ellipsometric Techniques.

    PubMed

    González-Henríquez, Carmen M; Villegas-Opazo, Vanessa A; Sagredo-Oyarce, Dallits H; Sarabia-Vallejos, Mauricio A; Terraza, Claudio A

    2017-08-18

    Biomimetic planar artificial membranes have been widely studied due to their multiple applications in several research fields. Their humectation and thermal response are crucial for reaching stability; these characteristics are related to the molecular organization inside the bilayer, which is affected by the aliphatic chain length, saturations, and molecule polarity, among others. Bilayer stability becomes a fundamental factor when technological devices are developed-like biosensors-based on those systems. Thermal studies were performed for different types of phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecules: two pure PC bilayers and four binary PC mixtures. These analyses were carried out through the detection of slight changes in their optical and structural parameters via Ellipsometry and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) techniques. Phospholipid bilayers were prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett technique and deposited over a hydrophilic silicon wafer. Their molecular inclination degree, mobility, and stability of the different phases were detected and analyzed through bilayer thickness changes and their optical phase-amplitude response. Results show that certain binary lipid mixtures-with differences in its aliphatic chain length-present a co-existence of two thermal responses due to non-ideal mixing.

  20. Influence of membrane phospholipid composition and structural organization on spontaneous lipid transfer between membranes.

    PubMed

    Pankov, R; Markovska, T; Antonov, P; Ivanova, L; Momchilova, A

    2006-09-01

    Investigations were carried out on the influence of phospholipid composition of model membranes on the processes of spontaneous lipid transfer between membranes. Acceptor vesicles were prepared from phospholipids extracted from plasma membranes of control and ras-transformed fibroblasts. Acceptor model membranes with manipulated levels of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin and phosphatidic acid were also used in the studies. Donor vesicles were prepared of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and contained two fluorescent lipid analogues, NBD-PC and N-Rh-PE, at a self-quenching concentration. Lipid transfer rate was assessed by measuring the increase of fluorescence in acceptor membranes due to transfer of fluorescent lipid analogues from quenched donor to unquenched acceptor vesicles. The results showed that spontaneous NBD-PC transfer increased upon fluidization of acceptor vesicles. In addition, elevation of PE concentration in model membranes was also accompanied by an increase of lipid transfer to all series of acceptor vesicles. The results are discussed with respect to the role of lipid composition and structural order of cellular plasma membranes in the processes of spontaneous lipid exchange between membrane bilayers.

  1. Effect of Thermal Processing towards Lipid Oxidation and Non-enzymatic Browning Reactions of Antartic Krill (Euphausia superba) Meal.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yanzi; Cong, Peixu; Li, Beijia; Song, Yu; Liu, Yanjun; Xu, Jie; Xue, Changhu

    2018-04-13

    Antarctic krill is a huge source of biomass and prospective high-quality lipid source. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), nutritionally important lipid components with poor oxidative stability, were used as markers of oxidation during thermal processing of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) meal by evaluating the lipolysis, lipid oxidation, and non-enzymatic browning reactions. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of the phospholipids (PLs) and the main oxidation products of free fatty acids (FFAs) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) was effective for evaluating the oxidation of EPA and DHA. During boiling, oxidation of EPA and DHA in the FFA and PC fractions and hydrolysis of the fatty acids at the sn-2 position of the PLs were predominant. The changes in PC during drying were mainly attributed to the oxidation of EPA and DHA. Heat treatment increased the oxidation products and concentration of hydrophobic pyrrole owing to pyrrolization between phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and the lipid oxidation products. The lipid oxidation level of Antarctic krill increased after drying, owing to prolonged heating under the severe conditions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  2. Trp53 deficient mice predisposed to preterm birth display region-specific lipid alterations at the embryo implantation site

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lanekoff, Ingela; Cha, Jeeyeon; Kyle, Jennifer E.

    Here we demonstrate that conditional deletion of mouse uterine Trp53 (p53d/d), molecularly linked to mTORC1 activation and causally linked to premature uterine senescence and preterm birth, results in aberrant lipid signatures within the heterogeneous cell types of embryo implantation sites on day 8 of pregnancy. In situ nanospray desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (nano-DESI MSI) was used to characterize the molecular speciation of free fatty acids, monoacylglycerols, unmodified and oxidized phosphatidylcholine (PC/Ox-PC), and diacylglycerol (DG) species within implantation sites of p53d/d mice and floxed littermates. Implantation sites from p53d/d mice exhibited distinct spatially resolved changes demonstrating accumulation of DGmore » species, depletion of Ox-PC species, and increase in species with more unsaturated acyl chains, including arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid. Understanding abnormal changes in the abundance and localization of individual lipid species early in the progression to premature birth is important for discovering novel targets for treatments and diagnosis.« less

  3. Lysophosphatidylcholine Regulates Sexual Stage Differentiation in the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

    PubMed

    Brancucci, Nicolas M B; Gerdt, Joseph P; Wang, ChengQi; De Niz, Mariana; Philip, Nisha; Adapa, Swamy R; Zhang, Min; Hitz, Eva; Niederwieser, Igor; Boltryk, Sylwia D; Laffitte, Marie-Claude; Clark, Martha A; Grüring, Christof; Ravel, Deepali; Blancke Soares, Alexandra; Demas, Allison; Bopp, Selina; Rubio-Ruiz, Belén; Conejo-Garcia, Ana; Wirth, Dyann F; Gendaszewska-Darmach, Edyta; Duraisingh, Manoj T; Adams, John H; Voss, Till S; Waters, Andrew P; Jiang, Rays H Y; Clardy, Jon; Marti, Matthias

    2017-12-14

    Transmission represents a population bottleneck in the Plasmodium life cycle and a key intervention target of ongoing efforts to eradicate malaria. Sexual differentiation is essential for this process, as only sexual parasites, called gametocytes, are infective to the mosquito vector. Gametocyte production rates vary depending on environmental conditions, but external stimuli remain obscure. Here, we show that the host-derived lipid lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) controls P. falciparum cell fate by repressing parasite sexual differentiation. We demonstrate that exogenous LysoPC drives biosynthesis of the essential membrane component phosphatidylcholine. LysoPC restriction induces a compensatory response, linking parasite metabolism to the activation of sexual-stage-specific transcription and gametocyte formation. Our results reveal that malaria parasites can sense and process host-derived physiological signals to regulate differentiation. These data close a critical knowledge gap in parasite biology and introduce a major component of the sexual differentiation pathway in Plasmodium that may provide new approaches for blocking malaria transmission. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Trp53 deficient mice predisposed to preterm birth display region-specific lipid alterations at the embryo implantation site

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lanekoff, Ingela; Cha, Jeeyeon; Kyle, Jennifer E.; Dey, Sudhansu K.; Laskin, Julia; Burnum-Johnson, Kristin E.

    2016-09-01

    Here we demonstrate that conditional deletion of mouse uterine Trp53 (p53d/d), molecularly linked to mTORC1 activation and causally linked to premature uterine senescence and preterm birth, results in aberrant lipid signatures within the heterogeneous cell types of embryo implantation sites on day 8 of pregnancy. In situ nanospray desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (nano-DESI MSI) was used to characterize the molecular speciation of free fatty acids, monoacylglycerol species, unmodified and oxidized phosphatidylcholine (PC/Ox-PC), and diacylglycerol (DG) species within implantation sites of p53d/d mice and floxed littermates. Implantation sites from p53d/d mice exhibited distinct spatially resolved changes demonstrating accumulation of DG species, depletion of Ox-PC species, and increase in species with more unsaturated acyl chains, including arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid. Understanding abnormal changes in the abundance and localization of individual lipid species early in the progression to premature birth is an important step toward discovering novel targets for treatments and diagnosis.

  5. Alterations in wheat pollen lipidome during high day and night temperature stress.

    PubMed

    Narayanan, Sruthi; Prasad, P V Vara; Welti, Ruth

    2018-01-26

    Understanding the adaptive changes in wheat pollen lipidome under high temperature (HT) stress is critical to improving seed set and developing HT tolerant wheat varieties. We measured 89 pollen lipid species under optimum and high day and/or night temperatures using electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry in wheat plants. The pollen lipidome had a distinct composition compared with that of leaves. Unlike in leaves, 34:3 and 36:6 species dominated the composition of extraplastidic phospholipids in pollen under optimum and HT conditions. The most HT-responsive lipids were extraplastidic phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidic acid, and phosphatidylserine. The unsaturation levels of the extraplastidic phospholipids decreased through the decreases in the levels of 18:3 and increases in the levels of 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, and 18:2 acyl chains. PC and PE were negatively correlated. Higher PC:PE at HT indicated possible PE-to-PC conversion, lower PE formation, or increased PE degradation, relative to PC. Correlation analysis revealed lipids experiencing coordinated metabolism under HT and confirmed the HT responsiveness of extraplastidic phospholipids. Comparison of the present results on wheat pollen with results of our previous research on wheat leaves suggests that similar lipid changes contribute to HT adaptation in both leaves and pollen, though the lipidomes have inherently distinct compositions. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Higher efficacy of dietary DHA provided as a phospholipid than as a triglyceride for brain DHA accretion in neonatal piglets

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Lei; Bartke, Nana; Van Daele, Hans; Lawrence, Peter; Qin, Xia; Park, Hui Gyu; Kothapalli, Kumar; Windust, Anthony; Bindels, Jacques; Wang, Zhe; Brenna, J. Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Long-chain PUFAs (LCPUFAs) occur in foods primarily in the natural lipid classes, triacylglycerols (TAGs) or phospholipids (PLs). We studied the relative efficacy of the neural omega-3 DHA provided in formula to growing piglets as a dose of 13C-DHA bound to either TAG or phosphatidylcholine (PC). Piglets were assigned to identical formula-based diets from early life and provided with TAG-13C-DHA or PC-13C-DHA orally at 16 days. Days later, piglet organs were analyzed for 13C-DHA and other FA metabolites. PC-13C-DHA was 1.9-fold more efficacious for brain gray matter DHA accretion than TAG-13C-DHA, and was similarly more efficacious in gray matter synaptosomes, retina, liver, and red blood cells (RBCs). Liver labeling was greatest, implying initial processing in that organ followed by export to other organs, and suggesting that transfer from gut to bloodstream to liver in part drove the difference in relative efficacy for tissue accretion. Apparent retroconversion to 22:5n-3 was more than double for PC-13C-DHA and was more prominent in neural tissue than in liver or RBCs. These data directly support greater efficacy for PC as a carrier for LCPUFAs compared with TAG, consistent with previous studies of arachidonic acid and DHA measured in other species. PMID:24470588

  7. Disparate effects of oxidation on plasma acyltransferase activities: inhibition of cholesterol esterification but stimulation of transesterification of oxidized phospholipids.

    PubMed

    Subbaiah, P V; Liu, M

    1996-05-31

    Oxidation of lipoproteins results in the formation of several polar phospholipids with pro-inflammatory and pro-atherogenic properties. To examine the possible role of lecithin/cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in the metabolism of these oxidized phospholipids, we oxidized whole plasma with either Cu(2+) or a free-radical generator, and determined the various activities of LCAT. Oxidation caused a reduction in plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC), an increase in a short-chain polar PC (SCP-PC), and an inhibition of the transfer of long-chain acyl groups to cholesterol (LCAT activity) or to lyso PC (lysolecithin acyltransferase (LAT) I activity). However, the transfer of short-chain acyl groups from SCP-PC to lyso PCLAT II activity) was stimulated several fold, in direct correlation with the degree of oxidation. LAT II activity was not stimulated by oxidation in LCAT-deficient plasma, showing that it is carried out by LCAT. Oxidized normal plasma exhibited low LCAT activity even in the presence of exogenous proteoliposome substrate, indicating that the depletion of substrate PC was not responsible for the loss of activity. Oxidation of isolated LDL or HDL abolished their ability to support LCAT and LAT I activities of exogenous enzyme, but promoted the LAT II activity. Purified LCAT lost its LCAT and LAT I functions, but not its LAT II function, when oxidized in vitro. These results show that while oxidation of plasma causes a loss of LCAT's ability to transfer long-chain acyl groups, its ability to transfer short-chain acyl groups, from SCP-PC is retained, and even stimulated, suggesting that LCAT may have a physiological role in the metabolism of oxidized PC in plasma.

  8. Metabolic Regulation of Invadopodia and Invasion by Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase 1 and De novo Lipogenesis

    PubMed Central

    Scott, Kristen E. N.; Wheeler, Frances B.; Davis, Amanda L.; Thomas, Michael J.; Ntambi, James M.; Seals, Darren F.; Kridel, Steven J.

    2012-01-01

    Invadopodia are membrane protrusions that facilitate matrix degradation and cellular invasion. Although lipids have been implicated in several aspects of invadopodia formation, the contributions of de novo fatty acid synthesis and lipogenesis have not been defined. Inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), the committed step of fatty acid synthesis, reduced invadopodia formation in Src-transformed 3T3 (3T3-Src) cells, and also decreased the ability to degrade gelatin. Inhibition of fatty acid synthesis through AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) activation and ACC phosphorylation also decreased invadopodia incidence. The addition of exogenous 16∶0 and 18∶1 fatty acid, products of de novo fatty acid synthesis, restored invadopodia and gelatin degradation to cells with decreased ACC1 activity. Pharmacological inhibition of ACC also altered the phospholipid profile of 3T3-Src cells, with the majority of changes occurring in the phosphatidylcholine (PC) species. Exogenous supplementation with the most abundant PC species, 34∶1 PC, restored invadopodia incidence, the ability to degrade gelatin and the ability to invade through matrigel to cells deficient in ACC1 activity. On the other hand, 30∶0 PC did not restore invadopodia and 36∶2 PC only restored invadopodia incidence and gelatin degradation, but not cellular invasion through matrigel. Pharmacological inhibition of ACC also reduced the ability of MDA-MB-231 breast, Snb19 glioblastoma, and PC-3 prostate cancer cells to invade through matrigel. Invasion of PC-3 cells through matrigel was also restored by 34∶1 PC supplementation. Collectively, the data elucidate the novel metabolic regulation of invadopodia and the invasive process by de novo fatty acid synthesis and lipogenesis. PMID:22238651

  9. Eicosapentaenoic Acid-Enriched Phosphatidylcholine Attenuated Hepatic Steatosis Through Regulation of Cholesterol Metabolism in Rats with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yanjun; Shi, Di; Tian, Yingying; Liu, Yuntao; Zhan, Qiping; Xu, Jie; Wang, Jingfeng; Xue, Changhu

    2017-02-01

    Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the world. Disturbed cholesterol metabolism plays a crucial role in the development of NAFLD. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of EPA-PC extracted from sea cucumber on liver steatosis and cholesterol metabolism in NAFLD. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups (normal control group, model group, lovastatin group, low- and high-dose EPA groups, and low- and high-dose EPA-PC groups). Model rats were established by administering a diet containing 1% orotic acid. To determine the possible cholesterol metabolism promoting mechanism of EPA-PC, we analyzed the transcription of key genes and transcriptional factors involved in hepatic cholesterol metabolism. EPA-PC dramatically alleviated hepatic lipid accumulation, reduced the serum TC concentration, and elevated HDLC levels in NAFLD rats. Fecal neutral cholesterol excretion was also promoted by EPA-PC administration. Additionally, EPA-PC decreased the mRNA expression of hydroxymethyl glutaric acid acyl (HMGR) and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A), and increased the transcription of sterol carrying protein 2 (SCP2). Moreover, EPA-PC stimulated the transcription of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor α (PPARα) and adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) as well as its modulators, liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase (CAMKK). Based on the results, the promoting effects of EPA-PC on NAFLD may be partly associated with the suppression of cholesterol synthesis via HMGR inhibition and the enhancement of fecal cholesterol excretion through increased SCP2 transcription. The underlying mechanism may involve stimulation of PPARα and AMPK.

  10. Trans unsaturated fatty acids inhibit lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase and alter its positional specificity.

    PubMed

    Subbaiah, P V; Subramanian, V S; Liu, M

    1998-07-01

    Although dietary trans unsaturated fatty acids (TUFA) are known to decrease plasma HDL, the underlying mechanisms for this effect are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that the decreased HDL is due to an inhibition of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), the enzyme essential for the formation of HDL, by determining the activity of purified LCAT in the presence of synthetic phosphatidylcholine (PC) substrates containing TUFA. Both human and rat LCATs exhibited significantly lower activity (-37% to -50%) with PCs containing 18:1t or 18:2t, when compared with the PCs containing corresponding cis isomers. TUFA-containing PCs also inhibited the enzyme activity competitively, when added to egg PC substrate. The inhibition of LCAT activity was not due to changes in the fluidity of the substrate particle. However, the inhibition depended on the position occupied by TUFA in the PC, as well as on the paired fatty acid. Thus, for human LCAT, 18:1t was more inhibitory when present at sn-2 position of PC, than at sn-1, when paired with 16:0. In contrast, when paired with 20:4, 18:1t was more inhibitory at sn-1 position of PC. Both human and rat LCATs, which are normally specific for the sn-2 acyl group of PC, exhibited an alteration in their positional specificity when 16:0-18:1t PC or 16:1t-20:4 PC was used as substrate, deriving 26-86% of the total acyl groups for cholesterol esterification from the sn-1 position. These results show that the trans fatty acids decrease high density lipoprotein through their inhibition of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity, and also alter LCAT's positional specificity, inducing the formation of more saturated cholesteryl esters, which are more atherogenic.

  11. Lipid composition and emulsifying properties of canola lecithin from enzymatic degumming.

    PubMed

    Xie, Meizhen; Dunford, Nurhan Turgut

    2017-03-01

    This study investigated the polar lipid composition and emulsifying properties of canola lecithin from enzymatic degumming (CLED). Phospholipase A 1 was used for enzymatic degumming of crude canola oil to collect lecithin sample. Canola lecithin from water degumming (CLWD) was also collected and served as the control. The results showed that the contents of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (2.99%) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) (6.59%) in CLED were significantly lower than that in CLWD (PE 15.55% and PC 21.93%); while the content of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) (19.45%) in CLED was significantly higher than that in CLWD (3.27%). Unsaturated fatty acids accounted for a higher percentage of the total fatty acids in CLED than in CLWD. CLED promoted more stable o/w emulsions than CLWD. This study provides a better understanding of the chemical nature of CLED, and important information for utilization of CLED as o/w emulsifier. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Aqueous-Solid System for Highly Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Transphosphatidylation Catalyzed by Phospholipase D To Produce Phosphatidylserine.

    PubMed

    Li, Binglin; Wang, Jiao; Zhang, Xiaoli; Zhao, Binxia; Niu, Lu

    2016-10-12

    The purely aqueous system of phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated transphosphatidylation using pre-existing carriers for the adsorption of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to act as an "artificial interface" was introduced to replace the liquid-liquid system. Toxic organic solvents are avoided during the reaction, and the free enzyme can be simply reused by centrifugation. Special attention has been paid to the effect of the pore diameter and surface area of silica gel 60H covered with PC molecules on the yield of phosphatidylserine (PS). Results indicated that the highest PS yield of 99.5% was achieved. Moreover, 73.6% of the yield of PS was obtained after being used for six batches. This is the first description of the remarkably high reusability of free enzymes for enzymatic synthesis of PS as well. The excellent results make the aqueous-solid system more promising candidates for the industrial production of PS.

  13. Egg Phospholipids and Cardiovascular Health

    PubMed Central

    Blesso, Christopher N.

    2015-01-01

    Eggs are a major source of phospholipids (PL) in the Western diet. Dietary PL have emerged as a potential source of bioactive lipids that may have widespread effects on pathways related to inflammation, cholesterol metabolism, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function. Based on pre-clinical studies, egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin appear to regulate cholesterol absorption and inflammation. In clinical studies, egg PL intake is associated with beneficial changes in biomarkers related to HDL reverse cholesterol transport. Recently, egg PC was shown to be a substrate for the generation of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a gut microbe-dependent metabolite associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. More research is warranted to examine potential serum TMAO responses with chronic egg ingestion and in different populations, such as diabetics. In this review, the recent basic science, clinical, and epidemiological findings examining egg PL intake and risk of CVD are summarized. PMID:25871489

  14. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rantalainen, Kimmo I.; Christensen, Peter A.; Hafren, Anders

    The viral genome-linked protein (VPg) of Potato virus A (PVA) is a multifunctional protein that belongs to a class of intrinsically disordered proteins. Typically, this type of protein gains a more stable structure upon interactions or posttranslational modifications. In a membrane lipid strip overlay binding assay, PVA VPg was found to bind phosphatidylserine (PS), but not phosphatidylcholine (PC). According to circular dichroism spectroscopy, the secondary structure of PVA VPg was stabilized upon interactions with PS and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), but not with PC vesicles. It is possible that this stabilization favored the formation of alpha-helical structures. Limited tryptic digestion showed thatmore » the interaction with anionic vesicles protected certain, otherwise accessible, trypsin cleavage sites. An electron microscopy study revealed that interaction with VPg substantially increased the vesicle diameter and caused the formation of pore or plaque-like electron dense spots on the vesicle surface, which gradually led to disruption of the vesicles.« less

  15. The lipidome in major depressive disorder: Shared genetic influence for ether-phosphatidylcholines, a plasma-based phenotype related to inflammation, and disease risk.

    PubMed

    Knowles, E E M; Huynh, K; Meikle, P J; Göring, H H H; Olvera, R L; Mathias, S R; Duggirala, R; Almasy, L; Blangero, J; Curran, J E; Glahn, D C

    2017-06-01

    The lipidome is rapidly garnering interest in the field of psychiatry. Recent studies have implicated lipidomic changes across numerous psychiatric disorders. In particular, there is growing evidence that the concentrations of several classes of lipids are altered in those diagnosed with MDD. However, for lipidomic abnormalities to be considered potential treatment targets for MDD (rather than secondary manifestations of the disease), a shared etiology between lipid concentrations and MDD should be demonstrated. In a sample of 567 individuals from 37 extended pedigrees (average size 13.57 people, range=3-80), we used mass spectrometry lipidomic measures to evaluate the genetic overlap between twenty-three biologically distinct lipid classes and a dimensional scale of MDD. We found that the lipid class with the largest endophenotype ranking value (ERV, a standardized parametric measure of pleiotropy) were ether-phosphodatidylcholines (alkylphosphatidylcholine, PC(O) and alkenylphosphatidylcholine, PC(P) subclasses). Furthermore, we examined the cluster structure of the twenty-five species within the top-ranked lipid class, and the relationship of those clusters with MDD. This analysis revealed that species containing arachidonic acid generally exhibited the greatest degree of genetic overlap with MDD. This study is the first to demonstrate a shared genetic etiology between MDD and ether-phosphatidylcholine species containing arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that is a precursor to inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandins. The study highlights the potential utility of the well-characterized linoleic/arachidonic acid inflammation pathway as a diagnostic marker and/or treatment target for MDD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. Substance P Activates Ca2+-Permeable Nonselective Cation Channels through a Phosphatidylcholine-Specific Phospholipase C Signaling Pathway in nNOS-Expressing GABAergic Neurons in Visual Cortex.

    PubMed

    Endo, Toshiaki; Yanagawa, Yuchio; Komatsu, Yukio

    2016-02-01

    To understand the functions of the neocortex, it is essential to characterize the properties of neurons constituting cortical circuits. Here, we focused on a distinct group of GABAergic neurons that are defined by a specific colocalization of intense labeling for both neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and substance P (SP) receptor [neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptors]. We investigated the mechanisms of the SP actions on these neurons in visual cortical slices obtained from young glutamate decarboxylase 67-green fluorescent protein knock-in mice. Bath application of SP induced a nonselective cation current leading to depolarization that was inhibited by the NK1 antagonists in nNOS-immunopositive neurons. Ruthenium red and La(3+), transient receptor potential (TRP) channel blockers, suppressed the SP-induced current. The SP-induced current was mediated by G proteins and suppressed by D609, an inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC), but not by inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-specific PLC, adenylate cyclase or Src tyrosine kinases. Ca(2+) imaging experiments under voltage clamp showed that SP induced a rise in intracellular Ca(2+) that was abolished by removal of extracellular Ca(2+) but not by depletion of intracellular Ca(2+) stores. These results suggest that SP regulates nNOS neurons by activating TRP-like Ca(2+)-permeable nonselective cation channels through a PC-PLC-dependent signaling pathway. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Insight into NSAID-induced membrane alterations, pathogenesis and therapeutics: characterization of interaction of NSAIDs with phosphatidylcholine.

    PubMed

    Lichtenberger, Lenard M; Zhou, Yong; Jayaraman, Vasanthi; Doyen, Janice R; O'Neil, Roger G; Dial, Elizabeth J; Volk, David E; Gorenstein, David G; Boggara, Mohan Babu; Krishnamoorti, Ramanan

    2012-07-01

    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most widely consumed pharmaceuticals, yet both the mechanisms involved in their therapeutic actions and side-effects, notably gastrointestinal (GI) ulceration/bleeding, have not been clearly defined. In this study, we have used a number of biochemical, structural, computational and biological systems including; Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR). Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, and cell culture using a specific fluorescent membrane probe, to demonstrate that NSAIDs have a strong affinity to form ionic and hydrophobic associations with zwitterionic phospholipids, and specifically phosphatidylcholine (PC), that are reversible and non-covalent in nature. We propose that the pH-dependent partition of these potent anti-inflammatory drugs into the phospholipid bilayer, and possibly extracellular mono/multilayers present on the luminal interface of the mucus gel layer, may result in profound changes in the hydrophobicity, fluidity, permeability, biomechanical properties and stability of these membranes and barriers. These changes may not only provide an explanation of how NSAIDs induce surface injury to the GI mucosa as a component in the pathogenic mechanism leading to peptic ulceration and bleeding, but potentially an explanation for a number of (COX-independent) biological actions of this family of pharmaceuticals. This insight also has proven useful in the design and development of a novel class of PC-associated NSAIDs that have reduced GI toxicity while maintaining their essential therapeutic efficacy to inhibit pain and inflammation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Comprehensive analysis of phospholipids in the brain, heart, kidney, and liver: brain phospholipids are least enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids.

    PubMed

    Choi, Jaewoo; Yin, Tai; Shinozaki, Koichiro; Lampe, Joshua W; Stevens, Jan F; Becker, Lance B; Kim, Junhwan

    2018-05-01

    It is commonly accepted that brain phospholipids are highly enriched with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, the evidence for this remains unclear. We used HPLC-MS to analyze the content and composition of phospholipids in rat brain and compared it to the heart, kidney, and liver. Phospholipids typically contain one PUFA, such as 18:2, 20:4, or 22:6, and one saturated fatty acid, such as 16:0 or 18:0. However, we found that brain phospholipids containing monounsaturated fatty acids in the place of PUFAs are highly elevated compared to phospholipids in the heart, kidney, and liver. The relative content of phospholipid containing PUFAs is ~ 60% in the brain, whereas it is over 90% in other tissues. The most abundant species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) is PC(16:0/18:1) in the brain, whereas PC(18:0/20:4) and PC(16:0/20:4) are predominated in other tissues. Moreover, several major species of plasmanyl and plasmenyl phosphatidylethanolamine are found to contain monounsaturated fatty acid in the brain only. Overall, our data clearly show that brain phospholipids are the least enriched with PUFAs of the four major organs, challenging the common belief that the brain is highly enriched with PUFAs.

  19. Sodium channel from rat brain. Reconstitution of voltage-dependent scorpion toxin binding in vesicles of defined lipid composition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Feller, D.J.; Talvenheimo, J.A.; Catterall, W.A.

    1985-09-25

    Purified sodium channels incorporated into phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles mediate neurotoxin-activated SSNa influx but do not bind the alpha-scorpion toxin from Leiurus quinquestriatus (LqTx) with high affinity. Addition of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) or phosphatidylserine to the reconstitution mixture restores high affinity LqTx binding with KD = 1.9 nM for PC/PE vesicles at -90 mV and 36 degrees C in sucrose-substituted medium. Other lipids tested were markedly less effective. The binding of LqTx in vesicles of PC/PE (65:35) is sensitive to both the membrane potential formed by sodium gradients across the reconstituted vesicle membrane and the cation concentration in the extravesicular medium. Bindingmore » of LqTx is reduced 3- to 4-fold upon depolarization to 0 mV from -50 to -60 mV in experiments in which (Na+)out/(Na+)in is varied by changing (Na+)in or (Na+)out at constant extravesicular ionic strength. It is concluded that the purified sodium channel contains the receptor site for LqTx in functional form and that restoration of high affinity, voltage-dependent binding of LqTx by the purified sodium channel requires an appropriate ratio of PC to PE and/or phosphatidylserine in the vesicle membrane.« less

  20. Characteristics and anti-proliferative activity of azelaic acid and its derivatives entrapped in bilayer vesicles in cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Manosroi, Aranya; Panyosak, Atchara; Rojanasakul, Yon; Manosroi, Jiradej

    2007-06-01

    The hydrophilicity and lipophilicity of azelaic acid (AA) were modified to diethyl azelate (DA) which was synthesized by Fisher esterification reaction and identified by IR, MS and (1)H NMR and to azelaic acid-beta-cyclodextrin complex (AACD) which was prepared by inclusion complexation and identified by IR, DSC and XRD respectively. AA, DA and AACD were entrapped in liposomes and niosomes comprising of L-alpha-dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC)/cholesterol at 7:3 molar ratio and Tween61/cholesterol at 1:1 molar ratio, respectively, using a thin-film hydration method with sonication. The size and morphology of these bilayer vesicles were determined by optical and transmission electron microscopy. The particle size was found to be in the range of 90-190 nm. The entrapment efficiency of AA, DA and AACD in all vesicular formulations was more than 80%, as analyzed by HPLC for AA and AACD, and GC for DA. Anti-proliferative activity of AA and its derivatives (DA and AACD) both entrapped and not entrapped in bilayer vesicles, using MTT assay in three cancer cell lines (HeLa, KB and B(16)F(10)) comparing with vincristine, were investigated. AACD showed the highest potency comparing to AA in HeLa, KB and B(16)F(10) of 1.48, 1.6 and 1.5 times, respectively. AA entrapped in liposomes was about 90 times more potent than the free AA, and about 1.5 times less potent than vincristine. When entrapped in bilayer vesicles, DA and AACD were more effective than AA in killing cancer cells. AACD entrapped in liposomes gave the highest anti-proliferation activity in HeLa cell lines with the IC(50) of 2.3 and 327 times more potent than vincristine and AA, respectively. DA in liposomes demonstrated the IC(50) of 0.03 times less potent than vincristine in KB cell lines, while in B(16)F(10) AACD in niosomes showed the IC(50) of 0.05 times less potent than vincristine. This study has suggested that the modification of AA by derivatization and complexation as well as the entrapment in bilayer vesicles can enhance its therapeutic efficacy.

  1. Functional Reconstitution into Liposomes of Purified Human RhCG Ammonia Channel

    PubMed Central

    Mouro-Chanteloup, Isabelle; Cochet, Sylvie; Chami, Mohamed; Genetet, Sandrine; Zidi-Yahiaoui, Nedjma; Engel, Andreas; Colin, Yves; Bertrand, Olivier; Ripoche, Pierre

    2010-01-01

    Background Rh glycoproteins (RhAG, RhBG, RhCG) are members of the Amt/Mep/Rh family which facilitate movement of ammonium across plasma membranes. Changes in ammonium transport activity following expression of Rh glycoproteins have been described in different heterologous systems such as yeasts, oocytes and eukaryotic cell lines. However, in these complex systems, a potential contribution of endogenous proteins to this function cannot be excluded. To demonstrate that Rh glycoproteins by themselves transport NH3, human RhCG was purified to homogeneity and reconstituted into liposomes, giving new insights into its channel functional properties. Methodology/Principal Findings An HA-tag introduced in the second extracellular loop of RhCG was used to purify to homogeneity the HA-tagged RhCG glycoprotein from detergent-solubilized recombinant HEK293E cells. Electron microscopy analysis of negatively stained purified RhCG-HA revealed, after image processing, homogeneous particles of 9 nm diameter with a trimeric protein structure. Reconstitution was performed with sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidic acid lipids in the presence of the C12E8 detergent which was subsequently removed by Biobeads. Control of protein incorporation was carried out by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Particle density in liposomes was a function of the Lipid/Protein ratio. When compared to empty liposomes, ammonium permeability was increased two and three fold in RhCG-proteoliposomes, depending on the Lipid/Protein ratio (1/300 and 1/150, respectively). This strong NH3 transport was reversibly inhibited by mercuric and copper salts and exhibited a low Arrhenius activation energy. Conclusions/Significance This study allowed the determination of ammonia permeability per RhCG monomer, showing that the apparent PunitNH3 (around 1×10−3 µm3.s−1) is close to the permeability measured in HEK293E cells expressing a recombinant human RhCG (1.60×10−3 µm3.s−1), and in human red blood cells endogenously expressing RhAG (2.18×10−3 µm3.s−1). The major finding of this study is that RhCG protein is active as an NH3 channel and that this function does not require any protein partner. PMID:20126667

  2. DPPC regulates COX-2 expression in monocytes via phosphorylation of CREB

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Morris, R.H.K.; Tonks, A.J.; Jones, K.P.

    2008-05-23

    The major phospholipid in pulmonary surfactant dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) has been shown to modulate inflammatory responses. Using human monocytes, this study demonstrates that DPPC significantly increased PGE{sub 2} (P < 0.05) production by 2.5-fold when compared to untreated monocyte controls. Mechanistically, this effect was concomitant with an increase in COX-2 expression which was abrogated in the presence of a COX-2 inhibitor. The regulation of COX-2 expression was independent of NF-{kappa}B activity. Further, DPPC increased the phosphorylation of the cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB; an important nuclear transcription factor important in regulating COX-2 expression). In addition, we also showmore » that changing the fatty acid groups of PC (e.g. using L-{alpha}-phosphatidylcholine {beta}-arachidonoyl-{gamma}-palmitoyl (PAPC)) has a profound effect on the regulation of COX-2 expression and CREB activation. This study provides new evidence for the anti-inflammatory activity of DPPC and that this activity is at least in part mediated via CREB activation of COX-2.« less

  3. Effect of polyethyleneglycol (PEG) chain length on the bio-nano-interactions between PEGylated lipid nanoparticles and biological fluids: from nanostructure to uptake in cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pozzi, Daniela; Colapicchioni, Valentina; Caracciolo, Giulio; Piovesana, Susy; Capriotti, Anna Laura; Palchetti, Sara; de Grossi, Stefania; Riccioli, Anna; Amenitsch, Heinz; Laganà, Aldo

    2014-02-01

    When nanoparticles (NPs) enter a physiological environment, medium components compete for binding to the NP surface leading to formation of a rich protein shell known as the ``protein corona''. Unfortunately, opsonins are also adsorbed. These proteins are immediately recognized by the phagocyte system with rapid clearance of the NPs from the bloodstream. Polyethyleneglycol (PEG) coating of NPs (PEGylation) is the most efficient anti-opsonization strategy. Linear chains of PEG, grafted onto the NP surface, are able to create steric hindrance, resulting in a significant inhibition of protein adsorption and less recognition by macrophages. However, excessive PEGylation can lead to a strong inhibition of cellular uptake and less efficient binding with protein targets, reducing the potential of the delivery system. To reach a compromise in this regard we employed a multi-component (MC) lipid system with uncommon properties of cell uptake and endosomal escape and increasing length of PEG chains. Nano liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) analysis allowed us to accurately determine the corona composition showing that apolipoproteins are the most abundant class in the corona and that increasing the PEG length reduced the protein adsorption and the liposomal surface affinity for apolipoproteins. Due to the abundance of apolipoproteins, we exploited the ``protein corona effect'' to deliver cationic liposome-human plasma complexes to human prostate cancer PC3 cells that express a high level of scavenger receptor class B type 1 in order to evaluate the cellular uptake efficiency of the systems used. Combining laser scanning confocal microscopy with flow cytometry analysis in PC3 cells we demonstrated that MC-PEG2k is the best compromise between an anti-opsonization strategy and active targeting and could be a promising candidate to treat prostate cancer in vivo.When nanoparticles (NPs) enter a physiological environment, medium components compete for binding to the NP surface leading to formation of a rich protein shell known as the ``protein corona''. Unfortunately, opsonins are also adsorbed. These proteins are immediately recognized by the phagocyte system with rapid clearance of the NPs from the bloodstream. Polyethyleneglycol (PEG) coating of NPs (PEGylation) is the most efficient anti-opsonization strategy. Linear chains of PEG, grafted onto the NP surface, are able to create steric hindrance, resulting in a significant inhibition of protein adsorption and less recognition by macrophages. However, excessive PEGylation can lead to a strong inhibition of cellular uptake and less efficient binding with protein targets, reducing the potential of the delivery system. To reach a compromise in this regard we employed a multi-component (MC) lipid system with uncommon properties of cell uptake and endosomal escape and increasing length of PEG chains. Nano liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) analysis allowed us to accurately determine the corona composition showing that apolipoproteins are the most abundant class in the corona and that increasing the PEG length reduced the protein adsorption and the liposomal surface affinity for apolipoproteins. Due to the abundance of apolipoproteins, we exploited the ``protein corona effect'' to deliver cationic liposome-human plasma complexes to human prostate cancer PC3 cells that express a high level of scavenger receptor class B type 1 in order to evaluate the cellular uptake efficiency of the systems used. Combining laser scanning confocal microscopy with flow cytometry analysis in PC3 cells we demonstrated that MC-PEG2k is the best compromise between an anti-opsonization strategy and active targeting and could be a promising candidate to treat prostate cancer in vivo. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Table S1. The slope of the lines fitting the temporal evolution of size and zeta-potential of MC, MC-PEG1k, MC-PEG2k and MC-PEG5k liposomes. Table S2. The full list of the most abundant corona proteins associated with MC, MC-PEG1k, MC-PEG2k and MC-PEG5k liposomes as identified by NanoLC-MS/MS. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05559k

  4. The effects of gamma irradiation on diclofenac sodium, liposome and niosome ingredients for rheumatoid arthritis

    PubMed Central

    Turker, Selcan; Çolak, Seyda; Korkmaz, Mustafa; Kiliç, Ekrem; Özalp, Meral

    2013-01-01

    The use of gamma rays for the sterilization of pharmaceutical raw materials and dosage forms is an alternative method for sterilization. However, one of the major problems of the radiosterilization is the production of new radiolytic products during the irradiation process. Therefore, the principal problem in radiosterilization is to determine and to characterize these physical and chemical changes originating from high-energy radiation. Parenteral drug delivery systems were prepared and in vitro characterization, biodistribution and treatment studies were done in our previous studies. Drug delivery systems (liposomes, niosomes, lipogelosomes and niogelosomes) encapsulating diclofenac sodium (DFNa) were prepared for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This work complies information about the studies developed in order to find out if gamma radiation could be applied as a sterilization method to DFNa, and the raw materials as dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), surfactant I [polyglyceryl-3-cethyl ether (SUR I)], dicethyl phosphate (DCP) and cholesterol (CHOL) that are used to prepare those systems. The raw materials were irradiated with different radiation doses (5, 10, 25 and 50 kGy) and physicochemical changes (organoleptic properties pH, UV and melting point), microbiological evaluation [sterility assurance level (SAL), sterility and pyrogen test] and electron spin resonance (ESR) characteristics were studied at normal (25 °C, 60% relative humidity) and accelerated (40 °C, 75% relative humidity) stability test conditions. PMID:24265902

  5. Optimization of Paclitaxel Containing pH-Sensitive Liposomes By 3 Factor, 3 Level Box-Behnken Design.

    PubMed

    Rane, Smita; Prabhakar, Bala

    2013-07-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the combined influence of 3 independent variables in the preparation of paclitaxel containing pH-sensitive liposomes. A 3 factor, 3 levels Box-Behnken design was used to derive a second order polynomial equation and construct contour plots to predict responses. The independent variables selected were molar ratio phosphatidylcholine:diolylphosphatidylethanolamine (X1), molar concentration of cholesterylhemisuccinate (X2), and amount of drug (X3). Fifteen batches were prepared by thin film hydration method and evaluated for percent drug entrapment, vesicle size, and pH sensitivity. The transformed values of the independent variables and the percent drug entrapment were subjected to multiple regression to establish full model second order polynomial equation. F was calculated to confirm the omission of insignificant terms from the full model equation to derive a reduced model polynomial equation to predict the dependent variables. Contour plots were constructed to show the effects of X1, X2, and X3 on the percent drug entrapment. A model was validated for accurate prediction of the percent drug entrapment by performing checkpoint analysis. The computer optimization process and contour plots predicted the levels of independent variables X1, X2, and X3 (0.99, -0.06, 0, respectively), for maximized response of percent drug entrapment with constraints on vesicle size and pH sensitivity.

  6. Interplay of Structure and Dynamics in Biomaterials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vodnala, Preeti

    Study of structure and dynamic behavior is essential to understand molecular motions in biological systems. In this work, two biomaterials were studied to address membrane properties and protein diffusion. For the first project, we studied the structure of liposomes, artificial vesicles that are used for drug encapsulation and administration of pharmaceuticals or cellular nutrients. Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to determine the structural properties of different liposomes composed of egg-PC and cholesterol bilayer. We examined the location of cholesterol by labelling cholesterol with bromine molecule and reveal that cholesterol is located one side of the leaflet adjusting itself to the curvature of a liposome. In my second project, we studied the dynamics of concentrated suspensions of alpha crystallin, one of the most abundant proteins in the human eye lens using X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS). An improved understanding of dynamics could point the way towards treatments presbyopia and cataract. The dynamics were measured at volume fraction close to the critical volume fraction for the glass transition, where the intermediate scattering function, ƒ(q,T) could be well fit using a double exponential decay. The measured relaxation is in reasonable agreement with published molecular dynamics simulations for the relaxation times of hard-sphere colloids.

  7. Arginine-based cationic liposomes for efficient in vitro plasmid DNA delivery with low cytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Sarker, Satya Ranjan; Aoshima, Yumiko; Hokama, Ryosuke; Inoue, Takafumi; Sou, Keitaro; Takeoka, Shinji

    2013-01-01

    Currently available gene delivery vehicles have many limitations such as low gene delivery efficiency and high cytotoxicity. To overcome these drawbacks, we designed and synthesized two cationic lipids comprised of n-tetradecyl alcohol as the hydrophobic moiety, 3-hydrocarbon chain as the spacer, and different counterions (eg, hydrogen chloride [HCl] salt or trifluoroacetic acid [TFA] salt) in the arginine head group. Cationic lipids were hydrated in 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer to prepare cationic liposomes and characterized in terms of their size, zeta potential, phase transition temperature, and morphology. Lipoplexes were then prepared and characterized in terms of their size and zeta potential in the absence or presence of serum. The morphology of the lipoplexes was determined using transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The gene delivery efficiency was evaluated in neuronal cells and HeLa cells and compared with that of lysine-based cationic assemblies and Lipofectamine™ 2000. The cytotoxicity level of the cationic lipids was investigated and compared with that of Lipofectamine™ 2000. We synthesized arginine-based cationic lipids having different counterions (ie, HCl-salt or TFA-salt) that formed cationic liposomes of around 100 nm in size. In the absence of serum, lipoplexes prepared from the arginine-based cationic liposomes and plasmid (p) DNA formed large aggregates and attained a positive zeta potential. However, in the presence of serum, the lipoplexes were smaller in size and negative in zeta potential. The morphology of the lipoplexes was vesicular. Arginine-based cationic liposomes with HCl-salt showed the highest transfection efficiency in PC-12 cells. However, arginine-based cationic liposomes with TFA salt showed the highest transfection efficiency in HeLa cells, regardless of the presence of serum, with very low associated cytotoxicity. The gene delivery efficiency of amino acid-based cationic assemblies is influenced by the amino acids (ie, arginine or lysine) present as the hydrophilic head group and their associated counterions.

  8. Arginine-based cationic liposomes for efficient in vitro plasmid DNA delivery with low cytotoxicity

    PubMed Central

    Sarker, Satya Ranjan; Aoshima, Yumiko; Hokama, Ryosuke; Inoue, Takafumi; Sou, Keitaro; Takeoka, Shinji

    2013-01-01

    Background Currently available gene delivery vehicles have many limitations such as low gene delivery efficiency and high cytotoxicity. To overcome these drawbacks, we designed and synthesized two cationic lipids comprised of n-tetradecyl alcohol as the hydrophobic moiety, 3-hydrocarbon chain as the spacer, and different counterions (eg, hydrogen chloride [HCl] salt or trifluoroacetic acid [TFA] salt) in the arginine head group. Methods Cationic lipids were hydrated in 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer to prepare cationic liposomes and characterized in terms of their size, zeta potential, phase transition temperature, and morphology. Lipoplexes were then prepared and characterized in terms of their size and zeta potential in the absence or presence of serum. The morphology of the lipoplexes was determined using transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The gene delivery efficiency was evaluated in neuronal cells and HeLa cells and compared with that of lysine-based cationic assemblies and Lipofectamine™ 2000. The cytotoxicity level of the cationic lipids was investigated and compared with that of Lipofectamine™ 2000. Results We synthesized arginine-based cationic lipids having different counterions (ie, HCl-salt or TFA-salt) that formed cationic liposomes of around 100 nm in size. In the absence of serum, lipoplexes prepared from the arginine-based cationic liposomes and plasmid (p) DNA formed large aggregates and attained a positive zeta potential. However, in the presence of serum, the lipoplexes were smaller in size and negative in zeta potential. The morphology of the lipoplexes was vesicular. Arginine-based cationic liposomes with HCl-salt showed the highest transfection efficiency in PC-12 cells. However, arginine-based cationic liposomes with TFA salt showed the highest transfection efficiency in HeLa cells, regardless of the presence of serum, with very low associated cytotoxicity. Conclusion The gene delivery efficiency of amino acid-based cationic assemblies is influenced by the amino acids (ie, arginine or lysine) present as the hydrophilic head group and their associated counterions. PMID:23630419

  9. The mechanism of a nuclear pore assembly: a molecular biophysics view.

    PubMed

    Kuvichkin, Vasily V

    2011-06-01

    The basic problem of nuclear pore assembly is the big perinuclear space that must be overcome for nuclear membrane fusion and pore creation. Our investigations of ternary complexes: DNA-PC liposomes-Mg²⁺, and modern conceptions of nuclear pore structure allowed us to introduce a new mechanism of nuclear pore assembly. DNA-induced fusion of liposomes (membrane vesicles) with a single-lipid bilayer or two closely located nuclear membranes is considered. After such fusion on the lipid bilayer surface, traces of a complex of ssDNA with lipids were revealed. At fusion of two identical small liposomes (membrane vesicles) < 100 nm in diameter, a "big" liposome (vesicle) with ssDNA on the vesicle equator is formed. ssDNA occurrence on liposome surface gives a biphasic character to the fusion kinetics. The "big" membrane vesicle surrounded by ssDNA is the base of nuclear pore assembly. Its contact with the nuclear envelope leads to fast fusion of half of the vesicles with one nuclear membrane; then ensues a fusion delay when ssDNA reaches the membrane. The next step is to turn inside out the second vesicle half and its fusion to other nuclear membrane. A hole is formed between the two membranes, and nucleoporins begin pore complex assembly around the ssDNA. The surface tension of vesicles and nuclear membranes along with the kinetic energy of a liquid inside a vesicle play the main roles in this process. Special cases of nuclear pore formation are considered: pore formation on both nuclear envelope sides, the difference of pores formed in various cell-cycle phases and linear nuclear pore clusters.

  10. A novel squarylium dye for monitoring oxidative processes in lipid membranes.

    PubMed

    Trusova, Valeriya M; Gorbenko, Galyna P; Deligeorgiev, Todor; Gadjev, Nikolai; Vasilev, Aleksey

    2009-11-01

    A novel squaraine probe SQ-1 has been found to be appropriate for monitoring the peroxidation processes in membrane systems. Formation of free radicals was triggered by methemoglobin (metHb) or cytochrome c (cyt c) binding to the model lipid membranes composed of zwitterionic lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC) and anionic lipid cardiolipin (CL). Protein association with the lipid vesicles was followed by drastic quenching of SQ-1 fluorescence. The observed spectral changes were suppressed in the presence of free radical scavengers, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and thiourea (TM) suggesting that SQ-1 decolorization can be attributed to its reactions with lipid radicals.

  11. Biosynthesis of glycerolipid molecular species in photoreceptor membranes of frog retina

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wiegand, R.D.; Louie, K.; Anderson, R.E.

    1987-05-01

    Phospholipid (PL) molecular species of vertebrate retinal photoreceptor cells are unique in that they contain two polyunsaturated fatty acids per molecule. Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 {omega}3) is the major component of these dipolyunsaturate species (DPS), which also contain 20:4{omega}6, 22:4{omega}6, 22:5{omega}6, and 22:5{omega}3. We have studied the de novo synthesis and metabolism of the (DPS) and other PL molecular species in frog rod outer segments (ROS) following intravitreal injection of 2-({sup 3}H)-glycerol. At 1, 2, 4, and 8 days after injection, ROS were prepared, PL extracted, and phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylserine (PS) isolated. PC, PE, and PS were convertedmore » to diglycerides (DG's) with phospholipase C. DG's were derivatized, fractionated into molecular species by HPLC, quantitated, and counted for radioactivity. The following were observed: (1) Specific activities (SA) of the PC DPS were 3-5 times higher than the same species in either PE or PS. (2) SA of the PC monopolyunsaturate species (MPS) (species which contain 22:6{omega}3 and/or 16:0 or 18:0) were 3-5 times lower than the SA of the PC DPS. In contrast, SA of PE MPS were 2-5 times higher than the SA of the PE DPS. (3) The major PS MPS synthesized contained 18:0 and 22:6{omega}3. SA of that species were similar to SA of the PS DPS. The data support the suggestion that PC DPS are synthesized and/or incorporated in ROS at a greater rate than the same species in either PE or PS. Our study thus provides evidence for different rates of synthesis and/or incorporation of the various molecular species of PC, PE, and PS in ROS.« less

  12. Effects of recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor on surfactant, plasma, and liver phospholipid homeostasis in hyperoxic neonatal rats.

    PubMed

    Raith, Marco; Schaal, Katharina; Koslowski, Roland; Fehrenbach, Heinz; Poets, Christian F; Schleicher, Erwin; Bernhard, Wolfgang

    2012-04-01

    Respiratory distress and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are major problems in preterm infants that are often addressed by glucocorticoid treatment and increased oxygen supply, causing catabolic and injurious side effects. Recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor (rhKGF) is noncatabolic and antiapoptotic and increases surfactant pools in immature lungs. Despite its usefulness in injured neonatal lungs, the mechanisms of improved surfactant homeostasis in vivo and systemic effects on lipid homeostasis are unknown. We therefore exposed newborn rats to 85% vs. 21% oxygen and treated them systemically with rhKGF for 48 h before death at 7 days. We determined type II pneumocyte (PN-II) proliferation, surfactant protein (SP) mRNA expression, and the pulmonary metabolism of individual phosphatidylcholine (PC) species using [D(9)-methyl]choline and tandem mass spectrometry. In addition, we assessed liver and plasma lipid metabolism, addressing PC synthesis de novo, the liver-specific phosphatidylethanolamine methyl transferase (PEMT) pathway, and triglyceride concentrations. rhKGF was found to maintain PN-II proliferation and increased SP-B/C expression and surfactant PC in both normoxic and hyperoxic lungs. We found increased total PC together with decreased [D(9)-methyl]choline enrichment, suggesting decreased turnover rather than increased secretion and synthesis as the underlying mechanism. In the liver, rhKGF increased PC synthesis, both de novo and via PEMT, underlining the organotypic differences of rhKGF actions on lipid metabolism. rhKGF increased the hepatic secretion of newly synthesized polyunsaturated PC, indicating improved systemic supply with choline and essential fatty acids. We suggest that rhKGF has potential as a therapeutic agent in neonates by improving pulmonary and systemic PC homeostasis.

  13. Chronic elevation of phosphocholine containing lipids in mice exposed to Gulf War agents pyridostigmine bromide and permethrin.

    PubMed

    Abdullah, Laila; Evans, James E; Montague, Hannah; Reed, Jon M; Moser, Ann; Crynen, Gogce; Gonzalez, Ariel; Zakirova, Zuchra; Ross, Ivan; Mullan, Chris; Mullan, Michael; Ait-Ghezala, Ghania; Crawford, Fiona

    2013-01-01

    For two decades, 25% of the veterans who served in the 1991 Gulf War (GW) have been living with Gulf War Illness (GWI), a chronic multisymptom illness. Evidence suggests that brain structures involved in cognitive function may be affected in GWI. Gulf War agents such as the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and the pesticide permethrin (PER) are considered key etiogenic factors in GWI. We therefore developed a mouse model of GW agent exposure by co-administering PB and PER and showed that this model exhibits cognitive impairment and anxiety, and increased astrogliosis at chronic post-exposure time-points. Since GW agents inhibit AChE, we hypothesized that PB+PER exposure will modulate phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM), which are reservoirs of phosphocholine required for endogenous ACh synthesis. Lipidomic analyses showed that PC and SM were elevated in the brains of exposed compared to control mice. Brain ether PC (ePC) species were increased but lyso-platelet activating factors (lyso-PAF) that are products of ePC were decreased in exposed animals compared to controls. Catalase expression (a marker for peroxisomes) was increased in GW agent exposed mice compared to controls. Ether PC and lyso-PAF modulation was also evident in the plasma of GW agent exposed mice compared to controls. These studies suggest peroxisomal and lysosomal dysfunction in the brain at a chronic post-exposure timepoint following GW agent exposure. Our studies provide a new direction for GWI research, which will be useful for developing suitable therapies for treating GWI. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Transport and pharmacodynamics of albitiazolium, an antimalarial drug candidate

    PubMed Central

    Wein, S; Maynadier, M; Bordat, Y; Perez, J; Maheshwari, S; Bette-Bobillo, P; Tran Van Ba, C; Penarete-Vargas, D; Fraisse, L; Cerdan, R; Vial, H

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Choline analogues, a new type of antimalarials, exert potent in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity. This has given rise to albitiazolium, which is currently in phase II clinical trials to cure severe malaria. Here we dissected its mechanism of action step by step from choline entry into the infected erythrocyte to its effect on phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We biochemically unravelled the transport and enzymatic steps that mediate de novo synthesis of PC and elucidated how albitiazolium enters the intracellular parasites and affects the PC biosynthesis. KEY RESULTS Choline entry into Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes is achieved both by the remnant erythrocyte choline carrier and by parasite-induced new permeability pathways (NPP), while parasite entry involves a poly-specific cation transporter. Albitiazolium specifically prevented choline incorporation into its end-product PC, and its antimalarial activity was strongly antagonized by choline. Albitiazolium entered the infected erythrocyte mainly via a furosemide-sensitive NPP and was transported into the parasite by a poly-specific cation carrier. Albitiazolium competitively inhibited choline entry via the parasite-derived cation transporter and also, at a much higher concentration, affected each of the three enzymes conducting de novo synthesis of PC. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Inhibition of choline entry into the parasite appears to be the primary mechanism by which albitiazolium exerts its potent antimalarial effect. However, the pharmacological response to albitiazolium involves molecular interactions with different steps of the de novo PC biosynthesis pathway, which would help to delay the development of resistance to this drug. PMID:22471905

  15. Targeting prostate cancer cells with hybrid elastin-like polypeptide/liposome nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Wei; Song, Yunmei; Eldi, Preethi; Guo, Xiuli; Hayball, John D; Garg, Sanjay; Albrecht, Hugo

    2018-01-01

    Prostate cancer cells frequently overexpress the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor, and various strategies have been applied in preclinical settings to target this receptor for the specific delivery of anticancer compounds. Recently, elastin-like polypeptide (ELP)-based self-assembling micelles with tethered GRP on the surface have been suggested to actively target prostate cancer cells. Poorly soluble chemotherapeutics such as docetaxel (DTX) can be loaded into the hydrophobic cores of ELP micelles, but only limited drug retention times have been achieved. Herein, we report the generation of hybrid ELP/liposome nanoparticles which self-assembled rapidly in response to temperature change, encapsulated DTX at high concentrations with slow release, displayed the GRP ligand on the surface, and specifically bound to GRP receptor expressing PC-3 cells as demonstrated by flow cytometry. This novel type of drug nanocarrier was successfully used to reduce cell viability of prostate cancer cells in vitro through the specific delivery of DTX. PMID:29391790

  16. Tetanus toxin is labeled with photoactivatable phospholipids at low pH

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Montecucco, C.; Schiavo, G.; Brunner, J.

    1986-02-25

    The mechanism of cell penetration by tetanus toxin is unknown; it has been suggested that the toxin may penetrate into the lipid bilayer from a low-pH vesicular compartment. In this work, the interaction of tetanus toxin with liposomal model membranes has been studied by following its photoinduced cross-linking with either a nitrene or a carbene photolytically generated from corresponding light-sensitive phosphatidylcholine analogues. The toxin was labeled only at pHs lower than 5.5. The low pH acquired hydrophobicity of tetanus toxin appears to be confined to its light chain and to the 45-kDa NH2-terminal fragment of the heavy chain. Negatively chargedmore » lipids promote the interaction of this toxin with the hydrocarbon chain of phospholipids. The relevance of the present findings to the possible mechanism of nerve cell penetration by tetanus toxin is discussed.« less

  17. Production of RNA by a polymerase protein encapsulated within phospholipid vesicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chakrabarti, A. C.; Breaker, R. R.; Joyce, G. F.; Deamer, D. W.

    1994-01-01

    Catalyzed polymerization reactions represent a primary anabolic activity of all cells. It can be assumed that early cells carried out such reactions, in which macromolecular catalysts were encapsulated within some type of boundary membrane. In the experiments described here, we show that a template-independent RNA polymerase (polynucleotide phosphorylase) can be encapsulated in dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine vesicles without substrate. When the substrate adenosine diphosphate (ADP) was provided externally, long-chain RNA polymers were synthesized within the vesicles. Substrate flux was maximized by maintaining the vesicles at the phase transition temperature of the component lipid. A protease was introduced externally as an additional control. Free enzyme was inactivated under identical conditions. RNA products were visualized in situ by ethidium bromide fluorescence. The products were harvested from the liposomes, radiolabeled, and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Encapsulated catalysts represent a model for primitive cellular systems in which an RNA polymerase was entrapped within a protected microenvironment.

  18. Development of Complement Inhibitors to Limit Tissue as Adjuvants to Resuscitation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-01

    phosphorylcholine-BSA (PC-BSA), phosphatidic acid (PA), phos- phatidylserine (PS), and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). A broadly reactive IgM anti-phospholipid mAb (our...and phosphatidic acid -containing liposomes at low pH in a Ca2-in- dependent manner (68) and that hypoxia sufficient to induce an intracellular pH...3, 3=, 5, 5= tetramethylbenzidine (KPL Chemicals, Rockville, MD) and the reaction stopped with 0.18 M sulfuric acid . The OD450 was determined and

  19. Formulation and Evaluation of Guggul Lipid Nanovesicles for Transdermal Delivery of Aceclofenac

    PubMed Central

    Gaur, Praveen Kumar; Mishra, Shikha; Aeri, Vidhu

    2014-01-01

    Context. Most new drugs have low water solubility and liposome is an important formulation to administer such drugs; however, it is quite unstable and has negligible systemic absorption. Objective. Aceclofenac nanovesicles were made using guggul lipid for formulating stable transdermal formulation. Materials and Methods. Guggul lipid was formulated into vesicles along with cholesterol and dicetyl phosphate using film hydration method. The formulations were analyzed for physicochemical properties and stability. Then its skin permeation and anti-inflammatory activity were determined. Results. Both categories of vesicles (PC and GL) showed optimum physicochemical properties; however, accelerated stability study showed considerable differences. GL-1 was appreciably stable for over 6 months at 4°C. Corresponding gels (PCG-1 and GLG-1) showed C max values at 4.98 and 7.32 μg/mL along with the T max values at 4 and 8 hours, respectively. GLG-1 inhibited edema production by 90.81% in 6 hours. Discussion. PC liposomes are unstable at higher temperature and upon longer storage. The formulation with higher lipid content (GL-1) showed good drug retention after 24 hours and appreciable stability both at higher temperature and for longer duration. Guggul lipid being a planar molecule might be stacked in vesicle wall with cholesterol. Conclusion. The composition of the nanovesicle played an important role in stability and drug permeation. Guggul lipid is suitable for producing stable vesicles. PMID:24672328

  20. Plasma lipidomics reveals potential lipid markers of major depressive disorder.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xinyu; Li, Jia; Zheng, Peng; Zhao, Xinjie; Zhou, Chanjuan; Hu, Chunxiu; Hou, Xiaoli; Wang, Haiyang; Xie, Peng; Xu, Guowang

    2016-09-01

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a grave debilitating mental disease with a high incidence and severely impairs quality of life. Therefore, its physiopathological basis study and diagnostic biomarker discovery are extremely valuable. In this study, a non-targeted lipidomics strategy using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was performed to reveal differential lipids between MDD (n = 60) and healthy controls (HCs, n = 60). Validation of changed lipid species was performed in an independent batch including 75 MDD and 52 HC using the same lipidomic method. Pronouncedly changed lipid species in MDD were discovered, which mainly were lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), 1-O-alkyl-2-acyl-PE (PE O), 1-O-alkyl-2-acyl-PC (PC O), sphingomyelin (SM), diacylglycerol (DG), and triacylglycerol (TG). Among these lipid species, LPC, LPE, PC, PE, PI, TG, etc. remarkably increased in MDD and showed pronounced positive relationships with depression severity, while 1-O-alkyl-2-acyl-PE and SM with odd summed carbon number significantly decreased in MDD and demonstrated negative relationships with depression severity. A combinational lipid panel including LPE 20:4, PC 34:1, PI 40:4, SM 39:1, 2, and TG 44:2 was defined as potential diagnostic biomarker with a good sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing MDD from HCs. Our study brings insights into lipid metabolism disorder in MDD and provides a specific potential biomarker for MDD diagnose.

  1. Metabolic profiling of plasma in overweight/obese and lean men using ultra performance liquid chromatography and Q-TOF mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF MS).

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji Young; Park, Ju Yeon; Kim, Oh Yoen; Ham, Bo Mi; Kim, Hyun-Jin; Kwon, Dae Young; Jang, Yangsoo; Lee, Jong Ho

    2010-09-03

    Obesity is currently epidemic in many countries worldwide and is strongly related to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the differences in metabolomic profiling between overweight/obese and normal-weight men. Overweight/obese (n=30) and age-matched, normal-weight men (n=30) were included. Anthropometric parameters, conventional metabolites, and biomarkers were measured. Metabolomic profiling was analyzed with UPLC-Q-TOF MS. Overweight/obese men showed higher levels of HOMA-IR, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol, and lower levels of HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin than lean men. Overweight/obese men showed higher proportion of stearic acid and lower proportion of oleic acid in serum phospholipids. Additionally, overweight/obese individuals showed higher fat intake and lower ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids. We identified three lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) as potential plasma markers and confirmed eight known metabolites for overweight/obesity men. Especially, overweight/obese subjects showed higher levels of lysoPC C14:0 and lysoPC C18:0 and lower levels of lysoPC C18:1 than lean subjects. Results confirmed abnormal metabolism of two branched-chain amino acids, two aromatic amino acids, and fatty acid synthesis and oxidation in overweight/obese men. Additionally, the amount of dietary saturated fat may influence the proportion of saturated fatty acids in serum phospholipids and the degree of saturation of the constituent acyl group of plasma lysoPC.

  2. Plasma lipidomics reveals potential prognostic signatures within a cohort of cystic fibrosis patients

    PubMed Central

    Ollero, Mario; Astarita, Giuseppe; Guerrera, Ida Chiara; Sermet-Gaudelus, Isabelle; Trudel, Stéphanie; Piomelli, Daniele; Edelman, Aleksander

    2011-01-01

    Cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with abnormal lipid metabolism. We have recently shown variations in plasma levels of several phosphatidylcholine (PC) and lysophopshatidylcholine (LPC) species related to disease severity in CF patients. Here our goal was to search for blood plasma lipid signatures characteristic of CF patients bearing the same mutation (F508del) and different phenotypes, and to study their correlation with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa chronic infection, evaluated at the time of testing (t = 0) and three years later (t = 3). Samples from 44 F508del homozygotes were subjected to a lipidomic approach based on LC-ESI-MS. Twelve free fatty acids were positively correlated with FEV1 at t = 0 (n = 29). Four of them (C20:3n-9, C20:5n-3, C22:5n-3, and C22:6n-3) were also positively correlated with FEV1 three years later, along with PC(32:2) and PC(36:4) (n = 31). Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) was negatively correlated with FEV1 progression (n = 17). Chronically infected patients at t = 0 showed lower PC(32:2), PC(38:5), and C18:3n-3 and higher cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and triacylglycerols (TAG). Chronically infected patients at t = 3 showed significantly lower levels of LPC(18:0). These results suggest a potential prognostic value for some lipid signatures in, to our knowledge, the first longitudinal study aimed at identifying lipid biomarkers for CF. PMID:21335323

  3. Altered molecular specificity of surfactant phosphatidycholine synthesis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

    PubMed

    Dushianthan, Ahilanandan; Goss, Victoria; Cusack, Rebecca; Grocott, Michael P W; Postle, Anthony D

    2014-11-07

    Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening critical illness, characterised by qualitative and quantitative surfactant compositional changes associated with premature airway collapse, gas-exchange abnormalities and acute hypoxic respiratory failure. The underlying mechanisms for this dysregulation in surfactant metabolisms are not fully explored. Lack of therapeutic benefits from clinical trials, highlight the importance of detailed in-vivo analysis and characterisation of ARDS patients according to patterns of surfactant synthesis and metabolism. Ten patients with moderate to severe ARDS were recruited. Most (90%) suffered from pneumonia. They had an infusion of methyl-D9-choline chloride and small volume bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained at 0,6,12,24,48,72 and 96 hours. Controls were healthy volunteers, who had BALF at 24 and 48 hours after methyl-D9-choline infusion. Compositional analysis and enrichment patterns of stable isotope labelling of surfactant phosphatidylcholine (PC) was determined by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. BALF of patients with ARDS consisted of diminished total PC and fractional PC16:0/16:0 concentrations compared to healthy controls. Compositional analysis revealed, reductions in fractional compositions of saturated PC species with elevated levels of longer acyl chain unsaturated PC species. Molecular specificity of newly synthesised PC fraction showed time course variation, with lower PC16:0/16:0 composition at earlier time points, but achieved near equilibrium with endogenous composition at 48 hours after methyl-D9-choline infusion. The enrichment of methyl-D9-choline into surfactant total PC is nearly doubled in patients, with considerable variation between individuals. This study demonstrate significant alterations in composition and kinetics of surfactant PC extracted from ARDS patients. This novel approach may facilitate biochemical phenotyping of ARDS patients according to surfactant synthesis and metabolism, enabling individualised treatment approaches for the management of ARDS patients in the future.

  4. Detection of atherosclerotic lesions and intimal macrophages using CD36-targeted nanovesicles.

    PubMed

    Nie, Shufang; Zhang, Jia; Martinez-Zaguilan, Raul; Sennoune, Souad; Hossen, Md Nazir; Lichtenstein, Alice H; Cao, Jun; Meyerrose, Gary E; Paone, Ralph; Soontrapa, Suthipong; Fan, Zhaoyang; Wang, Shu

    2015-12-28

    Current approaches to the diagnosis and therapy of atherosclerosis cannot target lesion-determinant cells in the artery wall. Intimal macrophage infiltration promotes atherosclerotic lesion development by facilitating the accumulation of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) and increasing inflammatory responses. The presence of these cells is positively associated with lesion progression, severity and destabilization. Hence, they are an important diagnostic and therapeutic target. The objective of this study was to noninvasively assess the distribution and accumulation of intimal macrophages using CD36-targeted nanovesicles. Soy phosphatidylcholine was used to synthesize liposome-like nanovesicles. 1-(Palmitoyl)-2-(5-keto-6-octene-dioyl) phosphatidylcholine was incorporated on their surface to target the CD36 receptor. All in vitro data demonstrate that these targeted nanovesicles had a high binding affinity for the oxLDL binding site of the CD36 receptor and participated in CD36-mediated recognition and uptake of nanovesicles by macrophages. Intravenous administration into LDL receptor null mice of targeted compared to non-targeted nanovesicles resulted in higher uptake in aortic lesions. The nanovesicles co-localized with macrophages and their CD36 receptors in aortic lesions. This molecular target approach may facilitate the in vivo noninvasive imaging of atherosclerotic lesions in terms of intimal macrophage accumulation and distribution and disclose lesion features related to inflammation and possibly vulnerability thereby facilitate early lesion detection and targeted delivery of therapeutic compounds to intimal macrophages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Ultrasound-Guided Delivery of siRNA and a Chemotherapeutic Drug by Using Microbubble Complexes: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations in a Prostate Cancer Model.

    PubMed

    Bae, Yun Jung; Yoon, Young Il; Yoon, Tae-Jong; Lee, Hak Jong

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound and microbubble-liposome complex (MLC)-mediated delivery of siRNA and doxorubicin into prostate cancer cells and its therapeutic capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. Microbubble-liposome complexes conjugated with anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (Her2) antibodies were developed to target human prostate cancer cell lines PC-3 and LNCaP. Intracellular delivery of MLC was observed by confocal microscopy. We loaded MLC with survivin-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) and doxorubicin, and delivered it into prostate cancer cells. The release of these agents was facilitated by ultrasound application. Cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay after the delivery of siRNA and doxorubicin. Survivin-targeted siRNA loaded MLC was delivered into the xenograft mouse tumor model. Western blotting was performed to quantify the expression of survivin in vivo. Confocal microscopy demonstrated substantial intracellular uptake of MLCs in LNCaP, which expresses higher levels of Her2 than PC-3. The viability of LNCaP cells was significantly reduced after the delivery of MLCs loaded with siRNA and doxorubicin (85.0 ± 2.9%), which was further potentiated by application of ultrasound (55.0 ± 3.5%, p = 0.009). Survivin expression was suppressed in vivo in LNCaP tumor xenograft model following the ultrasound and MLC-guided delivery of siRNA (77.4 ± 4.90% to 36.7 ± 1.34%, p = 0.027). Microbubble-liposome complex can effectively target prostate cancer cells, enabling intracellular delivery of the treatment agents with the use of ultrasound. Ultrasound and MLC-mediated delivery of survivin-targeted siRNA and doxorubicin can induce prostate cell apoptosis and block survivin expression in vitro and in vivo.

  6. Enhancing Anticancer Effect of Gefitinib across the Blood–Brain Barrier Model Using Liposomes Modified with One α-Helical Cell-Penetrating Peptide or Glutathione and Tween 80

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Kuan-Hung; Hong, Shu-Ting; Wang, Hsiang-Tsui; Lo, Yu-Li; Lin, Anya Maan-Yuh; Yang, James Chih-Hsin

    2016-01-01

    Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), such as gefitinib, have been demonstrated to effectively treat the patients of extracranial non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, these patients often develop brain metastasis (BM) during their disease course. The major obstacle to treat BM is the limited penetration of anticancer drugs across the blood–brain barrier (BBB). In the present study, we utilized gefitinib-loaded liposomes with different modifications to improve gefitinib delivery across the in vitro BBB model of bEnd.3 cells. Gefitinib was encapsulated in small unilamellar liposomes modified with glutathione (GSH) and Tween 80 (SUV-G+T; one ligand plus one surfactant) or RF (SUV-RF; one α-helical cell-penetrating peptide). GSH, Tween 80, and RF were tested by the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay to find their non-cytotoxic concentrations on bEnd.3 cells. The enhancement on gefitinib across the BBB was evaluated by cytotoxicity assay on human lung adenocarcinoma PC9 cells under the bEnd.3 cells grown on the transwell inserts. Our findings showed that gefitinib incorporated in SUV-G+T or SUV-RF across the bEnd.3 cells significantly reduced the viability of PC9 cells more than that of free gefitinib. Furthermore, SUV-RF showed no cytotoxicity on bEnd.3 cells and did not affect the transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) and transendothelial permeability of sodium fluorescein across the BBB model. Moreover, flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy were employed to evaluate the endocytosis pathways of SUV-RF. The results indicated that the uptake into bEnd.3 cells was mainly through adsorptive-mediated mechanism via electrostatic interaction and partially through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In conclusion, cell penetrating peptide-conjugated SUV-RF shed light on improving drug transport across the BBB via modulating the transcytosis pathway(s). PMID:27916828

  7. Structural properties and release of insulin-loaded reverse hexagonal (HII) liquid crystalline mesophase.

    PubMed

    Mishraki-Berkowitz, Tehila; Aserin, Abraham; Garti, Nissim

    2017-01-15

    Insulin loading into the H II mesophases was examined as a function of its concentration, with addition of glycerol as a cosolvent and with addition of phosphatidylcholine (PC) as a structural stabilizer. The structural properties, the molecular interactions, the viscoelastic properties, and the dynamic behavior were investigated by SAXS, ATR-FTIR, and rheological measurements. Insulin release was then monitored and analyzed. Insulin incorporation into the H II systems shrank the cylinders as it competed with the lipids in water-bonding. Insulin interrupted the interface while increasing τ max and creating a more solid-like response. Upon addition of PC, cooperative flow behavior was detected, which is probably the reason for increase in insulin cumulative release from 28% to 52% after 300 min. In the presence of glycerol, the system was less cooperative but insulin was more compactly folded, resulting in a slight improvement in insulin release (up to 6%). Addition of both PC and glycerol caused the maximum release (55%). The addition of additives into the H II system demonstrates how structural modifications can improve insulin release, and influence future design of encapsulated drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Influence of ibuprofen on phospholipid membranes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jaksch, Sebastian; Lipfert, Frederik; Koutsioubas, Alexandros; Mattauch, Stefan; Holderer, Olaf; Ivanova, Oxana; Frielinghaus, Henrich; Hertrich, Samira; Fischer, Stefan F.; Nickel, Bert

    2015-02-01

    A basic understanding of biological membranes is of paramount importance as these membranes comprise the very building blocks of life itself. Cells depend in their function on a range of properties of the membrane, which are important for the stability and function of the cell, information and nutrient transport, waste disposal, and finally the admission of drugs into the cell and also the deflection of bacteria and viruses. We have investigated the influence of ibuprofen on the structure and dynamics of L-α -phosphatidylcholine (SoyPC) membranes by means of grazing incidence small-angle neutron scattering, neutron reflectometry, and grazing incidence neutron spin echo spectroscopy. From the results of these experiments, we were able to determine that ibuprofen induces a two-step structuring behavior in the SoyPC films, where the structure evolves from the purely lamellar phase for pure SoyPC over a superposition of two hexagonal phases to a purely hexagonal phase at high concentrations. A relaxation, which is visible when no ibuprofen is present in the membrane, vanishes upon addition of ibuprofen. This we attribute to a stiffening of the membrane. This behavior may be instrumental in explaining the toxic behavior of ibuprofen in long-term application.

  9. Unheated Cannabis sativa extracts and its major compound THC-acid have potential immuno-modulating properties not mediated by CB1 and CB2 receptor coupled pathways.

    PubMed

    Verhoeckx, Kitty C M; Korthout, Henrie A A J; van Meeteren-Kreikamp, A P; Ehlert, Karl A; Wang, Mei; van der Greef, Jan; Rodenburg, Richard J T; Witkamp, Renger F

    2006-04-01

    There is a great interest in the pharmacological properties of cannabinoid like compounds that are not linked to the adverse effects of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), e.g. psychoactive properties. The present paper describes the potential immuno-modulating activity of unheated Cannabis sativa extracts and its main non-psychoactive constituent Delta(9)-tetrahydrocanabinoid acid (THCa). By heating Cannabis extracts, THCa was shown to be converted into THC. Unheated Cannabis extract and THCa were able to inhibit the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in culture supernatants from U937 macrophages and peripheral blood macrophages after stimulation with LPS in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibition persisted over a longer period of time, whereas after prolonged exposure time THC and heated Cannabis extract tend to induce the TNF-alpha level. Furthermore we demonstrated that THCa and THC show distinct effects on phosphatidylcholine specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) activity. Unheated Cannabis extract and THCa inhibit the PC-PLC activity in a dose-dependent manner, while THC induced PC-PLC activity at high concentrations. These results suggest that THCa and THC exert their immuno-modulating effects via different metabolic pathways.

  10. Exogenous salicylic acid protects phospholipids against cadmium stress in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.).

    PubMed

    Belkadhi, Aïcha; De Haro, Antonio; Obregon, Sara; Chaïbi, Wided; Djebali, Wahbi

    2015-10-01

    Salicylic acid (SA) promotes plant defense responses against toxic metal stresses. The present study addressed the hypothesis that 8-h SA pretreatment, would alter membrane lipids in a way that would protect against Cd toxicity. Flax seeds were pre-soaked for 8h in SA (0, 250 and 1000µM) and then subjected, at seedling stage, to cadmium (Cd) stress. At 100µM CdCl2, significant decreases in the percentages of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and changes in their relative fatty acid composition were observed in Cd-treated roots in comparison with controls. However, in roots of 8-h SA pretreated plantlets, results showed that the amounts of PC and PE were significantly higher as compared to non-pretreated plantlets. Additionally, in both lipid classes, the proportion of linolenic acid (18:3) increased upon the pretreatment with SA. This resulted in a significant increase in the fatty acid unsaturation ratio of the root PC and PE classes. As the exogenous application of SA was found to be protective of flax lipid metabolism, the possible mechanisms of protection against Cd stress in flax roots were discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Petit-High Pressure Carbon Dioxide stress increases synthesis of S-Adenosylmethionine and phosphatidylcholine in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Niu, Liyuan; Nomura, Kazuki; Iwahashi, Hitoshi; Matsuoka, Hiroyuki; Kawachi, Satoshi; Suzuki, Yoshihisa; Tamura, Katsuhiro

    2017-12-01

    Petit-High Pressure Carbon Dioxide (p-HPCD) is a promising nonthermal technology for foods pasteurization. Cluster analysis of gene expression profiles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae exposed to various stresses exhibited that gene expression profile for p-HPCD stress (0.5MPa, 25°C) was grouped into a cluster including profiles for Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate and Roundup herbicide. Both are detergents that can disorder membrane structurally and functionally, which suggests that cell membrane may be a target of p-HPCD stress to cause cell growth inhibition. Through metabolomic analysis, amount of S-Adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) that is used as methyl donor to participate in phosphatidylcholine synthesis via phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) methylation pathway, was increased after p-HPCD treatment for 2h. The key gene OPI3 encoding phospholipid methyltransferase that catalyzes the last two steps in PE methylation pathway was confirmed significantly induced by RT-PCR. Transcriptional expression of genes (MET13, MET16, MET10, MET17, MET6 and SAM2) related to AdoMet biosynthesis was also significantly induced. Choline as the PC precursor and ethanolamine as PE precursor in Kennedy pathway were also found increased under p-HPCD condition. We also found that amounts of most of amino acids involving protein synthesis were found decreased after p-HPCD treatment for 2h. Moreover, morphological changes on cell surface were observed by scanning electron microscope. In conclusion, the effects of p-HPCD stress on cell membrane appear to be a very likely cause of yeast growth inhibition and the enhancement of PC synthesis could contribute to maintain optimum structure and functions of cell membrane and improve cell resistance to inactivation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach to study the effects of jieduquyuziyin prescription on systemic lupus erythematosus.

    PubMed

    Ding, Xinghong; Hu, Jinbo; Wen, Chengping; Ding, Zhishan; Yao, Li; Fan, Yongsheng

    2014-01-01

    Jieduquyuziyin prescription (JP), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has been widely used for the clinical treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the complex chemical constituents of JP and the multifactorial pathogenesis of SLE make research on the therapeutic mechanism of JP in SLE challenging. In this paper, a serum metabolomics approach based on rapid resolution liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (RRLC-Q-TOF/MS) was employed to acquire the metabolic characteristics of serum samples obtained from mice in the SLE model group, JP-treated group, prednisone acetate (PA)-treated group and control group. The orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) was applied to recognize metabolic patterns, and an obvious separation of groups was obtained. Thirteen metabolites, namely, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE 20:3), hepoxilin B3, lyso- phosphatidylethanolamine (lyso-PE 22:6), 12S-hydroxypentaenoic acid (12S-HEPE), traumatic acid, serotonin, platelet-activating factor (PAF), phosphatidylcholine (PC 20:5),eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 12(S)-hydroxyei- cosatetraenoic acid (12S-HETE), 14-hydroxy docosahexaenoic acid (14-HDOHE), lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC 20:4), and indole acetaldehyde, were identified and characterized as differential metabolites involved in the pathogenesis of SLE. After treatment with JP, the relative content of 12(S)-HETE, PAF, 12(S)-HEPE, EPA, PE (20:3), Lyso-PE(22:6), and 14-HDOHE were effectively regulated, which suggested that the therapeutic effects of JP on SLE may involve regulating disturbances to the metabolism of unsaturated fatty acid, tryptophan and phospholipid. This research also demonstrated that metabolomics is a powerful tool for researching complex disease mechanisms and evaluating the mechanism of action of TCM.

  13. Preparation and characterization of a new lipid nano-emulsion containing two cosurfactants, sodium palmitate for droplet size reduction and sucrose palmitate for stability enhancement.

    PubMed

    Takegami, Shigehiko; Kitamura, Keisuke; Kawada, Hiroto; Matsumoto, Yu; Kitade, Tatsuya; Ishida, Hiroharu; Nagata, Chieyo

    2008-08-01

    A new lipid nano-emulsion (LNE) was prepared from soybean oil and phosphatidylcholine (PC) employing two cosurfactants, sodium palmitate (PA) for reduced droplet size and sucrose palmitate (SP) for stability enhancement. The mean droplet size of LNEs prepared at a PA/PC (w/w) ratio of larger than 1/10 was found to be ca. 50 nm by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy. However, during the 12-month storage, the PA/PC (1/10)-LNE showed an increase in mean droplet size and broadening of the droplet size distribution due to coalescence of the LNE particles. In a saline solution, the coalescence proceeded very rapidly, i.e., the mean droplet size increased to more than 150 nm within 0.5 h. To suppress the coalescence of LNE particles, four sucrose fatty acid esters of different chain lengths were examined as candidate cosurfactants. The results showed that PA/SP/PC (1/4/10)-LNE could maintain a mean droplet size around 50 nm for 12 months. In a saline solution, the mean droplet size could be maintained within 100 nm even after 24 h. Slight formation of flocculation in the LNEs depending on the storage period was suggested by measurement of the 31P nuclear magnetic resonance line width of the LNEs.

  14. Characterization of a small acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP) from Helianthus annuus L. and its binding affinities.

    PubMed

    Aznar-Moreno, Jose A; Venegas-Calerón, Mónica; Du, Zhi-Yan; Garcés, Rafael; Tanner, Julian A; Chye, Mee-Len; Martínez-Force, Enrique; Salas, Joaquín J

    2016-05-01

    Acyl-CoA-binding proteins (ACBPs) bind to acyl-CoA esters and promote their interaction with other proteins, lipids and cell structures. Small class I ACBPs have been identified in different plants, such as Arabidopsis thaliana (AtACBP6), Brassica napus (BnACBP) and Oryza sativa (OsACBP1, OsACBP2, OsACBP3), and they are capable of binding to different acyl-CoA esters and phospholipids. Here we characterize HaACBP6, a class I ACBP expressed in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) tissues, studying the specificity of its corresponding recombinant HaACBP6 protein towards various acyl-CoA esters and phospholipids in vitro, particularly using isothermal titration calorimetry and protein phospholipid binding assays. This protein binds with high affinity to de novo synthetized derivatives palmitoly-CoA, stearoyl-CoA and oleoyl-CoA (Kd 0.29, 0.14 and 0.15 μM respectively). On the contrary, it showed lower affinity towards linoleoyl-CoA (Kd 5.6 μM). Moreover, rHaACBP6 binds to different phosphatidylcholine species (dipalmitoyl-PC, dioleoyl-PC and dilinoleoyl-PC), yet it displays no affinity towards other phospholipids like lyso-PC, phosphatidic acid and lysophosphatidic acid derivatives. In the light of these results, the possible involvement of this protein in sunflower oil synthesis is considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Inhibition mechanism of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate on drug crystallization in gastrointestinal fluid and drug permeability from a supersaturated solution.

    PubMed

    Ueda, Keisuke; Higashi, Kenjirou; Kataoka, Makoto; Yamashita, Shinji; Yamamoto, Keiji; Moribe, Kunikazu

    2014-10-01

    The effects of drug-crystallization inhibitor in bile acid/lipid micelles solution on drug permeation was evaluated during the drug crystallization process. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMC-AS) was used as a drug-crystallization inhibitor, which efficiently suppressed dexamethasone (DEX) crystallization in a gastrointestinal fluid model containing sodium taurocholate (NaTC) and egg-phosphatidylcholine (egg-PC). Changes of molecular state of supersaturated DEX during the DEX crystallization process was monitored in real time using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). It revealed that DEX distribution to bulk water and micellar phases formed by NaTC and egg-PC was not changed during the DEX crystallization process even in the presence of HPMC-AS. DEX permeation during DEX crystallization was evaluated using dissolution/permeability system. The combination of crystallization inhibition by HPMC-AS and micellar encapsulation by NaTC and egg-PC led to considerably higher DEX concentrations and improvement of DEX permeation at the beginning of the DEX crystallization process. Crystallization inhibition by HPMC-AS can efficiently work even in the micellar solution, where NaTC/egg-PC micelles encapsulates some DEX. It was concluded that a crystallization inhibitor contributed to improvement of permeation of a poorly water-soluble drug in gastrointestinal fluid. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Surface-induced polymerization of actin.

    PubMed Central

    Renault, A; Lenne, P F; Zakri, C; Aradian, A; Vénien-Bryan, C; Amblard, F

    1999-01-01

    Living cells contain a very large amount of membrane surface area, which potentially influences the direction, the kinetics, and the localization of biochemical reactions. This paper quantitatively evaluates the possibility that a lipid monolayer can adsorb actin from a nonpolymerizing solution, induce its polymerization, and form a 2D network of individual actin filaments, in conditions that forbid bulk polymerization. G- and F-actin solutions were studied beneath saturated Langmuir monolayers containing phosphatidylcholine (PC, neutral) and stearylamine (SA, a positively charged surfactant) at PC:SA = 3:1 molar ratio. Ellipsometry, tensiometry, shear elastic measurements, electron microscopy, and dark-field light microscopy were used to characterize the adsorption kinetics and the interfacial polymerization of actin. In all cases studied, actin follows a monoexponential reaction-limited adsorption with similar time constants (approximately 10(3) s). At a longer time scale the shear elasticity of the monomeric actin adsorbate increases only in the presence of lipids, to a 2D shear elastic modulus of mu approximately 30 mN/m, indicating the formation of a structure coupled to the monolayer. Electron microscopy shows the formation of a 2D network of actin filaments at the PC:SA surface, and several arguments strongly suggest that this network is indeed causing the observed elasticity. Adsorption of F-actin to PC:SA leads more quickly to a slightly more rigid interface with a modulus of mu approximately 50 mN/m. PMID:10049338

  17. Atomic Force Microscope Studies of the Fusion of Floating Lipid Bilayers

    PubMed Central

    Abdulreda, Midhat H.; Moy, Vincent T.

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated the fusion of apposing floating bilayers of egg L-α-phosphatidylcholine (egg PC) or 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Atomic force microscope measurements of fusion forces under different compression rates were acquired to reveal the energy landscape of the fusion process under varied lipid composition and temperature. Between compression rates of ∼1000 and ∼100,000 pN/s, applied forces in the range from ∼100 to ∼500 pN resulted in fusion of floating bilayers. Our atomic force microscope measurements indicated that one main energy barrier dominated the fusion process. The acquired dynamic force spectra were fit with a simple model based on the transition state theory with the assumption that the fusion activation potential is linear. A significant shift in the energy landscape was observed when bilayer fluidity and composition were modified, respectively, by temperature and different cholesterol concentrations (15% ≤ chol ≤ 25%). Such modifications resulted in a more than twofold increase in the width of the fusion energy barrier for egg PC and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine floating bilayers. The addition of 25% cholesterol to egg PC bilayers increased the activation energy by ∼1.0 kBT compared with that of bilayers with egg PC alone. These results reveal that widening of the energy barrier and consequently reduction in its slope facilitated membrane fusion. PMID:17400691

  18. Atomic force microscope studies of the fusion of floating lipid bilayers.

    PubMed

    Abdulreda, Midhat H; Moy, Vincent T

    2007-06-15

    This study investigated the fusion of apposing floating bilayers of egg L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (egg PC) or 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Atomic force microscope measurements of fusion forces under different compression rates were acquired to reveal the energy landscape of the fusion process under varied lipid composition and temperature. Between compression rates of approximately 1000 and approximately 100,000 pN/s, applied forces in the range from approximately 100 to approximately 500 pN resulted in fusion of floating bilayers. Our atomic force microscope measurements indicated that one main energy barrier dominated the fusion process. The acquired dynamic force spectra were fit with a simple model based on the transition state theory with the assumption that the fusion activation potential is linear. A significant shift in the energy landscape was observed when bilayer fluidity and composition were modified, respectively, by temperature and different cholesterol concentrations (15% < or = chol < or = 25%). Such modifications resulted in a more than twofold increase in the width of the fusion energy barrier for egg PC and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine floating bilayers. The addition of 25% cholesterol to egg PC bilayers increased the activation energy by approximately 1.0 k(B)T compared with that of bilayers with egg PC alone. These results reveal that widening of the energy barrier and consequently reduction in its slope facilitated membrane fusion.

  19. Orange juice affects acylcarnitine metabolism in healthy volunteers as revealed by a mass-spectrometry based metabolomics approach.

    PubMed

    Moreira, Vanessa; Brasili, Elisa; Fiamoncini, Jarlei; Marini, Federico; Miccheli, Alfredo; Daniel, Hannelore; Lee, Jennifer Ji Hye; Hassimotto, Neuza Mariko Aymoto; Lajolo, Franco Maria

    2018-05-01

    Citrus juices, especially orange juice, constitute rich sources of bioactive compounds with a wide range of health-promoting activities. Data from epidemiological and in vitro studies suggest that orange juice (OJ) may have a positive impact on lipid metabolism. However, the effect of orange juice intake on blood lipid profile is still poorly understood. We have used two different blood samples, Dried Blood Spots (DBS) and plasma, to assess the effect of two-week orange juice consumption in healthy volunteers by a mass-spectrometry based metabolomics approach. DBS were analysed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and plasma samples were analysed by the gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). One hundred sixty-nine lipids including acylcarnitines (AC), lysophosphatidylcholines (LysoPC), (diacyl- and acyl-alkyl-) phosphatidylcholines (PC aa and PC ae) and sphingomyelins (SM) were identified and quantified in DBS. Eighteen fatty acids were identified and quantified in plasma. Multivariate analysis allowed to identify an increase in C3:1, C5-DC(C6-OH), C5-M-DC, C5:1-DC, C8, C12-DC, lysoPC18:3, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitoleic and palmitic acid and a decrease in nervonic acid, C0, C2, C10, C10:1, C16:1, C16-OH, C16:1-OH, C18-OH, PC aa C40:4, PC ae C38:4, PC ae C42:3, PC ae C42:4 and cholesterol levels after orange juice intake. A two-week period of orange juice intake could affect fatty acids β-oxidation through mitochondrial and peroxisomal pathways, leading to an increase of short-chain acylcarnitines and a decrease of medium and long-chain acylcarnitines. This is the first report analyzing the effect of orange juice intake in healthy volunteers using a dried blood spot-based metabolomics approach. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Production of monoclonal antibodies to Listeria monocytogenes and their application to determine the virulence of isolates from channel catfish.

    PubMed

    Erdenlig, S; Ainsworth, A J; Austin, F W

    1999-07-01

    We produced monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the extracellular proteins of Listeria monocytogenes EGD grown in Chelex-treated improved minimal medium. Ten of the positive hybridomas generated were chosen for further characterization. Seven of the MAbs reacted with a protein having a molecular mass of 60 kDa. These MAbs inhibited listeriolysin (LLO)-mediated hemolysis, and two of them were specific for LLO and none of the other thiol-activated toxins tested. In an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis, five of the anti-LLO MAbs reacted with ivanolysin from Listeria ivanovii. Three of the 10 MAbs reacted with a 29-kDa protein on Western blots and neutralized the phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) activity of L. monocytogenes. These three anti-PC-PLC MAbs did not react with phospholipases from five different gram-positive bacteria. However, the anti-PC-PLC MAbs recognized a 27-kDa extracellular protein from L. ivanovii and neutralized sphingomyelinase activity in a hemolysis test that demonstrates the antigenic relatedness of listerial phospholipases. These data indicate that listerial thiol-activated toxins possess species-specific epitopes and share group-specific epitopes. This is the first description of MAbs that neutralize listerial PC-PLC, and the data suggest that there is antigenic similarity between L. monocytogenes PC-PLC and L. ivanovii sphingomyelinase. The reactions of the MAbs with catfish isolates of L. monocytogenes suggested that some of the isolates examined lack the LLO and/or PC-PLC required for pathogenicity. The MAbs described here differentiated some catfish isolates from previously described type strain-pathogenic isolates and could be useful for detecting and determining the virulence of L. monocytogenes in food and clinical samples and for detecting L. ivanovii in veterinary clinical samples.

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