title: Selective effect of cell membrane on synaptic neurotransmission.
abstract: Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were performed with 13 non-peptidic neurotransmitters (NTs) in three different membrane environments. The results provide compelling evidence that NTs are divided into membrane-binding and membrane-nonbinding molecules. NTs adhere to the postsynaptic membrane surface whenever the ligand-binding sites of their synaptic receptors are buried in the lipid bilayer. In contrast, NTs that have extracellular ligand-binding sites do not have a similar tendency to adhere to the membrane surface. This finding is a seemingly simple yet important addition to the paradigm of neurotransmission, essentially dividing it into membrane-independent and membrane-dependent mechanisms. Moreover, the simulations also indicate that the lipid composition especially in terms of charged lipids can affect the membrane partitioning of NTs. The revised paradigm, highlighting the importance of cell membrane and specific lipids for neurotransmission, should to be of interest to neuroscientists, drug industry and the general public alike.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 692, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland.|Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 92093-0340 San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Pekka A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Postila
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 692, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland.|MEMPHYS- Center for Biomembrane Physics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.|Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Ilpo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vattulainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 692, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Róg
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents