title: Phase transitions in hydrophobe/phospholipid mixtures: hints at connections between pheromones and anaesthetic activity.
abstract: The phase behavior of a mixture of a typical insect pheromone (olean) and a phospholipid (DOPC)/water dispersion is extensively explored through SAXS, NMR and DSC experiments. The results mimic those obtained with anaesthetics in phospholipid/water systems. They also mimic the behavior and microstructure of ternary mixtures of a membrane mimetic, bilayer-forming double chained surfactants, oils and water. Taken together with recent models for conduction of the nervous impulse, all hint at lipid involvement and the underlying unity in mechanisms of pheromone, anaesthetic and hydrophobic drugs, where a local phase change in the lipid membrane architecture may be at least partly involved in the transmission of the signal.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM) del CNR, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borsacchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geppi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & CSGI, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy. PLN@csgi.unifi.it and Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Barry W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Ninham
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & CSGI, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy. PLN@csgi.unifi.it.
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fratini
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & CSGI, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy. PLN@csgi.unifi.it.
authors.forename: Moira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ambrosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & CSGI, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy. PLN@csgi.unifi.it and Enzo Ferroni Foundation, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy.
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baglioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & CSGI, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy. PLN@csgi.unifi.it and Enzo Ferroni Foundation, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy.
authors.forename: Pierandrea
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lo Nostro