title: On the sensitivity of intact cells to perturbation by ethanol.
abstract: A comparison was made of ethanol's effects on the order of plasma membranes in intact cells and some isolated membrane preparations. Order was assessed by steady-state fluorescence polarization techniques using the non-permeant probe, TMA-DPH. The data show that two cultured cells, rat neonatal astroglial and N2A neuroblastoma, were sensitive to significant ethanol-induced disordering within the anesthetically relevant range (100 - 200 mM). Human erythrocytes, cultured fibroblasts and homogenized astroglial cells required higher ethanol concentrations (greater than 250 mM) to produce a similar effect. Intact erythrocytes were approximately twice as sensitive as erythrocyte ghost membranes to ethanol-induced perturbation. The neonatal glial and N2A cells were approximately five times more sensitive than synaptic membranes to ethanol effects. DMPC and DMPC + cholesterol liposomes and myelin membranes were insensitive to ethanol's effects. The incorporation of 10 mole % ganglioside GM1 sensitized the liposomes to ethanol-induced perturbation.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Service, VAMC, Northport, NY 11768.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hitzemann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dains
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Whitaker-Azmitia
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D006801:Humans; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; D000431:Ethanol; C033628:1-(4-(trimethylamino)phenyl)-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene