title: Modulation of nanotube formation by structural modifications of sphingolipids.
abstract: Galactosylceramides (GalCers) containing nervonoyl (24:1(Delta15(cis))) acyl chains have the capacity to assemble into nanotubular microstructures in excess water (. Biophys. J. 69:1976-1986). To define the structural parameters that modulate nanotube formation, GalCer derivatives were synthesized that contained cis monounsaturated acyl chains with the formula X:1((X-9)). X indicates the total acyl carbon number (24, 22, 20, or 18), and 1 indicates a single cis double bond, the location of which is designated by the superscript (X-9). Deep etching of freeze-fractured 24:1(Delta15(cis)) GalCer dispersions followed by replica production and transmission electron microscopic analysis confirmed nanotube morphology (25-30-nm diameter). Control experiments revealed that tubule formation was promoted by cooling through the main enthalpic phase transition coupled with repetitive freeze-thaw cycling. Imparting a negative charge to the sugar headgroup of 24:1(Delta15)GalCer via sulfate dramatically altered mesomorpholgy and resulted in myelinic-like, multilamellar structures. Removal of the sugar headgroup (24:1(Delta15)Cer) resulted in flattened cylindrical structures with a cochleate appearance. Compared to these large-scale changes in morphology, more subtle changes were induced by structural changes in the acyl chain of 24:1(Delta15)GalCer. 22:1(Delta13)GalCer dispersions consisted of long, smooth tubules (35-40-nm diameters) with a strong tendency to self-align into bundle-like aggregates. In contrast, the microstructures formed by 20:1(Delta11)GalCer resembled helical ribbons with a right-handed twist. Ribbon widths averaged 30-35 nm, with helical pitches of 80-90 nm. 18:1(Delta9)GalCer displayed a variety of morphologies, including large-diameter multilamellar cylinders and liposome-like structures, as well as stacked, plate-like arrays. The results are discussed within the context of current theories of lipid tubule formation.
authors.affiliation: The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota 55912 USA.
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boggs
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D005613:Freeze Etching; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000737:chemistry; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008870:Microtubules / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005699:Galactosylceramides; D008055:Lipids; D013107:Sphingolipids; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids