Olig2在cuprizone介导的脱髓鞘动物模型中的表达变化

目的探讨Olig2在cuprizone诱导的急性脱髓鞘动物模型中的表达变化规律。方法应用含0.2%cuprizone饲料饲育小鼠,通过调控饲育时间,造成神经脱髓鞘及髓鞘再生,使用免疫荧光染色和实时定量PCR(qRT-PCR)的方法,观察模型髓鞘脱失后及髓鞘再生2周后Olig2、少突胶质细胞碱性髓鞘蛋白(MBP)及星形胶质细胞神经胶质酸性蛋白(GFAP)的表达变化。结果 Cuprizone饲育6周后,动物胼胝体白质内髓鞘脱失严重,在恢复正常饲料后,髓鞘逐渐恢复正常结构。正常小鼠大脑Olig2低水平表达。髓鞘脱失后Olig2、GFAP表达增高,并可见Olig2+/GFAP+细胞,MBP表达明显降低。髓鞘再生2周后Olig2表达降低,MBP、GFAP表达增高。结论 Olig2基因在cuprizone诱导的脱髓鞘模型中的表达变化,提示Olig2可能参与祖细胞向有活性的星形胶质细胞的分化过程,并与胶质瘢痕的形成有关。     

树脂包埋半薄切片在视神经组织学和免疫组织化学研究中的应用

目的探讨半薄切片在视神经组织学和免疫组织化学研究中的应用,寻找一种视神经形态学研究和疾病诊断的有效方法。方法健康Sprague-Dawley大鼠视神经分别行树脂包埋制成半薄切片与石蜡包埋制成石蜡切片,分别采用HE、甲苯胺蓝染色及髓鞘碱性蛋白(myelin basic protein,MBP)免疫组织化学方法染色,光学显微镜下观察并比较半薄切片与石蜡切片染色结果的差异。结果石蜡切片HE和甲苯胺蓝染色均显示视神经髓鞘不着色,MBP免疫组织化学染色示MBP阳性着色较重,着色较紊乱,髓鞘着色不清晰。半薄切片HE及甲苯胺蓝染色均显示髓鞘呈环形,着色清晰,颜色对比鲜明;MBP免疫组化染色结果可见髓鞘呈环形,非特异性染色不明显,阳性对比显著,可清晰显示髓鞘结构。结论半薄切片在视神经组织学和免疫组织化学研究中优于石蜡切片,可用于视神经疾病的诊断和研究。     

Lingo-1抑制髓鞘再生的分子机制及临床应用前景

Lingo-1(leucine-rich repeat and Ig domain containing,Nogo receptor-interacting protein1)是一种选择性表达于中枢神经系统的跨膜蛋白。目前,针对髓鞘再生过程的研究发现,在中枢神经系统损伤后出现高表达Lingo-1,从而抑制损伤区少突胶质前体细胞(oligodendrocyte progenitor cells,OPCs)的分化并降低神经元的存活率,最终抑制损伤神经元的髓鞘再生。由此提示,Lingo-1可能成为促进损伤后神经修复的重要新靶点。该文就近年来关于Lingo-1对中枢神经系统髓鞘再生影响的研究及其作用机制作一简单综述。     

缺氧缺血诱导对原代新生大鼠前脑混合细胞髓鞘形成和细胞骨架的影响

目的:该研究探讨了缺氧缺血诱导对新生大鼠前脑混合细胞髓鞘形成和细胞骨架的影响。方法:在原代培养的新生大鼠前脑混合细胞中,应用免疫组化染色髓鞘碱性蛋白(MBP)和劳克坚牢蓝(LFB)染色检测髓鞘和轴突的发育情况;Western印迹分析NF155蛋白的表达情况;免疫荧光分析参与细胞骨架调节的ERM-Rho GTP酶家族相关蛋白表达。结果:缺氧缺血对混合细胞的进一步分化和成熟起到抑制作用,MBP染色阳性率降低57%,髓鞘和轴突染色阳性率降低74%;NF155蛋白表达降低51%;Rho GTP酶家族成员Rac1、Cdc42分别降低81%和75%。结论:缺氧缺血使细胞突起的形成和骨架重组受到阻碍,继而影响髓鞘的发育和成熟,这一过程与ERM-Rho GTP酶细胞骨架通路有关。     

中枢神经系统损害：髓鞘和轴突变化

髓鞘(图1,a)和轴突变化,是中枢神经系统损害中比较重要的一种病变。为了便于说明髓鞘和轴突变化的特征,先从其正常结构达起。 (一)髓鞘和轴突的正常结构 髓鞘是有髓神经纤维外面所见的鞘,其包在中央的神经纤维就是轴突。轴突不一定有髓     

皮肤组织神经髓鞘几种染色方法的比较

对皮肤组织神经髓鞘应用髓磷脂硷性蛋白myelin basic protein简称MBP）免疫组织化学,劳克坚牢蓝(Luxol fast blue,简称LFB）,砂罗铬花青（solochrome cyanine简称SC）,KOH-HIO4-Schiff四种不同的染色方法进行染色比较,结果显示,MBP法具有特异性强,背景干净,对比清晰等特点。SC、Schiff法髓鞘着色效果亦较好,但背景中其他组织也着色,只要分化适当,LFB法髓鞘着色鲜明,且有一定特异性。     

核因子-κB的激活参与施万细胞的髓鞘形成过程

许旺细胞 (Schwanncells)在外周神经元信号支配下参与其轴突髓鞘形成 ,此过程机制尚不明。美国Vanderbilt大学的BruceD .Carter等最近用多种方法证实 :在施万细胞形成髓鞘的过程中 ,核因子 κB(NF κB)起决定性作用。他们在大鼠髂神经元体外培养中发现 ,髓鞘形成特异性相关基因Oct 6和Krox 2 0的表达受NF κB的调控。Oct 6和Krox 2 0的基因产物分别是具有POU结构域和锌指结构域的转录因子 ,髓磷脂碱性蛋白(myelinbasicprotein ,MBP)是它们的靶基因。Oct 6在髓鞘形成的起始阶段 ,即胚胎期 16天开始表达 ,至出生后 15天消失 ,而此…     

硫氢化钠对脊髓小脑共济失调3型小鼠海马MBP及学习记忆的影响

目的: 探讨硫氢化钠(NaHS)对脊髓小脑共济失调3型(SCA3)小鼠海马神经元髓鞘碱性蛋白(MBP)及学习记忆的影响及其治疗意义。方法: 随机挑选12只雄性正常野生型小鼠(WT)作为正常对照组(NC Group),然后将48只SCA3小鼠随机分为SCA3模型组(M Group)、低剂量小鼠组(NL Group,10 μmol/kg)、中剂量小鼠组(NM Group,50 μmol/kg)和高剂量小鼠组(NH Group,100 μmol/kg),每组12只,用药组每日腹腔注射一次,连续4周。通过Morris水迷宫比较不同剂量NaHS干预前后SCA3小鼠学习记忆能力的变化,分光光度法测定海马内硫化氢(H₂S)含量,免疫组化技术检测髓鞘碱性蛋白(MBP)的表达差异,并借助电镜观察各组小鼠神经元髓鞘形态学变化。 结果:与对照组小鼠比较,SCA3小鼠的学习记忆能力显著下降(P＜0.05),海马内H₂S含量降低(P＜0.05),有髓神经纤维MBP表达量也降低(P＜0.05),经过不同剂量的外源性NaHS治疗后,学习记忆能力有不同程度改善(P＜0.05);且SCA3小鼠海马H₂S和MBP含量也有不同程度提高(P＜0.05)。结论: 外源性NaHS可能通过提高SCA3小鼠大脑海马的H₂S含量和MBP含量增加,对神经元细胞产生一定的保护作用,进而提高SCA3小鼠的学习记忆能力,为寻求SCA3的治疗提供新的思路,同时为临床SCA3患者的营养支持及治疗提供方向。     

人脑髓鞘碱性蛋白cDNA体外扩增、克隆和鉴定

采用聚合酶链反应(PCR)从人脑cDNA文库中扩增出600bp的髓鞘碱性蛋白(MBP)cDNA片段,与载体pGEM-3Zf(+)平端连接.重组质粒DNA转化宿主菌JM109,在含X-gal和IPTG的平板上直接筛选阳性克隆.限制性内切酶分析和成套引物扩增鉴定证明,该克隆含有7个外显子的21.5kD人脑MBP全长编码序列.     

脑外伤后血清和脑脊液中髓鞘磷脂碱性蛋白含量变化及临床意义

目的:研究脑外伤后血清、脑脊液中髓鞘碱性蛋白(myelin basic protein,MBP)浓度变化,探讨该变化与脑损伤程度及预后情况的关系.方法:采用酶联免疫吸附法对65例脑外伤患者伤后24h、3d、7d血清及脑脊液中MBP浓度检测,并结合颅脑损伤程度和格拉斯哥预后计分(GOS)进行比较分析.结果:病例组患者血清和脑脊液中MBP含量升高程度与脑损伤程度及预后情况密切相关.结论:血清、脑脊液MBP对于判断脑外伤程度和预后情况具有较高的特异性和敏感性,可作为脑外伤治疗及病情转归的重要客观依据.     

A thermodynamic and structural study of myelin basic protein in lipid membrane models

Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a major protein of the myelin membrane in the central nervous system. It is believed to play a relevant role in the structure and function of the myelin sheath and is a candidate autoantigen in demyelinating processes such as multiple sclerosis. MBP has many features typical of soluble proteins but is capable of strongly interacting with lipids, probably via a conformation change. Its structure in the lipid membrane as well as the details of its interaction with the lipid membrane are still to be resolved. In this article we study the interaction of MBP with Langmuir films of anionic and neutral phospholipids, used as experimental models of the lipid membrane. By analyzing the equilibrium surface pressure/area isotherms of these films, we measured the protein partition coefficient between the aqueous solution and the lipid membrane, the mixing ratio between protein and lipid, and the area of the protein molecules inserted in the lipid film. The penetration depth of MBP in the lipid monolayer was evaluated by x-ray reflectivity measurements. The mixing ratio and the MBP molecular area decrease as the surface pressure increases, and at high surface pressure the protein is preferentially located at the lipid/water interface for both anionic and neutral lipids. The morphology of MBP adsorbed on lipid films was studied by atomic force microscopy. MBP forms bean-like structures and induces a lateral compaction of the lipid surface. Scattered MBP particles have also been observed. These particles, which are 2.35-nm high, 4.7-nm wide, and 13.3-nm long, could be formed by protein-lipid complexes. On the basis of their size, they could also be either single MBP molecules or pairs of c-shaped interpenetrating molecules.     

Kinetics and thermodynamics of annexin A1 binding to solid-supported membranes: a QCM study

By means of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique, the interaction of annexin A1 with lipid membranes was quantified using solid-supported bilayers immobilized on gold electrodes deposited on 5 MHz quartz plates. Solid-supported lipid bilayers were composed of a first octanethiol monolayer chemisorbed on gold and a physisorbed phospholipid monolayer obtained from vesicle fusion. This experimental setup enabled us to determine for the first time rate constants and affinity constants of annexin A1 binding to phosphatidylserine-containing layers as a function of the calcium ion concentration in solution and the cholesterol content within the outer leaflet of the solid-supported bilayer. The results reveal that a decrease in Ca(2+) concentration from 1 mM to 100 microM significantly increases the rate of annexin A1 binding to the membrane independent of the cholesterol content. However, the presence of cholesterol in the membrane altered the affinity constants considerably. While the association constant decreases with decreasing Ca(2+) concentration in the case of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine (POPS) membranes lacking cholesterol, it remains high in the presence of cholesterol.     

Peptide binding to lipid bilayers. Binding isotherms and zeta-potential of a cyclic somatostatin analogue

The binding of the cyclic somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995, (+)-D-Phe1-Cys2-Phe3-D-Trp4-(+)-Lys5-Thr6- Cys7-Thr(ol)8, to neutral and negatively charged lipids was investigated with a centrifugation assay and with electrophoretic and monolayer methods. Monolayers and bilayers were composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (POPG), either in pure form or in a 75/25 (mol/mol) mixture. The expansion of monolayer films demonstrated the intercalation of the peptide between the lipid molecules with a surface area requirement of 135 A2 per peptide molecule, indicating a parallel alignment of the peptide long axis with the membrane surface. Above a limiting pressure of 32.5 mN/m for POPC and 38.5 mN/m for POPG, peptide penetration was no longer possible. The peptide binding isotherm could be measured for mixed POPC/POPG bilayers up to a peptide concentration of 0.5 mM. Due to electrostatic attraction, binding between the positively charged peptide and the negatively charged membrane surface was enhanced as compared to the binding to a neutral membrane. After correction for electrostatic effects by means of the Gouy-Chapman theory, the binding isotherm as well as the electrophoretic zeta-potential measurement could be described by the same partition equilibrium with a surface partition constant of Kp = 36 +/- 4 M-1 (at 0.1 M NaCl). About 60-70% of SMS 201-995 is probably embedded in the headgroup region with little penetration into the lipid core. The partition constant increases with increasing salt concentration or with decreasing lipid lateral pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Interaction of phosphatidylserine synthase from E. coli with lipid bilayers: coupled plasmon-waveguide resonance spectroscopy studies

The interaction of phosphatidylserine (PS) synthase from Escherichia coli with lipid membranes was studied with a recently developed variant of the surface plasmon resonance technique, referred to as coupled plasmon-waveguide resonance spectroscopy. The features of the new technique are increased sensitivity and spectral resolution, and a unique ability to directly measure the structural anisotropy of lipid and proteolipid films. Solid-supported lipid bilayers with the following compositions were used: 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC); POPC-1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate (POPA) (80:20, mol/mol); POPC-POPA (60:40, mol/mol); and POPC-1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (POPG) (75:25, mol/mol). Addition of either POPA or POPG to a POPC bilayer causes a considerable increase of both the bilayer thickness and its optical anisotropy. PS synthase exhibits a biphasic interaction with the bilayers. The first phase, occurring at low protein concentrations, involves both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, although it is dominated by the latter, and the enzyme causes a local decrease of the ordering of the lipid molecules. The second phase, occurring at high protein concentrations, is predominantly controlled by electrostatic interactions, and results in a cooperative binding of the enzyme to the membrane surface. Addition of the anionic lipids to a POPC bilayer causes a 5- to 15-fold decrease in the protein concentration at which the first binding phase occurs. The results reported herein lend experimental support to a previously suggested mechanism for the regulation of the polar head group composition in E. coli membranes.     

Cholesterol tuning of BK ethanol response is enantioselective, and is a function of accompanying lipids

In the search to uncover ethanol's molecular mechanisms, the calcium and voltage activated, large conductance potassium channel (BK) has emerged as an important molecule. We examine how cholesterol content in bilayers of 1,2-dioleoyl-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE)/sphingomyelin (SPM) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (POPE)/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylserine (POPS) affect the function and ethanol sensitivity of BK. In addition, we examine how manipulation of cholesterol in biological membranes modulates ethanol's actions on BK. We report that cholesterol levels regulate the change in BK channel open probability elicited by 50 mM ethanol. Low levels of cholesterol (<20%, molar ratio) supports ethanol activation, while high levels of cholesterol leads to ethanol inhibition of BK. To determine if cholesterol affects BK and its sensitivity to ethanol through a direct cholesterol-protein interaction or via an indirect action on the lipid bilayer, we used the synthetic enantiomer of cholesterol (ent-CHS). We found that 20% and 40% ent-CHS had little effect on the ethanol sensitivity of BK, when compared with the same concentration of nat-CHS. We accessed the effects of ent-CHS and nat-CHS on the molecular organization of DOPE/SPM monolayers at the air/water interface. The isotherm data showed that ent-CHS condensed DOPE/SPM monolayer equivalently to nat-CHS at a 20% concentration, but slightly less at a 40% concentration. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of DOPE/SPM membranes in the presence of ent-CHS or nat-CHS prepared with LB technique or vesicle deposition showed no significant difference in topographies, supporting the interpretation that the differences in actions of nat-CHS and ent-CHS on BK channel are not likely from a generalized action on bilayers. We conclude that membrane cholesterol influences ethanol's modulation of BK in a complex manner, including an interaction with the channel protein. Finally, our results suggest that an understanding of membrane protein function and modulation is impossible unless protein and surrounding lipid are considered as a functional unit.     

Comparative study of stability and transport of molecules through cyclic peptide nanotube and aquaporin: a molecular dynamics simulation approach

Abstract

The structural stability and transport properties of the cyclic peptide nanotube (CPN) 8?×?[Cys–Gly–Met–Gly]₂ in different phospholipid bilayers such as POPA (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidic acid), POPE (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine), POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine), POPG (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol) and POPS (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine) with water have been investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The hydrogen bonds and non-bonded interaction energies were calculated to study the stability in different bilayers. One µs MD simulation in POPA lipid membrane reveals the stability of the cyclic peptide nanotube, and the simulations at various temperatures manifest the higher stability of 8?×?[Cys–Gly–Met–Gly]₂. We demonstrated that the presence of sulphur-containing amino acids in CPN enhances the stability through disulphide bonds between the adjacent rings. Further, the water permeation coefficient of the CPN is calculated and compared with human aquaporin-2 (AQP2) channel protein. It is found that the coefficients are highly comparable to the AQP2 channel though the mechanism of water transport is not similar to AQP 2; the flow of water in the CPN is taking place as a two-line 1–2–1–2 file fashion. In addition to that, the transport behavior of Na⁺ and K⁺ ions, single water molecule, urea and anti-cancer drug fluorouracil were investigated using pulling simulation and potential of mean force calculation. The above transport behavior shows that Na⁺ is trapped in CPN for a longer time than other molecules. Also, the interactions of the ions and molecules in Cα and mid-Cα plane were studied to understand the transport behavior of the CPN. Abbreviations AQP2 Aquaporin-2

CPN Cyclic peptide nanotube

MD Molecular dynamics

POPA 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidic acid

POPE 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine

POPG 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol

POPS 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

Limiting an antimicrobial peptide to the lipid-water interface enhances its bacterial membrane selectivity: a case study of MSI-367

In a minimalist design approach, a synthetic peptide MSI-367 [(KFAKKFA)(3)-NH(2)] was designed and synthesized with the objective of generating cell-selective nonlytic peptides, which have a significant bearing on cell targeting. The peptide exhibited potent activity against both bacteria and fungi, but no toxicity to human cells at micromolar concentrations. Bacterial versus human cell membrane selectivity of the peptide was determined via membrane permeabilization assays. Circular dichroism investigations revealed the intrinsic helix propensity of the peptide, β-turn structure in aqueous buffer and extended and turn conformations upon binding to lipid vesicles. Differential scanning calorimetry experiments with 1,2-dipalmitoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine bilayers indicated the induction of positive curvature strain and repression of the fluid lamellar to inverted hexagonal phase transition by MSI-367. Results of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments suggested the possibility of formation of specific lipid-peptide complexes leading to aggregation. (2)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of deuterated 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) multilamellar vesicles confirmed the limited effect of the membrane-embedded peptide at the lipid-water interface. (31)P NMR data indicated changes in the lipid headgroup orientation of POPC, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol, and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine lipid bilayers upon peptide binding. Membrane-embedded and membrane-inserted states of the peptide were observed via sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy. Circular dichroism, ITC, and (31)P NMR data for Escherichia coli lipids agree with the hypothesis that strong electrostatic lipid-peptide interactions embrace the peptide at the lipid-water interface and provide the basis for bacterial cell selectivity.     

