title: Effects of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanol on the structural parameters of neuronal membranes.
abstract: Fluorescent probes located in different membrane regions were used to evaluate the effects of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanol (DMPEt) on the structural parameters (transbilayer rotational and lateral mobility, annular lipid fluidity and protein distribution) of synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMV) from the bovine cerebral cortex. An experimental procedure was used based on selective quenching of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 1,3-di(1-pyrenyl)propane (Py-3-Py) by trinitrophenyl groups, and radiationless energy transfer from the tryptophans of membrane proteins to Py-3-Py. DMPEt increased the bulk lateral and rotational mobility, and annular lipid fluidity of SPMV lipid bilayers, and had a greater fluidizing effect on the outer monolayer than the inner monolayer. It also caused membrane proteins to cluster. These effects of DMPEt on neuronal membranes may be responsible for some, though not all, of the general anesthetic actions of ethanol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Pharmacology and Biophysics, College of Dentistry and Research Institute for Oral Biotechnology, Pusan National University, Busan 602-739, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Ock
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Hyang-Gun
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Il
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D004735:Energy Transfer; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D020404:Glycerophospholipids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C104364:1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanol; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D020404:Glycerophospholipids; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008565:Membrane Proteins