Disc formation in cholesterol-free liposomes during phase transition

Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) images of lysolipid-containing thermosensitive liposomes (LTSL) revealed that open liposomes and bilayer discs appeared when liposomes were cycled through the gel (Lbeta') to liquid-crystalline (Lalpha) phase transition. The amount of bilayer discs generated was dependent on the combined presence of PEG-lipid and lysolipid in the membrane. We hypothesize that micelle-forming membrane components stabilize the rim of bilayer openings and membrane discs that form when liposomes are cycled through TC.     

Effects of phospholipid hydrolysis on the aggregate structure in DPPC/DSPE-PEG2000 liposome preparations after gel to liquid crystalline phase transition

Upon storage of phospholipid liposome samples, lysolipids, fatty acids, and glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine are generated as a result of acid- or base-catalyzed hydrolysis. Accumulation of hydrolysis products in the liposome membrane can induce fusion, leakage, and structural transformations of the liposomes, which may be detrimental or beneficial to their performance depending on their applications as, e.g., drug delivery devices. We investigated in the present study the influence of phospholipid hydrolysis on the aggregate morphology of DPPC/DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀ liposomes after transition of the phospholipid membrane from the gel phase to liquid crystalline phase using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in combination with static light scattering, dynamic light scattering, and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The rates of DPPC hydrolysis in DPPC/DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀ liposomes were investigated at a pH of 2, 4, or 6.5 and temperatures of 22 °C or 4 °C. Results indicate that following phase transition, severe structural reorganizations occurred in liposome samples that were partially hydrolyzed in the gel phase. The most prominent effect was an increasing tendency of liposomes to disintegrate into membrane discs in accordance with an increasing degree of phospholipid hydrolysis. Complete disintegration occurred when DPPC concentrations had decreased by, in some cases, as little as 3.6%. After extensive phospholipid hydrolysis, liposomes and discs fused to form large bilayer sheets as well as other more complex bilayer structures apparently due to a decreased ratio of lysolipid to palmitic acid levels in the liposome membrane.     

Effect of unsaturated bonds in the sn-2 acyl chain of phosphatidylcholine on the membrane-damaging action of Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin toward liposomes

Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin degrades phosphatidylcholine (PC) in the bilayer of liposomes and destroys the membrane. The effect of the type and position of unsaturation in the fatty acyl chain of PC (18:0/18:1 PC) synthesized on the toxin-induced leakage of carboxyfluorescein (CF) from PC liposomes was examined. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the phase transition temperature (T_m) was minimal when the triple bond was positioned at C (9) in the sn-2 acyl chain. The toxin-induced CF leakage decreased with the migration of the bond from C (9) to either end of the acyl chain in PC. The PC containing the cis-double bond had a similar T_m to that with the triple bond, but a lower value than the PC containing the trans-double bond. Furthermore, the toxin-induced leakage from liposomes composed of PC containing the cis-double bond resembled that with PC having the triple bond and was greater than that from liposomes with PC having the trans-double bond. The binding of a H148G mutant to PC liposomes showed a reciprocal relationship in terms of the T_m value of PC containing the triple bond. These results indicate that the toxin-induced membrane damage is closely related to membrane fluidity in liposomes.     

Effect of neurosteroids on a model lipid bilayer including cholesterol: An Atomic Force Microscopy study

Amphiphilic molecules which have a biological effect on specific membrane proteins, could also affect lipid bilayer properties possibly resulting in a modulation of the overall membrane behavior. In light of this consideration, it is important to study the possible effects of amphiphilic molecule of pharmacological interest on model systems which recapitulate some of the main properties of the biological plasma membranes. In this work we studied the effect of a neurosteroid, Allopregnanolone (3α,5α-tetrahydroprogesterone or Allo), on a model bilayer composed by the ternary lipid mixture DOPC/bSM/chol. We chose ternary mixtures which present, at room temperature, a phase coexistence of liquid ordered (L_o) and liquid disordered (L_d) domains and which reside near to a critical point. We found that Allo, which is able to strongly partition in the lipid bilayer, induces a marked increase in the bilayer area and modifies the relative proportion of the two phases favoring the L_d phase. We also found that the neurosteroid shifts the miscibility temperature to higher values in a way similarly to what happens when the cholesterol concentration is decreased. Interestingly, an isoform of Allo, isoAllopregnanolone (3β,5α-tetrahydroprogesterone or isoAllo), known to inhibit the effects of Allo on GABA_A receptors, has an opposite effect on the bilayer properties.     

Nanosized bilayer disks: Attractive model membranes for drug partition studies

Stable nanosized bilayer disks were prepared from either 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) and cholesterol, or lipid mixtures with a composition reflecting that of the porcine brush border membrane. Two different polyethylene glycol (PEG)-grafted lipids, the negatively charged 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy (polyethylene glycol)-5000] (DSPE-PEG₅₀₀₀) and the neutral N-palmitoyl-sphingosine-1-[succinyl (methoxy (polyethylene glycol) 5000] (Ceramide-PEG₅₀₀₀), were used to stabilize the disks. The disks were employed as model membranes in drug partition studies based on a fast chromatography method. Results show that the lipid composition, as well as the choice of PEG-lipid, have an important influence on the partition behavior of charged drugs. Comparative studies using multilamellar liposomes indicate that bilayer disks have the potential to generate more accurate partition data than do liposomes. Further, initial investigations using bacteriorhodopsin suggest that membrane proteins can be reconstituted into the bilayer disks. This fact further strengthens the potential of the bilayer disk as an attractive model membrane.     

Binding of β-Amyloid (1-42) Peptide to Negatively Charged Phospholipid Membranes in the Liquid-Ordered State: Modeling and Experimental Studies

To explore the initial stages of amyloid β peptide (Aβ42) deposition on membranes, we have studied the interaction of Aβ42 in the monomeric form with lipid monolayers and with bilayers in either the liquid-disordered or the liquid-ordered (L_o) state, containing negatively charged phospholipids. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the system have been performed, as well as experimental measurements. For bilayers in the L_o state, in the absence of the negatively charged lipids, interaction is weak and it cannot be detected by isothermal calorimetry. However, in the presence of phosphatidic acid, or of cardiolipin, interaction is detected by different methods and in all cases interaction is strongest with lower (2.5–5 mol %) than higher (10–20 mol %) proportions of negatively charged phospholipids. Liquid-disordered bilayers consistently allowed a higher Aβ42 binding than L_o ones. Thioflavin T assays and infrared spectroscopy confirmed a higher proportion of β-sheet formation under conditions when higher peptide binding was measured. The experimental results were supported by MD simulations. We used 100 ns MD to examine interactions between Aβ42 and three different 512 lipid bilayers consisting of palmitoylsphingomyelin, dimyristoyl phosphatidic acid, and cholesterol in three different proportions. MD pictures are different for the low- and high-charge bilayers, in the former case the peptide is bound through many contact points to the bilayer, whereas for the bilayer containing 20 mol % anionic phospholipid only a small fragment of the peptide appears to be bound. The MD results indicate that the binding and fibril formation on the membrane surface depends on the composition of the bilayer, and is the result of a subtle balance of many inter- and intramolecular interactions between the Aβ42 and membrane.     

Spectroscopic signatures of bilayer ordering in native biological membranes

Membrane proteins and polycyclic lipids like cholesterol and hopanoids coordinate phospholipid bilayer ordering. This phenomenon manifests as partitioning of the liquid crystalline phase into liquid-ordered (L_o) and liquid-disordered (L_d) regions. In Eukaryotes, microdomains are rich in cholesterol and sphingolipids and serve as signal transduction scaffolds. In Prokaryotes, L_o microdomains increase pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance. Previously, we identified spectroscopically distinct chemical shift signatures for all-trans (AT) and trans-gauche (TG) acyl chain conformations, cyclopropyl ring lipids (CPR), and hopanoids in prokaryotic lipid extracts and used Polarization Transfer (PT) SSNMR to investigate bilayer ordering. To investigate how these findings relate to native bilayer organization, we interrogate whole cell and whole membrane extract samples of Burkholderia thailendensis to investigate bilayer ordering in situ. In ¹³C-¹³C 2D SSNMR spectra, we assigned chemical shifts for lipid species in both samples, showing conservation of lipids of interest in our native membrane sample. A one-dimensional temperature series of PT SSNMR and transverse relaxation measurements of AT versus TG acyl conformations in the membrane sample confirm bilayer ordering and a broadened phase transition centered at a lower-than-expected temperature. Bulk protein backbone Cα dynamics and correlations consistent with lipid-protein contacts within are further indicative of microdomain formation and lipid ordering. In aggregate, these findings provide evidence for microdomain formation in vivo and provide insight into phase separation and transition mechanics in biological membranes.     

Thermotropic and barotropic phase transitions of N-methylated dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine bilayers

In order to understand the effect of polar head group modification on the thermotropic and barotropic phase behavior of phospholipid bilayer membranes, the phase transitions of dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE), dipalmitoylphosphatidyl-N-methylethanolamine (DPMePE), dipalmitoylphosphatidyl-N,N-dimethylethanolamine (DPMe₂PE) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer membranes were observed by differential scanning calorimetry and high-pressure optical methods. The temperatures of the so-called main transition from the gel (L_β) or ripple gel (P_β′) phase to the liquid crystalline (L_α) phase were almost linearly elevated by applying pressure. The slope of the temperature-pressure boundary, dT/dp, was in the range of 0.220-0.264 K MPa⁻¹ depending on the number of methyl groups in the head group of lipids. The main-transition temperatures of N-methylated DPPEs decreased with increasing size of head group by stepwise N-methylation. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in thermodynamic quantities of the main transition between the phospholipids. With respect to the transition from the subgel (L_c) phase to the lamellar gel (L_β or L_β′) phase, the transition temperatures were also elevated by applying pressure. In the case of DPPE bilayer the L_c/L_β transition appeared at a pressure higher than 21.8 MPa. At a pressure below 21.8 MPa the L_c/L_α transition was observed at a temperature higher than the main-transition temperature. The main (L_β/L_α) transition can be recognized as the transformation between metastable phases in the range from ambient pressure to 21.8 MPa. Polymorphism in the gel phase is characteristic of DPPC bilayer membrane unlike other lipid bilayers used in this study: the L_β′, P_β′ and pressure-induced interdigitated gel (L_βI) phases were observed only in the DPPC bilayer. Regarding the bilayers of DPPE, DPMePE and DPMe₂PE, the interdigitation of acyl chain did not appear even at pressures as high as 200 MPa.     

Fine-tuning of POPC liposomal leakage by the use of β-cyclodextrin and several hydrophobic guests

The effect of entrapped β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) on the stability of multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), prepared by the dehydration-rehydration method, was studied by monitoring the release of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein encapsulated into the liposomes. Different hydrophobic guests, such as Fullerene C₆₀, have been incorporated into the POPC bilayer in order to modify the membrane composition. The kinetic results as well as ESI-MS measurements evidenced that the destabilizing activity of β-CD is due to the formation of β-CD inclusion complexes and the consequent removal of selected bilayer constituents from the liposomal membrane. Hence, when β-CD was added to the liposomes in the form of a strong, water-soluble 2:1 β-CD/C₆₀ inclusion complex, such a destabilizing effect was not observed. However, the same β-CD/C₆₀ inclusion complex does not form as a result of C₆₀ extraction from the bilayer. This may be attributed either to the overwhelming concentration of POPC with respect to C₆₀ and/or to the fact that C₆₀ is largely aggregated in the bilayer. Turbidimetric and fluorimetric determinations of lamellarity and entrapped volume of the studied MLVs provided further evidence of the alteration of the liposomal bilayer as a consequence of the addition of β-CD and/or the presence of the studied guests.     

Inhibition of the binding of cytochrome b5 to phosphatidylcholine vesicles by cholesterol

The binding of cytochrome b₅ to single-walled liposomes of egg phosphatidylcholine was inhibited by the presence of cholesterol in the lipid bilayer under conditions where a limited amount of liposomes was incubated with the cytochrome. Since similar conditions seem to apply for the binding of cytochrome b₅ to erythrocyte ghosts, this observation supports the conclusion of Enomoto and Sato (Enomoto, K. and Sato, R. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 466, 136–147) that the localization of cholesterol on the outer surface of the ghost membrane prevents the binding of cytochrome b₅ to this surface. The finding reported by Roseman et al. (Roseman, M.A., Holloway, P.W. and Calabro, M.A. (1978) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 507, 552–556) that cholesterol did not prevent the cytochrome binding to phosphatidylcholine liposomes in the presence of a large excess of liposomes could be confirmed in the present study, but this does not contradict the abovementioned conclusion.     

Lipid dependence of diadinoxanthin solubilization and de-epoxidation in artificial membrane systems resembling the lipid composition of the natural thylakoid membrane

In the present study, the solubility and enzymatic de-epoxidation of diadinoxanthin (Ddx) was investigated in three different artificial membrane systems: (1) Unilamellar liposomes composed of different concentrations of the bilayer forming lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC) and the inverted hexagonal phase (H_II phase) forming lipid monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), (2) liposomes composed of PC and the H_II phase forming lipid phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and (3) an artificial membrane system composed of digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) and MGDG, which resembles the lipid composition of the natural thylakoid membrane. Our results show that Ddx de-epoxidation strongly depends on the concentration of the inverted hexagonal phase forming lipids MGDG or PE in the liposomes composed of PC or DGDG, thus indicating that the presence of inverted hexagonal structures is essential for Ddx de-epoxidation. The difference observed for the solubilization of Ddx in H_II phase forming lipids compared with bilayer forming lipids indicates that Ddx is not equally distributed in the liposomes composed of different concentrations of bilayer versus non-bilayer lipids. In artificial membranes with a high percentage of bilayer lipids, a large part of Ddx is located in the membrane bilayer. In membranes composed of equal proportions of bilayer and H_II phase forming lipids, the majority of the Ddx molecules is located in the inverted hexagonal structures. The significance of the pigment distribution and the three-dimensional structure of the H_II phase for the de-epoxidation reaction is discussed, and a possible scenario for the lipid dependence of Ddx (and violaxanthin) de-epoxidation in the native thylakoid membrane is proposed.     

Poly(Ethylene Glycol)-Cholesterol Inhibits L-Type Ca2+ Channel Currents and Augments Voltage-Dependent Inactivation in A7r5 Cells

Cholesterol distributes at a high density in the membrane lipid raft and modulates ion channel currents. Poly(ethylene glycol) cholesteryl ether (PEG-cholesterol) is a nonionic amphipathic lipid consisting of lipophilic cholesterol and covalently bound hydrophilic PEG. PEG-cholesterol is used to formulate lipoplexes to transfect cultured cells, and liposomes for encapsulated drug delivery. PEG-cholesterol is dissolved in the external leaflet of the lipid bilayer, and expands it to flatten the caveolae and widen the gap between the two leaflets. We studied the effect of PEG-cholesterol on whole cell L-type Ca²⁺ channel currents (I _Ca,L) recorded from cultured A7r5 arterial smooth muscle cells. The pretreatment of cells with PEG-cholesterol decreased the density of I _Ca,L and augmented the voltage-dependent inactivation with acceleration of time course of inactivation and negative shift of steady-state inactivation curve. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD) is a cholesterol-binding oligosaccharide. The enrichment of cholesterol by the MβCD:cholesterol complex (cholesterol (MβCD)) caused inhibition of I _Ca,L but did not augment voltage-dependent inactivation. Incubation with MβCD increased I _Ca,L, slowed the time course of inactivation and shifted the inactivation curve to a positive direction. Additional pretreatment by a high concentration of MβCD of the cells initially pretreated with PEG-cholesterol, increased I _Ca,L to a greater level than the control, and removed the augmented voltage-dependent inactivation. Due to the enhancement of the voltage-dependent inactivation, PEG-cholesterol inhibited window I _Ca,L more strongly as compared with cholesterol (MβCD). Poly(ethylene glycol) conferred to cholesterol the efficacy to induce sustained augmentation of voltage-dependent inactivation of I _Ca,L.     

Effect of hydrostatic pressure on the bilayer phase behavior of symmetric and asymmetric phospholipids with the same total chain length

The bilayer phase transitions of palmitoylstearoyl-phosphatidylcholine (PSPC), diheptadecanoyl-PC (C17PC) and stearoylpalmitoyl-PC (SPPC) which have the same total carbon numbers in the two acyl chains were observed by differential scanning calorimetry and high-pressure optical method. As the temperature increased, these bilayers exhibited four phases of the subgel (L_c), lamellar gel (L_β′), ripple gel (P_β′) and liquid crystal (L_α), in turn. The L_c phase was observed only in the first heating scan after cold storage. The temperatures of the phase transitions were almost linearly elevated by applying pressure. The temperature-pressure phase diagrams and the thermodynamic quantities associated with the phase transitions were compared among the lipid bilayers. For all the bilayers studied, the pressure-induced interdigitated gel (L_βI) phase appeared above the critical interdigitation pressure (CIP) between the L_β′ and P_β′ phases. The CIPs for the PSPC, C17PC and SPPC bilayers were found to be 50.6, 79.1 and 93.0 MPa, respectively. Contribution of two acyl chains to thermodynamic properties for the phase transitions of asymmetric PSPC and SPPC bilayers was not even. The sn-2 acyl chain lengths of asymmetric PCs governed primarily the bilayer properties. The fluorescence spectra of Prodan in lipid bilayers showed the emission maxima characteristic of bilayer phases, which were dependent on the location of Prodan in the bilayers. Second derivative of fluorescent spectrum exhibited the original emission spectrum of Prodan to be composed of the distribution of Prodan into multiple locations in the lipid bilayer. The F″₄₉₇/F″₄₃₀ value, a ratio of second derivative of fluorescence intensity at 497 nm to that at 430 nm, is decisive evidence whether bilayer interdigitation will occur. With respect to the L_β′/L_βI phase transition in the SPPC bilayer, the emission maximum of Prodan exhibited the narrow-range red-shift from 441 to 449 nm, indicating that the L_βI phase in the SPPC bilayer has a less polar “pocket” formed by a space between uneven terminal methyl ends of the sn-1 and sn-2 chains, in which the Prodan molecule remains stably.     

Penetrating Cations Enhance Uncoupling Activity of Anionic Protonophores in Mitochondria

Protonophorous uncouplers causing a partial decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential are promising candidates for therapeutic applications. Here we showed that hydrophobic penetrating cations specifically targeted to mitochondria in a membrane potential-driven fashion increased proton-translocating activity of the anionic uncouplers 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and carbonylcyanide-p-trifluorophenylhydrazone (FCCP). In planar bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) separating two compartments with different pH values, DNP-mediated diffusion potential of H⁺ ions was enhanced in the presence of dodecyltriphenylphosphonium cation (C₁₂TPP). The mitochondria-targeted penetrating cations strongly increased DNP- and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP)-mediated steady-state current through BLM when a transmembrane electrical potential difference was applied. Carboxyfluorescein efflux from liposomes initiated by the plastoquinone-containing penetrating cation SkQ1 was inhibited by both DNP and FCCP. Formation of complexes between the cation and CCCP was observed spectophotometrically. In contrast to the less hydrophobic tetraphenylphosphonium cation (TPP), SkQ1 and C₁₂TPP promoted the uncoupling action of DNP and FCCP on isolated mitochondria. C₁₂TPP and FCCP exhibited a synergistic effect decreasing the membrane potential of mitochondria in yeast cells. The stimulating action of penetrating cations on the protonophore-mediated uncoupling is assumed to be useful for medical applications of low (non-toxic) concentrations of protonophores.     

Photoinduced charge separation in liposomes containing chlorophyll a. I. Photoreduction of copper(II) by potassium ascorbate through liposome bilayer containing purified chlorophylla a

Photosensitivity of a dispersion of phosphatidylcholine bilayer liposomes containing purified chlorophyll a was examined. The reduction of Cu(II) in the solution outside liposomes was observed upon illumination with visible light under anaerobic condition by means of ESR. The rate of photoreduction was significantly increased by a reductant, potassium ascorbate, localized in the solution of the opposite side of the membrane. The action spectrum of the reduction agreed with the absorption spectrum of chlorophyll a in the dispersion. The amount of bleached chlorophyll a was negligible compared with that of reduced Cu(II).These facts lead to the conclusion that the photoinduced redox reactions at both the membrane-solution interfaces are coupled with each other through the bilayer of each liposome.Kinetic analysis of the reactions based on a possible reaction scheme was carried out and some of the kinetic parameters were determined.     

Effect of glycophorin on lipid polymorphism: A 31P-NMR study

(1) The effect of glycophorin, a major intrinsic glycoprotein of the human erythrocyte membrane, on lipid polymorphism has been investigated by ³¹P-NMR (at 36.4 MHz) and by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. (2) Incorporation of glycophorin into vesicles of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) results in the formation of unilamellar vesicles (1000–5000 Å diameter) which exhibit ³¹P-NMR bilayer spectra over a wide range of temperature. A reduction in the chemical shift anisotropy (Δσ_csa^eff) and an increase in spectral linewidth in comparison to dioleoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes may suggest a decrease in phospholipid headgroup order. (3) 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE), in the presence of excess water, undergoes a bilayer to hexagonal (H_II) phospholipid arrangement as the temperature is increased above 0°C. Incorporation of glycophorin into this system stabilizes the bilayer configuration, prohibiting the formation of the H_II phase. (4) Cosonication of glycophorin with DOPE in aqueous solution (pH 7.4) produces small, stable unilamellar vesicles (300–1000 Å diameter), unlike DOPE alone which is unstable and precipitates from solution. (5) The current study demonstrates the bilayer stabilizing capacity of an intrinsic membrane protein, glycophorin, most likely by means of a strong hydrophobic interaction between the membrane spanning portion of glycophorin and the hydrophobic region of the phospholipid.     

Target-Sensitive Liposomes

Abstract

Target-sensitive liposomes are liposomes which spontaneously destablize when they come into contact with target membrane/surface. The principle lipid in the liposomes ingredient is dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) which readily forms inverted micelle at physiological conditions. Earlier design of the liposomes uses acylated antibody as both a bilayer stabilizer and a targeting ligand. Although the immunoliposomes specifically release then-contents upon binding with the target membrane, they are not stable enough for long-term storage. Recent improvement in the design uses a charged phospholipid as a bilayer stabilizer and uses acylated antibody or other ligands at a much lower concentration. The new liposomes are stable for long-term storage, yet still destablize when bound with a target membrane. The rate of destabilization is significantly enhanced at elevated temperatures. The physical and biological properties of these liposomes are reviewed in this paper.     

What can we learn about the lipid vesicle structure from the small-angle neutron scattering experiment?

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) on the unilamellar vesicle (ULV) populations (diameter 500 and 1,000 Å) in D₂O was used to characterize lipid vesicles from dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) at three phases: gel L_β′, ripple P_β′ and liquid L_α. Parameters of vesicle populations and internal structure of the DMPC bilayer were characterized on the basis of the separated form factor (SFF) model. Vesicle shape changes from nearly spherical in the L_α phase to elliptical in the P_β′ and L_β′ phases. This is true for vesicles prepared via extrusion through pores with the diameter 500 Å. Parameters of the internal bilayer structure (thickness of the membrane and the hydrophobic core, hydration and the surface area of the lipid molecule) were determined on the basis of the hydrophobic–hydrophilic (HH) approximation of neutron scattering length density across the bilayer ρ(x) and of the step function (SF) approximation of ρ(x). DMPC membrane thickness in the L_α phase (T=30°C) demonstrates a dependence on the membrane curvature for extruded vesicles. Prepared via extrusion through 500 Å diameter pores, vesicle population in the L_α phase has the following characteristics: average value of minor semi-axis 266±2 Å, ellipse eccentricity 1.11±0.02, polydispersity 26%, thickness of the membrane 48.9±0.2 Å and of the hydrophobic core 19.9±0.4 Å, surface area 60.7±0.5 Ų and number of water molecules 12.8±0.3 per DMPC molecule. Vesicles prepared via extrusion through pores with the diameter 1,000 Å have polydispersity of 48% and membrane thickness of 45.5±0.6 Å in the L_α phase. SF approximation was used to describe the DMPC membrane structure in L_β′ (T=10°C) and P_β′ (T=20°C) phases. Extruded DMPC vesicles in D₂O have membrane thickness of 49.6±0.5 Å in the L_β′ phase and 48.3±0.6 Å in the P_β′ phase. The dependence of the DMPC membrane thickness on temperature was restored from the SANS experiment.     

hERG ion channel pharmacology: cell membrane liposomes in porous-supported lipid bilayers compared with whole-cell patch-clamping

The purpose of this study was to obtain functional hERG ion channel protein for use in a non-cell-based ion channel assay. hERG was expressed in Sf9 insect cells. Attempts to solubilise the hERG protein from Sf9 insect cell membranes using non-ionic detergents (NP40 and DDM) were not successful. We therefore generated liposomes from the unpurified membrane fraction and incorporated these into porous Teflon-supported bilayer lipid membranes. Macroscopic potassium currents (1 nA) were recorded that approximated those in whole-cell patch-clamping, but the channels were bidirectional in the bilayer lipid membrane (BLM). Currents were partially inhibited by the hERG blockers E4031, verapamil, and clofilium, indicating that the protein of interest is present at high levels in the BLM relative to endogenous channels. Cell liposomes produced from Sf9 insect cell membranes expressing voltage-gated sodium channels also gave current responses that were activated by veratridine and inhibited by saxitoxin. These results demonstrate that purification of the ion channel of interest is not always necessary for liposomes used in macro-current BLM systems.