Abstract
We have prepared acyl chain-defined D-erythro-sphingomyelins and D-erythro-dihydrosphingomyelins and compared their properties in monolayer and bilayer membranes. Surface pressure/molecular area isotherms of D-erythro-N-16:0-sphingomyelin (16:0-SM) and D-erythro-N-16:0-dihydrosphingomyelin (16:0-DHSM) show very similar packing properties, except that the expanded-to-condensed phase transition (crystallization) occurs at a lower surface pressure for 16:0-DHSM. The measured surface potential was generally about 100 mV less for 16:0-DHSM monolayers compared to 16:0-SM monolayers. The condensed domains (crystals) that formed in 16:0-SM monolayers as a function of compression displayed star-shaped morphology when viewed under an epifluorescence microscope. 16:0-DHSM monolayers did not form similar crystals upon compression. 16:0-DHSM was degraded much faster by sphingomyelinase from Staphylococcus aureus than 16:0-SM (10-fold difference in enzyme activity needed for comparable hydrolytic rate). Cholesterol desorption from 16:0-DHSM to cyclodextrin was slightly slower (∼20%) than the rate measured from 16:0-SM monolayers (at 60 mol % cholesterol). The bilayer melting temperature of 16:0-DHSM was 47.7°C (ΔH 8.3 kcal/mol) whereas it was 41.2°C for 16:0-SM (ΔH 8.1 kcal/mol). Cholesterol/16:0-DHSM bilayers (15 mol % sterol) had more condensed domains than comparable 16:0-SM bilayers, as evidenced from the quenching resistance of DPH in DHSM membranes. We conclude that cholesterol interacts more favorably with 16:0-DHSM and that the membranes are more condensed than comparable 16:0-SM-containing membranes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2327-2337 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Biophysical Journal |
| Volume | 80 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2001 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Funding
Supported by generous grants from the Academy of Finland, the Sigrid Juselius Foundation, the Oscar Öflund Foundation, the Magnus Ehrnrooth Foundation, and the Åbo Akademi University.