title: Enantiodiscrimination of bilirubin-IXalpha enantiomers in biomembrane models: has chirality a role in bilirubin toxicity?
abstract: Simple biomembrane models, namely micellar aggregates formed by enantiopure sodium N-acylprolinates, are able to convert the racemic mixture of bilirubin-IXalpha into an enantiomerically enriched mixture, thus suggesting a possible role of chirality in bilirubin toxicity due to the perturbation of neuron membrane dynamics. The length of alkyl chain does not influence the extent of equilibrium displacement, however, it affects the conformation of bilirubin, thus confirming the role of lipid structure in the membrane/bilirubin interaction, and suggesting a non-superficial main site of association.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ceccacci
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giansanti
authors.forename: Stefano Levi
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mortera
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sorrenti
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villani
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011392:Proline; D001663:Bilirubin