Protein-induced surface structuring in myelin membrane monolayers

Monolayers prepared from myelin conserve all the compositional complexity of the natural membrane when spread at the air-water interface. They show a complex pressure-dependent surface pattern that, on compression, changes from the coexistence of two liquid phases to a viscous fractal phase embedded in a liquid phase. We dissected the role of major myelin protein components, myelin basic protein (MBP), and Folch-Lees proteolipid protein (PLP) as crucial factors determining the structural dynamics of the interface. By analyzing mixtures of a single protein with the myelin lipids we found that MBP and PLP have different surface pressure-dependent behaviors. MBP stabilizes the segregation of two liquid phases at low pressures and becomes excluded from the film under compression, remaining adjacent to the interface. PLP, on the contrary, organizes a fractal-like pattern at all surface pressures when included in a monolayer of the protein-free myelin lipids but it remains mixed in the MBP-induced liquid phase. The resultant surface topography and dynamics is regulated by combined near to equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium effects. PLP appears to act as a surface skeleton for the whole components whereas MBP couples the structuring to surface pressure-dependent extrusion and adsorption processes.     

Aggregation of PrP106–126 on surfaces of neutral and negatively charged membranes studied by molecular dynamics simulations

Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the aggregation of an abnormal form of prion protein. The interaction of prion protein and cellular membrane is crucial to elucidate the occurrence and development of prion diseases. Its fragment, residues 106–126, has been proven to maintain the pathological properties of misfolded prion and was used as a model peptide. In this study, explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to investigate the adsorption, folding and aggregation of PrP106–126 with different sizes (2-peptides, 4-peptides and 6-peptides) on the surface of both pure neutral POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and negatively charged POPC/POPG (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol) (3:1) lipids. MD simulation results show that PrP106–126 display strong affinity with POPC/POPG but does not interact with pure POPC. The positively charged and polar residues participating hydrogen bonding with membrane promote the adsorption of PrP106–126. The presence of POPC and POPC/POPG exert limited influence on the secondary structures of PrP106–126 and random coil structures are predominant in all simulation systems. Upon the adsorption on the POPC/POPG surface, the aggregation states of PrP106–126 have been changed and more small oligomers were observed. This work provides insights into the interactions of PrP106–126 and membranes with different compositions in atomic level, which expand our understanding the role membrane plays in the development of prion diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein Aggregation and Misfolding at the Cell Membrane Interface edited by Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy.     

Atomic force microscopy and force spectroscopy study of Langmuir-Blodgett films formed by heteroacid phospholipids of biological interest

Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of two heteroacid phospholipids of biological interest 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), as well as a mixed monolayer with chi(POPC)=0.4, were transferred onto mica in order to investigate by a combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and force spectroscopy (FS) their height, and particularly, their nanomechanical properties. AFM images of such monolayers extracted at 30 mN m(-1) revealed a smooth and defect-free topography except for the POPE monolayer. Since scratching such soft monolayers in contact mode was proved unsuccessful, their molecular height was measured by means of the width of the jump present in the respective force-extension curves. While for pure POPC a small jump occurs near zero force, for the mixed monolayer with chi(POPC)=0.4 the jump occurs at approximately 800 pN. Widths of approximately 2 nm could be established for POPC and chi(POPC)=0.4, but not for POPE monolayer at this extracting pressure. Such different mechanical stability allowed us to directly measure the threshold area/lipid range value needed to induce mechanical stability to the monolayers. AFM imaging and FS were next applied to get further structural and mechanical insight into the POPE phase transition (LC-LC') occurring at pressures >36.5 mN m(-1). This phase transition was intimately related to a sudden decrease in the area/molecule value, resulting in a jump in the force curve occurring at high force ( approximately 1.72 nN). FS reveals to be the unique experimental technique able to unveil structural and nanomechanical properties for such soft phospholipid monolayers. The biological implications of the nanomechanical properties of the systems under investigation are discussed considering that the annular phospholipids region of some transmembrane proteins is enriched in POPE.