title: Eliminating the roughness in cholesterol's β-face: does it matter?
abstract: One of the long-standing issues surrounding cholesterol (Chol) relates to its two-faced character. In particular, the consequences of its having a rough β-face and a smooth α-face on its structural influence in cell membranes has remained elusive. In this study, direct comparisons have been made between cholesterol and a "smoothened" analog, DChol (i.e., 18,19-dinorcholesterol) using model membranes and a combination of nearest-neighbor recognition, differential scanning calorimetry, fluorescence, and monolayer measurements. Taken together, these results indicate that subtle differences exist between the interaction of these two sterols with the different states of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). Chol has a greater condensing power than DChol, but only slightly so, i.e., on the order of a few tens of calories per mole.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States.
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Minghui
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Laurel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mydock-McGrane
authors.forename: Douglas F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Covey
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tejada
authors.forename: Paulo F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Regen
mesh_terms: D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry*; D008968:Molecular Conformation
chemical_list: D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine; C081581:colfosceril palmitate; D002784:Cholesterol