Dynamics of Probe Complexation to Bile Salt Aggregates

A novel near-infrared polymethine dye biosensor for rapid and selective detection of lithocholic acid

Lithocholic acid (LCA), a secondary bile acid, has emerged as a potential early diagnostic biomarker for various liver diseases. In this study, we introduce a novel near-infrared (NIR) polymethine dye-based biosensor, capable of sensitive and selective detection of LCA in phosphate buffer and artificial urine (AU) solutions. The detection mechanism relies on the formation of J-aggregates resulting from the interplay of 3,3-Diethylthiatricarbocyanine iodide (DiSC2(7)) dye molecules and LCA, which induces a distinctive red shift in both absorption and fluorescence spectra. The biosensor demonstrates a detection limit for LCA of 70 μM in PBS solution (pH 7.4), while in AU solution, it responds to an LCA concentration as low as ∼60 μM. Notably, the proposed biosensor exhibits outstanding selectivity for LCA, effectively distinguishing it from common interferents such as uric acid, ascorbic acid, and glucose. This rapid, straightforward, and cost-effective spectrometer-based method underscores its potential for early diagnosis of liver diseases by monitoring LCA concentrations.

Efficiency of Encapsulation of Thioflavin T (ThT) into Polar and Nonpolar Environments of Different Bile Salt Aggregates: A Femtosecond Fluorescence Study

The binding of Thioflavin T (ThT) with various bile salts, a potential host molecule, has been analyzed by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. A comparative study has been executed to investigate the influence of confinement of different bile salts, namely, sodium cholate (NaCh), sodium taurocholate (NaTC), and sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) on binding and excited state torsional motion of ThT molecules. The changes in absorption and emission properties of probe molecules were found to be sensitive to increasing bile salt concentration in aqueous 0.2 (M) NaCl solutions. The photophysics of ThT mainly depends on hydrophobicity, morphology, and size of bile salt aggregates in solution. In the presence of bile salts, the emission intensity and emission lifetime of ThT increase significantly, indicating encapsulation of dye. Moreover, we have also investigated the effect of the ionic strength of the medium by sodium chloride (NaCl) on the spectroscopic properties of ThT in the restricted surroundings of aqueous bile salts. It is observed that the fluorescence lifetime of ThT in bile salts increases significantly in the presence of NaCl. The encapsulation efficiency of ThT in bile salt aggregates has been assessed by iodide (I-) as an external ionic quencher. We found that NaDC aggregates are more efficient in the modulation of photophysical properties of ThT and also provide better protection efficiency to decrease the nonradiative deactivation processes.

Encapsulation and release of non-fluorescent crystal violet confined in bile-salt aggregates

In this work, the entrapment of non-fluorescent dye Crystal Violet (CV) in presence of bio-mimetic confined bile-salt aggregates has been studied. The photophysical characteristic properties of CV have been carried out by changing different kinds of hydrophilic head groups and hydrophobic skeletons of bile-salt aggregates (NaC, NaDC, NaTC and NaTGC). The main aim of this work is to modulate the solubility behaviour, fluorescence properties and elucidation of different kinds of non-covalent interaction of CV confined in bile-salt aggregates. To interpret the result, steady state absorption and fluorescence emission techniques have been employed. In aqueous buffer, the CV molecule is non-fluorescent in nature. The value of fluorescence quantum yield (Φ) is ∼10⁻⁴. It has been observed that CV confined in bile-salt aggregates becomes highly fluorescent in nature. The enhancement of ‘Φ’ value of CV in bile-salt aggregates is ∼1000 fold compared to that of aqueous buffer medium. It has also been observed that in the presence of different bile-salt aggregates, CV exhibits remarkable enhancement of absorption and fluorescence emission spectral behaviour. The ground state and the excited state binding constant values of CV in the presence of different bile-salt aggregates have been determined. Moreover, the release of the dye molecule from the confined bile-salt aggregates to the aqueous medium has been executed. It has been found that addition of a very minute concentration of KCl salt (100 nm) to the bile-salt aggregates leads to extreme modification of their photophysical properties of CV. The absorption, fluorescence intensity, fluorescence quantum yield, ground state and excited state binding constant values, partition coefficient and aggregation number of CV molecules entrapped in bile-salt aggregates significantly reduces by addition of KCl. This result clearly confirms that CV releases from the confined system to the aqueous medium.

In this work, the entrapment of non-fluorescent dye Crystal Violet (CV) in presence of bio-mimetic confined bile-salt aggregates has been studied.

Colorimetric Detection of Dopamine with J-Aggregate Nanotube-Integrated Hydrogel Thin Films

The deficiency of dopamine (DA) is clinically linked to several neurological diseases. The detection of urinary DA provides a noninvasive method for diagnosing these diseases and monitoring therapies. In this paper, we report the coassembly of lithocholic acid (LCA) and 3,3'-diethythiadicarbocyanine iodide (DiSC₂(5)) at the equimolar ratio in ammonia solution into J-aggregate nanotubes. By integrating the J-aggregate nanotubes into transparent agarose hydrogel films formed on the wall of quartz cuvettes, we fabricate a portable and reproducible sensor platform for the optical detection of DA in synthetic urine. The J-band intensity of the integrated J-aggregate nanotubes is found to linearly decrease with the increase of DA concentrations from 10 to 80 nM, giving the limit of detection of ∼7 nM. The detection mechanism is based on the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from the excited J-aggregate nanotubes to adsorbed DA-quinone. The PET process used in the sensor platform can reduce the interference of ascorbic acid and uric acid in the detection of DA in synthetic urine. The high sensitivity of the sensor platform is contributed by the delocalized exciton of J-aggregate nanotubes.

Stepwise Aggregation of Cholate and Deoxycholate Dictates the Formation and Loss of Surface-Available Chirally Selective Binding Sites

Bile salts are facially amphiphilic, naturally occurring chemicals that aggregate to perform numerous biochemical processes. Because of their unique intermolecular properties, bile salts have also been employed as functional materials in medicine and separation science (e.g., drug delivery, chiral solubilization, purification of single-walled carbon nanotubes). Bile micelle formation is structurally complex, and it remains a topic of considerable study. Here, the exposed functionalities on the surface of cholate and deoxycholate micelles are shown to vary from one another and with the micelle aggregation state. Collectively, data from NMR and capillary electrophoresis reveal preliminary, primary, and secondary stepwise aggregation of the salts of cholic (CA) and deoxycholic (DC) acid in basic conditions (pH 12, 298 K), and address how the surface availability of chirally selective binding sites is dependent on these sequential stages of aggregation. Prior work has demonstrated sequential CA aggregation (pH 12, 298 K) including a preliminary CMC at ca. 7 mM (no chiral selection), followed by a primary CMC at ca. 14 mM that allows chiral selection of binaphthyl enantiomers. In this work, DC is also shown to form stepwise preliminary and primary aggregates (ca. 3 mM DC and 9 mM DC, respectively, pH 12, 298 K) but the preliminary 3 mM DC aggregate is capable of chirally selective solubilization of the binaphthyl enantiomers. Higher-order, secondary bile aggregates of each of CA and DC show significantly degraded chiral selectivity. Diffusion NMR reveals that secondary micelles of CA exclude the BNDHP guests, while secondary micelles of DC accommodate guests, but with a loss of chiral selectivity. These data lead to the hypothesis that secondary aggregates of DC have an exposed binding site, possibly the 7α-edge of a bile dimeric unit, while secondary CA micelles do not present binding edges to the solution, potentially instead exposing the three alcohol groups on the hydrophilic α-face to the solution.

Formation of Spherulitic J-Aggregates from the Coassembly of Lithocholic Acid and Cyanine Dye

Supramolecular aggregates of organic dyes through noncovalent interactions have attracted great interest because they exhibit collective optical and excitonic properties. We report the formation of spherulitic J-aggregates from the coassembly of lithocholic acid (LCA) and 3,3'-diethylthiacarbocyanine iodide (DiSC₂(3)) in ammonia solution. Each spherulite contains a core, which serves as a nucleus for the growth of radially oriented J-aggregate fibrils. We find that the growth of spherulitic J-aggregates exhibits a sigmoidal kinetic curve with an initial lag time, followed by a period of rapid growth and a finally slow approach to equilibrium.

Solubilization and Interaction Studies of Bile Salts with Surfactants and Drugs: a Review

In this review, bile salt, bile salt-surfactant, and bile salt-drug interactions and their solubilization studies are mainly focused. Usefulness of bile salts in digestion, absorption, and excretion of various compounds and their rare properties in ordering the shape and size of the micelles owing to the presence of hydrophobic and hydrophilic faces are taken into consideration while compiling this review. Bile salts as potential bio-surfactants to solubilize drugs of interest are also highlighted. This review will give an insight into the selection of drugs in different applications as their properties get modified by interaction with bile salts, thus influencing their solution behavior which, in turn, modifies the phase-forming behavior, microemulsion, and clouding phenomenon, besides solubilization. Finally, their future perspectives are taken into consideration to assess their possible uses as bio-surfactants without side effects to human beings.

Partitioning of prototropic species of an anticancer drug ellipticine in bile salt aggregates of different head groups and hydrophobic skeletons: a photophysical study to probe bile salts as multisite drug carriers

The entrapment of neutral and cationic species of an anticancer drug, namely ellipticine and their dynamic features in different bile salt aggregates have been investigated for the first time using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Because ellipticine exists in various prototropic forms under physiological conditions, we performed comparative photophysical and dynamical studies on these prototropic species in different bile salts varying in their head groups and hydrophobic skeletons. We found that the initial interaction between ellipticine and bile salts is governed by the electrostatic forces where cationic ellipticine is anchored to the head groups of bile salts. Bile salts having conjugated head groups are better candidates to bind with the cationic species than those having the non-conjugated ones. The fact implies that binding of cationic species to different bile salts depends on the pK(a) of the corresponding bile acids. The hydrophobic interaction dominates at higher concentrations of bile salts due to formation of aggregates and results in entrapment of neutral ellipticine molecules according to their hydrophobicity indices. Thus bile salts act as multisite drug carriers. The rotational relaxation parameters of cationic ellipticine were found to be dependent on head groups and the number of hydroxyl groups on the hydrophilic surface of bile salts. Cationic ellipticine exhibits a faster rotational relaxation in the tri-hydroxy bile salt aggregates than in di-hydroxy bile salts. We interpreted this observation from the fact that tri-hydroxy bile salts hold a higher number of water molecules in their hydrophilic surface offering a less viscous environment for ellipticine compared to di-hydroxy bile salts. Surprisingly, the neutral ellipticine molecules display almost the same rotational relaxation in all the bile salts. The observation indicates that after intercalation inside the hydrophobic pocket, neutral ellipticine molecules experience similar confinement in all the bile salts.

Steroidal Surfactants: Detection of Premicellar Aggregation, Secondary Aggregation Changes in Micelles, and Hosting of a Highly Charged Negative Substance

CHAPSO and CHAPS are zwitterionic surfactants derived from bile salts which are usually employed in protein purification and for the preparation of liposomes and bicelles. Despite their spread use, there are significant discrepancies on the critical concentrations that determine their aggregation behavior. In this work, we study the interaction between these surfactants with the negative fluorescent dye pyranine (HPTS) by absorbance, fluorescence, and infrared spectrometry to establish their concentration-dependent aggregation. For the studied surfactants, we detect three critical concentrations showing their concentration-dependent presence as a monomeric form, premicellar aggregates, micelles, and a second type of micelle in aqueous medium. The nature of the interaction of HPTS with the surfactants was studied using analogues of their tails and the negative bile salt taurocholate (TC) as reference for the sterol ring. The results indicate that the chemical groups involved are the hydroxyl groups of the polar face of the sterol ring and the sulfonate groups of the dye. This interaction causes not only the incorporation of the negative dye in CHAPSO and CHAPS micelles but also its association with their premicellar aggregates. Surprisingly, this hosting behavior for a negative charged molecule was also detected for the negative bile salt TC, bypassing, in this way, the electrostatic repulsion between the guest and the host.

Neutral and cationic pyridylbutadienes: solvatochromism and fluorescence response with sodium cholate

Characteristic ICT emission in solvents and enhanced emission intensity in presence of sodium cholate.

Photochromism of a spiropyran and a diarylethene in bile salt aggregates in aqueous solution

Bile salt aggregates incorporate aqueous-insoluble photochromic compounds. The photochromism of a spiropyran (1, 1',3',3'-trimethyl-6-nitrospiro[2H-1]-benzopyran-2,2'-indoline) and a diarylethene derivative (2, 1,2-bis(2,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)-3,3,4,4,5,5-hexafluoro-1-cyclopentene) was quantified in different bile salt aggregates. These aggregates act as efficient hosts to solubilize aqueous insoluble photochromic compounds where either both isomers are nonpolar, for example, 2, or compounds where one isomer is hydrophobic and the other is more polar, for example, 1. Methodology was developed to determine molar absorptivity coefficients for solutions containing both isomers and to determine the photoconversion quantum yields under continuous irradiation. The methods were validated by determining parameters in homogeneous solution, which were the same as previously reported. In the case of the colored isomer of 1, the molar extinction coefficient in ethanol at 537 nm ((3.68 ± 0.03) × 10(4) cm(-1) M(-1)) was determined with higher precision. The quantum yields for the photoconversion between the isomers of 2 were shown to be the same in cyclohexane and in the aggregates of sodium cholate (NaCh), deoxycholate (NaDC), and taurocholate (NaTC), showing that bile salt aggregates are not sufficiently rigid to affect the equilibrium between the two possible conformers of the colorless form. In contrast, for 1 the quantum yields for the conversion from the colorless to the colored isomer were higher in bile salts than in ethanol, and the quantum yield was highest in the more hydrophobic aggregates of NaDC, followed by NaCh and then NaTC. The structure of the bile salt had no effect on the quantum yield for the conversion of the colored to the colorless isomer of 1, but these values were higher than in ethanol. For all three bile salts, the absorption maximum for the colored form of 1 suggested that this isomer was located in an environment that is more polar than ethanol.

Modulation of the photophysical properties of 2,2'-bipyridine-3,3'-diol inside bile salt aggregates: a fluorescence-based study for the molecular recognition of bile salts

2,2'-Bipyridine-3,3'-diol (BP(OH)(2)) has been used as a sensitive excited-state intramolecular proton transfer fluorophore to assess different bile salt aggregates as one of the potential biologically relevant host systems useful for carrying many sparingly water-soluble drug molecules. The formation of inclusion complexes, complex-induced fluorescence behavior, and their binding ability have been investigated from the modulated photophysics of BP(OH)(2) by means of photophysical techniques. The constrained hydrophobic environment provided by the aggregates significantly reduces the water-assisted nonradiative decay channels and lengthens the fluorescence lifetime of the proton-transferred DK tautomer. Both the absorption and fluorescence properties of BP(OH)(2) are found to be sensitive to the change in the structure, size, and hydrophobicity of the aggregates. Fluorescence quenching experiments were performed to gain insight into the differential distribution of the probe molecules between bulk aqueous phase and nanocavities of various aggregates. The observation of longer fluorescence lifetime and rotational relaxation time in NaDC aggregates compared to that in NaCh and NaTC aggregates indicates that the binding structures of NaDC aggregates are more rigid due to its greater hydrophobicity and larger size and therefore provide better protection to the bound guest. It is noteworthy to mention that the hydrophobic microenvironments provided by bile salt aggregates are much stronger than that provided by micelles and cyclodextrins. The accessibility of water to the aggregate-bound guest can significantly be enhanced with the addition of organic cosolvents. However, the efficiency decreases in the order of dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, and methanol.

Cholic acid micelles--controlling the size of the aqueous cavity by PEGylation

Data show that cholic acid (CA) micelles are less densely packed and much smaller than micelles formed by typical surfactants, suggesting that CA derivatives can be used to synthesize drug nanocarriers. Presumably, the formation of internal cavities is favored by the facial characteristics of the CA molecule, i.e. the convex molecular structure that is hydrophobic on one side and hydrophilic on the other. Here, we present a thermodynamical approach to quantify the effect of facial characteristics on forces governing the self-assembling process of CA molecules. We show that facial characteristics favor the entrapment of water molecules at interfaces upon CA aggregation, which weakens the attraction between CA hydrophobic moieties. Our computer simulations suggest that these effects contribute significantly to the tendency of CA molecules to form small "hollow-core" micelles. The attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecular chains to CA increases the repulsive forces in the system, reducing even further the micelle size. We use the present molecular model and experimental critical micelle concentration (cmc) data for CA-PEG systems to predict the change of the micelle size and cavity volume with the increase of the PEG chain length (x). Our computations indicate that the CA-PEG micelles are good candidates for drug delivery. The structural stability of CA-PEG micelles was further assessed by molecular dynamics simulations. We also tested the drug loading efficiency of this system and found an average of 0.5 mg paclitaxel load per 20 mg of CA-PEG polymer. The present study helps to identify critical parameters that control structural properties of the CA based nanocarriers and suggests practical means to optimize the ratio between micelle size and volume of the internal cavity.

Effect of the structure of bile salt aggregates on the binding of aromatic guests and the accessibility of anions

The binding of naphthalene (Np), 1-ethylnaphthalene (EtNp), acenaphthene (AcN), and 1-naphthyl-1-ethanol (NpOH) as guests to the aggregates of sodium cholate (NaCh), taurocholate (NaTC), deoxycholate (NaDC), and deoxytaurocholate (NaTDC) was studied with the objective of determining how the structure of the bile salts affects the binding dynamics of guests and quenchers with the bile salt aggregates. Time-resolved and steady-state fluorescence experiments were used to determine the binding efficiency of the guests with the aggregates and were also employed to investigate the quenching of the singlet excited state of the guests by iodide anions. Quenching studies of the triplet excited states using laser flash photolysis were employed to determine the accessibility to the aggregate of nitrite anions, used as quenchers, and the dissociation rate constants of the guests from the bile salt aggregates. The binding efficiency of the guests to NaDC and NaTDC is higher than for NaCh and NaTC, and the protection efficiency is also higher for NaDC and NaTDC, in line with the larger aggregates formed for the latter bile salts. The formation of aggregates is in part driven by the structure of the guest, where an increased protection efficiency and residence time can be achieved by the introduction of short alkyl substituents (AcN or EtNp vs Np). NpOH was shown to be located in a very different environment in all four bile salts when compared to AcN, EtNp, and Np, suggesting that hydrogen bonding plays an important role in the formation of the aggregate around NpOH.

Effect of the guest size and shape on its binding dynamics with sodium cholate aggregates

The binding dynamics of the guests acenaphthene, phenanthrene, fluorene, and acenaphthenol with sodium cholate aggregates were studied using laser flash photolysis and fluorescence. The location of the guests in the bile salt aggregate is determined by the guest's hydrophobicity, where acenaphthene, phenanthrene, and fluorene bind to the primary aggregates, while acenaphthenol binds to the secondary bile salt aggregates. The residence time of the guests in the primary aggregates and the access of ionic species from the aqueous phase to the guest in the aggregate depend on the size and the shape of the guest. These results show that bile salt aggregates are adaptable supramolecular host systems.

Study on the kinetic properties of phosphor in deoxycholate aggregates by phosphorescent quenching methodology

Owing to the unique molecular structure and aggregate behaviors in aqueous solution, dihydroxy bile salts can provide phosphorescent probe with a special microenvironment in which the room temperature phosphorescence of probe can be detected in the presence of dissolved oxygen. It, however, is not very clear how the bile salts work in inducing this kind of oxygen-independent phosphorescence. The present work tries to offer with possible more insights by investigating the particular kinetic behaviors of 3-bromoquinoline (3-BrQ) as probe in sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) aggregate based on phosphorescent quenching methodology. The critical aggregate concentration of NaDC is estimated as about 0.5mM based on the enhancement of probe phosphorescence. As the functions of quencher Cu(2+) and NO(2)(-), the rate constants of various photophysical processes for 3-BrQ are obtained in NaDC solution and full aqueous solution, respectively. In NaDC solution, the quenching rate constant k(cu2+) equals to 1.77x10(7)M(-1)s(-1) k(no-2)(mq) 1.62x10(6)M(-1)s(-1). The exit rate k(-) and entrance rate k(+) are determined to be 16-46s(-1) and 10(6)M(-1)s(-1) levels, respectively. The quenching rate constant k(o2)(q) of dissolved oxygen is estimated as 4.15x10(4)M(-1)s(-1) in air-saturated NaDC solution at 1atm.

Effect of Solvent Polarity and Viscosity on the Guest Binding Dynamics with Bile Salt Aggregates†

Bile salts form supramolecular aggregates with two binding sites with different properties. The guest binding dynamics to the aggregates and guest protection from species in the aqueous phase were investigated using fluorescence and laser flash photolysis experiments. Sodium cholate, deoxycholate and taurodeoxycholate were used as bile salts and acetonitrile or ethylene glycol were added as co-solvents to water in order to alter the binding properties of 1-ethylnaphthalene and 1-naphthyl-1-ethanol with the aggregates. The binding dynamics are faster and protection efficiencies are lower for guests bound to cholate and in the presence of either co-solvent.

Berberine Alkaloid as a Sensitive Fluorescent Probe for Bile Salt Aggregates

Effect of sodium cholate (NaC) bile salt on the absorption and fluorescence properties of berberine cation was studied in aqueous solution and water-cosolvent mixtures. The alteration of the fluorescent behavior with increasing NaC concentration showed an entirely different trend from that found previously in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate. Binding to bile salt agglomerates led to significant fluorescence intensity enhancement, and the fluorescence lifetime of berberine proved to be highly sensitive to the structure and size of the aggregates. The dual exponential decay kinetics above 10 mM NaC concentration showed that the probe resided in two totally different binding sites. At 2-10 mM NaC concentrations, only primary aggregates were detected. The aggregate disrupting power of cosolvents decreased in the series of dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, formamide, and methanol. These compounds enhanced the water accessibility of berberine bound to aggregates and diminished the number of secondary aggregates.

Spectroscopic probing of bile salt–albumin interaction

Interaction of the bile salts, sodium cholate and sodium deoxy cholate with albumin has been probed by fluorescence and circular dichroism studies. Both covalently and non-covalently labeled protein have been used to follow the aggregation of bile salts in presence of protein and to study bile salt-protein interactions in general. Time resolved studies, in agreement with steady-state fluorescence and circular dichroism studies, indicate alteration of protein secondary structure due to positive co-operative effects in bile salt binding to protein. These studies also indicate that covalent labeling may not always be good for studying proteins as it causes alteration of protein secondary structure.

Photophysics of aminoxanthone derivatives and their application as binding probes for DNA

Xanthones with amino substituents were synthesized to diminish the photoreactivity of the xanthone chromophore with DNA, with the objective of using these molecules to study their binding dynamics with DNA. The aminoxanthones showed a strong solvatochromic effect on their singlet and triplet excited-state photophysics, where polar solvents led to a decrease of the energies for the excited states. Quenching of the triplet excited states by nitrite anions was used to determine the binding dynamics, and a residence time in the microsecond time domain was estimated for the bound 2-aminoxanthone with DNA. The quenching experiments performed showed that this methodology will not be applicable to study the binding dynamics of a wide variety of guests with DNA.

Photo-induced intermolecular electron transfer from electron donating solvents to Coumarin dyes in bile salt aggregates: role of diffusion in electron transfer reaction

The photo-induced electron transfer between Coumarin dyes and aromatic amines has been investigated using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence quenching studies. We have observed a Marcus type inversion in the electron transfer rate in correlation of quenching constant to the free energy change occurred during reaction. To justify the "inverted region" obtained in the correlation of quenching constant versus free energy curve, we have performed anisotropy measurement and estimated the several diffusional parameters. The translational diffusion coefficients exhibit a similar picture like electron transfer rate constant when it is plotted against free energy. Thus we argued that the diffusion has played an important role in the electron transfer kinetics.

Photoproduct selectivity in reactions involving singlet and triplet excited states within bile salt micelles

Generally, photochemical reactions tend to give more than one product. For such reactions to be useful one should be able to control them to yield a single product. Of the many approaches used in this context, the use of reaction media with features different from those of isotropic solutions has been very effective. We provide results of our studies on four reactions within bile salt micelles (cholic acid and deoxycholic acid). These four reactions involve homolytic cleavage of a C-C or C-O bond to yield either a singlet or triplet radical pair. The bile salt micelles control the rotational and translational mobilities of the radical pair, resulting in photoproduct selectivity. The dynamic nature of the bile salt micelles results in differential effects on the singlet and triplet radical pairs.

Influence of Planarity and Size on Guest Binding with Sodium Cholate Aggregates

Bile salt aggregates are supramolecular structures with two types of binding sites, called primary and secondary sites. The objective of this work was to explore how the nonplanarity and size of guests (biphenyl [BP], 1-1'-binaphthyl [BNP] and dibenz[b,f]oxepin [DBX]) affected their binding affinity and dynamics to sodium cholate (NaC) aggregates. Fluorescence and laser-flash photolysis experiments were performed to obtain information on the binding environment for the guests, the accessibility of quenchers to guests in the aggregate and the dissociation rate constants of the guests from the aggregates. All guests were bound to the more hydrophobic primary aggregate, showing that this site can accommodate nonplanar molecules. However, the structure of the guest affects the structure of the primary aggregates, leading to changes in the accessibility of anions to aggregate-bound guests and to changes for the guest dissociation rate constants from the aggregates.

Probing the binding dynamics to sodium cholate aggregates using naphthalene derivatives as guests

The binding dynamics with bile salt aggregates for a series of naphthalene derivatives of different polarities was studied using fluorescence and laser flash photolysis. Fluorescence was employed to determine the nature of the binding site for each guest and the accessibility of the bound guest to quenchers. Laser flash photolysis was employed to study the mobility of the triplet states of the naphthalenes between the sodium cholate aggregates and the aqueous phase. Primary aggregates, which provide an environment protected from quenchers in the aqueous phase, bind 1- and 2-ethylnaphthalene as guests. The complexation dynamics with this type of aggregate is slow. 1- and 2-Naphthyl-1-ethanol, and 1- and 2-acetonaphthone bind to the secondary aggregates, which provide moderate protection from quenching and faster binding dynamics. The addition of salts lowered the cholate concentration at which primary aggregates were formed, but did not influence the formation of secondary aggregates.