title: Interaction of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) with cell and model membranes.
abstract: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), a widely used herbicide, is a component of the "agent orange' whose toxicity has been extensively studied without definite conclusions. In order to evaluate its perturbing effect upon cell membranes, 2,4-D was made to interact with human erythrocytes and molecular models. These studies were performed by scanning electron microscopy on red cells, fluorescence spectroscopy on dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) large unilamellar vesicles and X-ray diffraction on multilayers of DMPC and dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE). It was observed that 2,4-D induced a pronounced shape change to the erythrocytes. This effect is explained by the herbicide interaction with the outer monolayer of the red cell membrane.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Sciences, University of Concepción, Chile. msuwalsk@buho.dpi.udec.cl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suwalsky
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benites
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Villena
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Sotomayor
mesh_terms: D015085:2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000075182:Agent Orange; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000378:metabolism; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006540:Herbicides; D008081:Liposomes; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D000075182:Agent Orange; D015085:2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; C018525:1,2-dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine