title: Stimulated release of cholesterol from liposomal membranes by a PEGylated phospholipid.
abstract: PEGylated phospholipids are commonly used to increase the blood-circulation time of liposomes by providing a steric barrier around them. This paper documents a fundamentally new property of these lipids-an ability to stimulate the release of cholesterol from phospholipid membranes. Evidence for such stimulation has been obtained by measuring the transport of dehydroergosterol (DHE), a fluorescent simulant of cholesterol, from donor liposomes made from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethylene glycol)-2000 (DSPE-PEG(2000)), and DHE to acceptor liposomes made from POPC, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (POPG), and cholesterol. The potential of PEGylated lipids to serve as novel cholesterol-lowering agents is briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA.
authors.forename: Vaclav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Janout
authors.forename: Trevor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Lauren L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Cline
authors.forename: Leah J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Kulp
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Regen
mesh_terms: D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry*; D008081:Liposomes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010743:Phospholipids; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D002784:Cholesterol