The effect of prolonged intense physical exercise of special forces volunteers on their plasma protein denaturation profile examined by differential scanning calorimetry

The human blood plasma proteome profile has been an area of intensive investigation and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has come forward as a novel tool in analyzing plasma heat capacity changes to monitor various physiological responses in health and disease. This study used DSC to assess potential alterations in the plasma heat capacity profile of albumin and globulins during extremely demanding physical exercise. We monitored the changes in denaturation profiles of those plasma proteins for five consecutive days of an extraordinary exercise training schedule in 14 young male Special Forces volunteers, as well as after a 30-day recovery period. The major effect of the prolonged intense exercise was the continuous upward shift of the albumin peak by 2°-3 °C on the initial days of exercise, with a tendency to plateau circa the 5th day of exercise. In addition, some redistribution of the denaturational enthalpy was observed upon exercise, where the globulins peak increased relative to the albumin peak. Noteworthy, the alterations in the plasma proteome denaturational profiles were not persistent, as virtually full recovery of the initial status was observed after 30 days of recovery. Our findings indicate that 5 days of exhaustive physical exercise of highly trained individuals enhanced the thermal stability of plasma albumin shifting its denaturational transition to higher temperatures. We surmise that these effects may be a result of increased blood oxygenation during the prolonged intense exercise and, consequently, of albumin oxidation as part of the overall adaptation mechanisms of the body to extreme physical and/or oxidative stress.

Exothermic transitions in the heat capacity profiles of human cerebrospinal fluid

In this work, we examined by DSC protein denaturation heat capacity profiles for two body fluids, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood plasma obtained from brain tumor (mainly glioblastoma) patients and healthy volunteers. We observed large distinctions between the heat capacity profiles of CSF and blood plasma, although their protein compositions are believed to have much in common. A prominent, previously unreported CSF feature was the existence of a pre-denaturation exothermic transition peaking at ~ 50-52 °C, recorded for both control and brain tumor CSF. This appears to be the first observation of a pre-denaturation exotherm in a human body fluid. In all studied samples, the exotherms deconvoluted with high precision into a sum of two Gaussian peaks. These exotherms are apparently specific, originating from brain tissue-soluble proteins in the CSF not present in blood plasma. Malignant brain tumors (glioblastoma multiforme, Grade IV, and low-grade glioma, Grade II) reduced twofold the enthalpy of the exotherms relative to the control. These results suggest that the amount and/or conformational state of the CSF proteins (e.g., intrinsic disorder) giving rise to pre-denaturation exothermic events substantially changed upon brain tumor progression. Concomitantly, the enthalpy of the CSF endothermic peaks was partially redistributed from a lower-temperature (main) transition to a higher-temperature transition. The presented data demonstrated that the heat capacity profiles of intrinsic CSF proteins constitute a sensitive biomarker of glioblastoma and other brain malignancies.

Natural Product Formulations for the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's disease: A Patent Review

INTRODUCTION

Although considerable efforts have been made to develop effective therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's Disease (AD), neither a consensus concerning the pathogenesis of the disease nor a successful therapy for its treatment is yet available. The natural product chemistry brings tremendous diversity and abundant resource for medical needs.

OBJECTIVES

The present review summarizes recent patents on natural extracts and derived drugs as agents for the prevention and treatment of AD. It also sums up the suggested mechanisms of action of the formulated natural remedies.

CONCLUSION

It is now becoming well accepted that multiple factors contribute to the progression of AD. The pathogenesis of the disease involves amyloid-β cascade, tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein misfolding, gene mutation, etc. It has been suggested that the multifactorial nature of AD pathogenesis requires the design of medicines with a wide spectrum of activity. Medicinal herbs are known to consist of multiple compounds and may implicate multiple mechanisms, thus being advantageous over the simple single-target drugs in the treatment of complex diseases. Indeed, natural products attract increased attention. In the last decades, they have become a major focus in the quest for AD remedies and may represent a real promise for curing the disease.

A novel DSC approach for evaluating protectant drugs efficacy against dementia

Differential scanning calorimetry was applied to evaluate the efficacy of preventive treatments with biologically active compounds of plant origin against neurodegenerative disorder in mice. As we reported recently, large differences exist between the heat capacity profiles of water-soluble brain proteome fractions from healthy animals and from animals with scopolamine-induced dementia: the profiles for healthy animals displayed well expressed exothermic event peaking at 40-45°C, by few degrees above body temperature, but still preceding in temperature the proteome endothermic denaturational transitions; the low-temperature exotherm was completely abolished by the scopolamine treatment. Here we explored this signature difference in the heat capacity profiles to assess the efficacy of preventive treatments with protectant drugs anticipated to slow down or block progression of dementia (myrtenal, ellagic acid, lipoic acid and their combinations, including also ascorbic acid). We found that these neuroprotectants counteract the scopolamine effect and partially or completely preserve the 'healthy' thermogram, and specifically the low-temperature exotherm. These results well correlate with the changes in the cognitive functions of the animals assessed using the Step Through Test for learning and memory. The exothermic event is deemed to be associated with a reversible process of fibrillization and/or aggregation of specific water-soluble brain protein fractions preceding their denaturation. Most importantly, the results demonstrate that the effect of scopolamine and its prevention by protectant substances are clearly displayed in the heat capacity profiles of the brain proteome, thus identifying DSC as a powerful method in drug testing and discovery.

Enhancing nucleic acid delivery, insights from the cationic phospholipid carriers

The development of nucleic acid-based drugs has attracted considerable interest in the past two decades as a new category of biologics. A key challenge in successfully achieving the full potential of nucleotide therapeutics is their efficient delivery. Synthetic cationic lipids are currently the most extensively used non-viral nucleotide carriers because of their ability to form complexes with the nucleic acids. Here we examine the properties of oligonucleotide lipoplexes with a particularly noteworthy cationic lipid class, the cationic phosphatidylcholines (PCs) which exhibit low toxicity and good nucleotide delivery efficacy. Studies on a set of cationic PCs reveal the existence of a strong, systematic dependence of their carrier efficiency on the lipid hydrocarbon chain structure. Their activity rises with the increase in chain unsaturation and declines with the increase in chain length. Maximum transfection is detected for ethyl-PC (ePC) with monounsaturated 14:1 chains. The same lipid exhibits maximum activity also in intracellular delivery of siRNA. As the lipid phase behavior is known to depend substantially on the hydrocarbon chain structure, the above relationships validate a view that cationic PC phase properties are an important factor for their activity. Indeed, time-resolved X-ray diffraction studies showed that the rate of the nucleotide release from the lipoplexes, as well as their transfection activity, correlate with the non-lamellar phase progressions detected in mixtures of cationic PCs with biomembrane lipids. These findings emphasize the role of the non-lamellar lipid mesophases in the nucleic acid transport across the cellular membranes and their intracellular release.

Recent Progress in Liposome Production, Relevance to Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine

From their discovery half a century ago and the subsequent appreciation of their clinical utility, liposomes currently hold a recognized position in the mainstream of drug delivery systems. Conventional techniques for liposome preparation and size reduction are simple to implement and do not require sophisticated equipment. However, most of them are not easy to scale-up for industrial liposome production. With several liposomal formulations already on the market, and more in final clinical trials, the industrial scale production of liposomes has become reality, and so the range of liposome preparation methods has been extended by a number of techniques which are increasingly attractive, such as microfluidic hydrodynamic focusing, supercritical fluid processing, freeze-drying and spray-drying. Some of these new techniques generally represent advancements of the conventional methods allowing for scale-up, better reproducibility and process control. This review summarizes patents in the last decade offering new techniques for production of liposomes as related to their application in drug delivery.

Preparation, biodistribution and neurotoxicity of liposomal cisplatin following convection enhanced delivery in normal and F98 glioma bearing rats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate two novel liposomal formulations of cisplatin as potential therapeutic agents for treatment of the F98 rat glioma. The first was a commercially produced agent, Lipoplatin™, which currently is in a Phase III clinical trial for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The second, produced in our laboratory, was based on the ability of cisplatin to form coordination complexes with lipid cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHEMS). The in vitro tumoricidal activity of the former previously has been described in detail by other investigators. The CHEMS liposomal formulation had a Pt loading efficiency of 25% and showed more potent in vitro cytotoxicity against F98 glioma cells than free cisplatin at 24 h. In vivo CHEMS liposomes showed high retention at 24 h after intracerebral (i.c.) convection enhanced delivery (CED) to F98 glioma bearing rats. Neurotoxicologic studies were carried out in non-tumor bearing Fischer rats following i.c. CED of Lipoplatin™ or CHEMS liposomes or their "hollow" counterparts. Unexpectedly, Lipoplatin™ was highly neurotoxic when given i.c. by CED and resulted in death immediately following or within a few days after administration. Similarly "hollow" Lipoplatin™ liposomes showed similar neurotoxicity indicating that this was due to the liposomes themselves rather than the cisplatin. This was particularly surprising since Lipoplatin™ has been well tolerated when administered intravenously. In contrast, CHEMS liposomes and their "hollow" counterparts were clinically well tolerated. However, a variety of dose dependent neuropathologic changes from none to severe were seen at either 10 or 14 d following their administration. These findings suggest that further refinements in the design and formulation of cisplatin containing liposomes will be required before they can be administered i.c. by CED for the treatment of brain tumors and that a formulation that may be safe when given systemically may be highly neurotoxic when administered directly into the brain.

Highly efficient cationic ethylphosphatidylcholine siRNA carrier for GFP suppression in modified breast cancer cells

AIM

Cationic ethylphosphatidylcholines (ePCs) were evaluated for the delivery of siRNA in modified breast cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dimyristoleoyl-ePC (C14), dioleoyl-ePC (C18), and dilauroyl-ePC (C12) nanoparticles were complexed with siRNA for green fluorescent protein (GFP) suppression in modified MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The kinetics of GFP suppression were followed over the course of 72 hours.

RESULTS

C14, which has been previously found to be particularly effective in gene transfection into primary human umbilical artery endothelial cells, was also remarkably effective as siRNA carrier, with an efficacy exceeding that of Lipofectamine RNAiMAX. The C14 toxicity remained comparable to that of RNAiMAX. The efficacy of the other tested cationic ePC formulations was less than that of C14 and RNAiMAX.

CONCLUSION

The cationic lipid C14 is a highly efficient siRNA carrier that could be used for the development of new formulations for siRNA delivery into cancer cells. A valuable advantage of the C14 formulations is the fact that they are simple, and do not require adjuvants or complex preparation procedures.

Time-resolved x-ray diffraction and calorimetric studies at low scan rates: II. On the fine structure of the phase transitions in hydrated dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine

The phase transitions of dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) in excess water have been examined by low-angle time-resolved x-ray diffraction and calorimetry at low scan rates. The lamellar subgel/lamellar liquid-crystalline (L(c) --> L(alpha)), lamellar gel/lamellar liquid-crystalline (L(beta) --> L(alpha)), and lamellar liquid-crystalline/lamellar gel (L(alpha) --> L(beta)) phase transitions proceed via coexistence of the initial and final phases with no detectable intermediates at scan rates 0.1 and 0.5 degrees C/min. At constant temperature within the region of the L(beta) --> L(alpha) transition the ratio of the two coexisting phases was found to be stable for over 30 min. The state of stable phase coexistence was preceded by a 150-s relaxation taking place at constant temperature after termination of the heating scan in the transition region. While no intermediate structures were present in the coexistence region, a well reproducible multipeak pattern, with at least four prominent heat capacity peaks separated in temperature by 0.4-0.5 degrees C, has been observed in the cooling transition (L(alpha) --> L(beta)) by calorimetry. The multipeak pattern became distinct with an increase of incubation time in the liquid-crystalline phase. It was also clearly resolved in the x-ray diffraction intensity versus temperature plots recorded at slow cooling rates. These data suggest that the equilibrium state of the L(alpha) phase of hydrated DPPE is represented by a mixture of domains that differ in thermal behavior, but cannot be distinguished structurally by x-ray scattering.

Transferrin-conjugated lipid-coated PLGA nanoparticles for targeted delivery of aromatase inhibitor 7alpha-APTADD to breast cancer cells

Transferrin (Tf)-conjugated lipid-coated poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles carrying the aromatase inhibitor, 7alpha-(4'-amino)phenylthio-1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione (7alpha-APTADD), were synthesized by a solvent injection method. Formulation parameters including PLGA-to-lipid, egg PC-to-TPGS, and drug-to-PLGA ratios and aqueous-to-organic phase ratio at the point of synthesis were optimized to obtain nanoparticles with desired sizes and drug loading efficiency. The optimal formulation had a drug loading efficiency of 36.3+/-3.4%, mean diameter of 170.3+/-7.6nm and zeta potential of -18.9+/-1.5mV. The aromatase inhibition activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated in SKBR-3 breast cancer cells. IC(50) value of the Tf-nanoparticles was ranging from 0.77 to 1.21nM, and IC(50) value of the nanoparticles was ranging from 1.90 to 3.41nM (n=3). The former is significantly lower than the latter (p<0.05). These results suggested that the aromatase inhibition activity of the Tf-nanoparticles was enhanced relative to that of the non-targeted nanoparticles, which was attributable to Tf receptor (TfR) mediated uptake. In conclusion, Tf-conjugated lipid-coated PLGA nanoparticles are potential vehicles for improving the efficiency and specificity of therapeutic delivery of aromatase inhibitors.

Analysis of lipoplex structure and lipid phase changes

Efficient delivery of genetic material to cells is needed for tasks of utmost importance in the laboratory and clinic, such as gene transfection and gene silencing. Synthetic cationic lipids can be used as delivery vehicles for nucleic acids and are now considered the most promising nonviral gene carriers. They form complexes (lipoplexes) with the polyanionic nucleic acids. A critical obstacle for clinical application of the lipid-mediated DNA delivery (lipofection) is its unsatisfactory efficiency for many cell types. Understanding the mechanism of lipid-mediated DNA delivery is essential for their successful application, as well as for a rational design and synthesis of novel cationic lipoid compounds for enhanced gene delivery. A viewpoint now emerging is that the critical factor in lipid-mediated transfection is the structural evolution of lipoplexes within the cell, upon interacting and mixing with cellular lipids. In particular, recent studies showed that the phase evolution of lipoplex lipids upon interaction and mixing with membrane lipids appears to be decisive for transfection success: specifically, lamellar lipoplex formulations, which were readily susceptible to undergoing lamellar-nonlamellar phase transition upon mixing with cellular lipids and were found rather consistently associated with superior transfection potency, presumably as a result of facilitated DNA release. Thus, understanding the lipoplex structure and the phase changes upon interacting with membrane lipids is important for the successful application of the cationic lipids as gene carriers.

Hydrophobic moiety of cationic lipids strongly modulates their transfection activity

Synthetic cationic lipids are widely used components of nonviral gene carriers, and the factors regulating their transfection efficiency are the subject of considerable interest. In view of the important role that electrostatic interactions with the polyanionic nucleic acids play in formation of lipoplexes, a common empirical approach to improving transfection has been the synthesis and testing of amphiphiles with new versions of positively charged polar groups, while much less attention has been given to the role of the hydrophobic lipid moieties. On the basis of data for approximately 20 cationic phosphatidylcholine (PC) derivatives, here we demonstrate that hydrocarbon chain variations of these lipids modulate by over 2 orders of magnitude their transfection efficiency. The observed molecular structure-activity relationship manifests in well-expressed dependences of activity on two important molecular characteristics, chain unsaturation and total number of carbon atoms in the lipid chains, which is representative of the lipid hydrophobic volume and hydrophilic-lipophilic ratio. Transfection increases with decrease of chain length and increase of chain unsaturation. Maximum transfection was found for cationic PCs with monounsaturated 14:1 chains. It is of particular importance that the high-transfection lipids strongly promote cubic phase formation in zwitterionic membrane phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). These remarkable correlations point to an alternative, chain-dependent process in transfection, not related to the electrostatic cationic-anionic lipid interactions.

Lipid Phases Eye View to Lipofection. Cationic Phosphatidylcholine Derivatives as Efficient DNA Carriers for Gene Delivery

Efficient delivery of genetic material to cells is needed for tasks of utmost importance in laboratory and clinic, such as gene transfection and gene silencing. Synthetic cationic lipids can be used as delivery vehicles for nucleic acids and are now considered the most promising non-viral gene carriers. They form complexes (lipoplexes) with the polyanionic nucleic acids. A critical obstacle for clinical application of the lipid-mediated DNA delivery (lipofection) is its unsatisfactory efficiency for many cell types. Understanding the mechanism of lipid-mediated DNA delivery is essential for their successful application, as well as for rational design and synthesis of novel cationic lipoid compounds for enhanced gene delivery. According to the current understanding, the critical factor in lipid-mediated transfection is the structural evolution of lipoplexes within the cell, upon interacting and mixing with cellular lipids. In particular, recent studies with cationic phosphatidylcholine derivatives showed that the phase evolution of lipoplex lipids upon interaction and mixing with membrane lipids appears to be decisive for transfection success: specifically, lamellar lipoplex formulations, which were readily susceptible to undergoing lamellar-nonlamellar (precisely lamellar-cubic) phase transition upon mixing with cellular lipids, were found rather consistently associated with superior transfection potency, presumably as a result of facilitated DNA release subsequent to lipoplex fusion with the cellular membranes. Further, hydrophobic moiety of the cationic phospholipids was found able to strongly modulate liposomal gene delivery into primary human umbilical artery endothelial cells; superior activity was found for cationic phosphatidylcholine derivatives with two 14-carbon atom monounsaturated hydrocarbon chains, able to induce formation of cubic phase in membranes. Thus, understanding the lipoplex structure and the phase changes upon interacting with membrane lipids is important for the rational design and successful application of cationic lipids as superior nucleotide delivery agents.

Synergy in lipofection by cationic lipid mixtures: superior activity at the gel-liquid crystalline phase transition

Some mixtures of two cationic lipids including phospholipid compounds (O-ethylphosphatidylcholines) as well as common, commercially available cationic lipids, such as dimethylammonium bromides and trimethylammonium propanes, deliver therapeutic DNA considerably more efficiently than do the separate molecules. In an effort to rationalize this widespread "mixture synergism", we examined the phase behavior of the cationic lipid mixtures and constructed their binary phase diagrams. Among a group of more than 50 formulations, the compositions with maximum delivery activity resided unambiguously in the solid-liquid crystalline two-phase region at physiological temperature. Thus, the transfection efficacy of formulations exhibiting solid-liquid crystalline phase coexistence is more than 5 times higher than that of formulations in the gel (solid) phase and over twice that of liquid crystalline formulations; phase coexistence occurring at physiological temperature thus appears to contribute significantly to mixture synergism. This relationship between delivery activity and physical property can be rationalized on the basis of the known consequences of lipid-phase transitions, namely, the accumulation of defects and increased disorder at solid-liquid crystalline phase boundaries. Packing defects at the borders of coexisting solid and liquid crystalline domains, as well as large local density fluctuations, could be responsible for the enhanced fusogenicity of mixtures. This study leads to the important conclusion that manipulating the composition of the lipid carriers so that their phase transition takes place at physiological temperature can enhance their delivery efficacy.

Natural lipid extracts and biomembrane-mimicking lipid compositions are disposed to form nonlamellar phases, and they release DNA from lipoplexes most efficiently

A viewpoint now emerging is that a critical factor in lipid-mediated transfection (lipofection) is the structural evolution of lipoplexes upon interacting and mixing with cellular lipids. Here we report our finding that lipid mixtures mimicking biomembrane lipid compositions are superior to pure anionic liposomes in their ability to release DNA from lipoplexes (cationic lipid/DNA complexes), even though they have a much lower negative charge density (and thus lower capacity to neutralize the positive charge of the lipoplex lipids). Flow fluorometry revealed that the portion of DNA released after a 30-min incubation of the cationic O-ethylphosphatidylcholine lipoplexes with the anionic phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol was 19% and 37%, respectively, whereas a mixture mimicking biomembranes (MM: phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine/phosphatidylserine /cholesterol 45:20:20:15 w/w) and polar lipid extract from bovine liver released 62% and 74%, respectively, of the DNA content. A possible reason for this superior power in releasing DNA by the natural lipid mixtures was suggested by structural experiments: while pure anionic lipids typically form lamellae, the natural lipid mixtures exhibited a surprising predilection to form nonlamellar phases. Thus, the MM mixture arranged into lamellar arrays at physiological temperature, but began to convert to the hexagonal phase at a slightly higher temperature, approximately 40-45 degrees C. A propensity to form nonlamellar phases (hexagonal, cubic, micellar) at close to physiological temperatures was also found with the lipid extracts from natural tissues (from bovine liver, brain, and heart). This result reveals that electrostatic interactions are only one of the factors involved in lipid-mediated DNA delivery. The tendency of lipid bilayers to form nonlamellar phases has been described in terms of bilayer "frustration" which imposes a nonzero intrinsic curvature of the two opposing monolayers. Because the stored curvature elastic energy in a "frustrated" bilayer seems to be comparable to the binding energy between cationic lipid and DNA, the balance between these two energies could play a significant role in the lipoplex-membrane interactions and DNA release energetics.

Lipoplex formulation of superior efficacy exhibits high surface activity and fusogenicity, and readily releases DNA

Lipoplexes containing a mixture of cationic phospholipids dioleoylethylphosphatidylcholine (EDOPC) and dilauroylethylphosphatidylcholine (EDLPC) are known to be far more efficient agents in transfection of cultured primary endothelial cells than are lipoplexes containing either lipid alone. The large magnitude of the synergy permits comparison of the physical and physico-chemical properties of lipoplexes that have very different transfection efficiencies, but minor chemical differences. Here we report that the superior transfection efficiency of the EDLPC/EDOPC lipoplexes correlates with higher surface activity, higher affinity to interact and mix with negatively charged membrane-mimicking liposomes, and with considerably more efficient DNA release relative to the EDOPC lipoplexes. Observations on cultured cells agree with the results obtained with model systems; confocal microscopy of transfected human umbilical artery endothelial cells (HUAEC) demonstrated more extensive DNA release into the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm for the EDLPC/EDOPC lipoplexes than for EDOPC lipoplexes; electron microscopy of cells fixed and embedded directly on the culture dish revealed contact of EDLPC/EDOPC lipoplexes with various cellular membranes, including those of the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and nucleus. The sequence of events outlining efficient lipofection is discussed based on the presented data.

An intracellular lamellar-nonlamellar phase transition rationalizes the superior performance of some cationic lipid transfection agents

Two cationic phospholipid derivatives with asymmetric hydrocarbon chains were synthesized: ethyl esters of oleoyldecanoyl-ethylphosphatidylcholine (C18:1/C10-EPC) and stearoyldecanoyl-ethylphosphatidylcholine (C18:0/C10-EPC). The former was 50 times more effective as a DNA transfection agent (human umbilical artery endothelial cells) than the latter, despite their similar chemical structure and virtually identical lipoplex organization. A likely reason for the superior effectiveness of C18:1/C10-EPC relative to C18:0/C10-EPC (and to many other cationic lipoids) was suggested by the phases that evolved when these lipoids were mixed with negatively charged membrane lipid formulations. The saturated C18:0/C10-EPC remained lamellar in mixtures with biomembrane-mimicking lipid formulations [e.g., dioleoyl-phosphatidylcholine/dioleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine/dioleoyl-phosphatidylserine/cholesterol at 45:20:20:15 (wt/wt)]; in contrast, the unsaturated C18:1/C10-EPC exhibited a lamellar-nonlamellar phase transition in such mixtures, which took place at physiological temperatures, approximately 37 degrees C. As is well known, lipid vehicles exhibit maximum leakiness and contents release in the vicinity of phase transitions, especially those involving nonlamellar phase formation. Moreover, nonlamellar phase-forming compositions are frequently highly fusogenic. Indeed, FRET experiments showed that C18:1/C10-EPC exhibits lipid mixing with negatively charged membranes that is several times more extensive than that of C18:0/C10-EPC. Thus, C18:1/C10-EPC lipoplexes are likely to easily fuse with membranes, and, as a result of lipid mixing, the resultant aggregates should exhibit extensive phase coexistence and heterogeneity, thereby facilitating DNA release and leading to superior transfection efficiency. These results highlight the phase properties of the carrier lipid/cellular lipid mixtures as a decisive factor for transfection success and suggest a strategy for the rational design of superior cationic lipid carriers.

Transfection activity of binary mixtures of cationic o-substituted phosphatidylcholine derivatives: the hydrophobic core strongly modulates physical properties and DNA delivery efficacy

A combination of two cationic lipid derivatives having the same headgroup but tails of different chain lengths has been shown to have considerably different transfection activity than do the separate molecules. Such findings point to the importance of investigating the hydrophobic portions of cationic amphiphiles. Hence, we have synthesized a variety of cationic phosphatidylcholines with unusual hydrophobic moieties and have evaluated their transfection activity and that of their mixtures with the original molecule of this class, dioleoyl-O-ethylphosphatidylcholine (EDOPC). Four distinct relationships between transfection activity and composition of the mixture (plotted as percent of the new compound added to EDOPC) were found, namely: with a maximum or minimum; with a proportional change; or with essentially no change. Relevant physical properties of the lipoplexes were also examined; specifically, membrane fusion (by fluorescence resonance energy transfer between cationic and anionic lipids) and DNA unbinding (measured as accessibility of DNA to ethidium bromide by electrophoresis and by fluorescence resonance energy transfer between DNA and cationic lipid), both after the addition of negatively charged membrane lipids. Fusibility increased with increasing content of second cationic lipid, regardless of the transfection pattern. However, the extent of DNA unbinding after addition of negatively charged membrane lipids did correlate with extent of transfection. The phase behavior of cationic lipids per se as well as that of their mixtures with membrane lipids revealed structural differences that may account for and support the hypothesis that a membrane lipid-triggered, lamellar-->nonlamellar phase transition that facilitates DNA release is critical to efficient transfection by cationic lipids.

Lipid Phase Control of DNA Delivery

Cationic lipids form nanoscale complexes (lipoplexes) with polyanionic DNA and can be utilized to deliver DNA to cells for transfection. Here we report the correlation between delivery efficiency of these DNA carriers and the mesomorphic phases they form when interacting with anionic membrane lipids. Specifically, formulations that are particularly effective DNA carriers form phases of highest negative interfacial curvature when mixed with anionic lipids, whereas less effective formulations form phases of lower curvature. Structural evolution of the carrier lipid/DNA complexes upon interaction with cellular lipids is hence suggested as a controlling factor in lipid-mediated DNA delivery. A strategy for optimizing lipofection is deduced. The behavior of a highly effective lipoplex formulation, DOTAP/DOPE, is found to conform to this "efficiency formula".

Lipid transfer between cationic vesicles and lipid–DNA lipoplexes: Effect of serum

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to examine the lipid exchange between model lipid systems, including vesicles of the cationic lipoids ethyldimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (EDMPC), ethyldipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (EDPPC) or their complexes with DNA (lipoplexes), and the zwitterionic lipids (DMPC, DPPC). The changes of the lipid phase transition parameters (temperature, enthalpy, and cooperativity) upon consecutive temperature scans was used as an indication of lipid mixing between aggregates. A selective lipid transfer of the shorter-chain cationic lipoid EDMPC into the longer-chain aggregates was inferred. In contrast, transfer was hindered when EDMPC (but not EDPPC) was bound to DNA in the lipoplexes. These data support a simple molecular lipid exchange mechanism, but not lipid bilayer fusion. Exchange via lipid monomers is considerably more facile for the cationic ethylphosphatidylcholines than for zwitterionic phosphatidylcholines, presumably due to the higher monomer solubility of the charged lipids. With the cationic liposomes, lipid transfer was strongly promoted by the presence of serum in the dispersing medium. Serum proteins are presumed to be responsible for the accelerated transfer, since the effect was strongly reduced upon heating the serum to 80 degrees C. The effect of serum indicates that even though much lipoplex lipid is inaccessible due to the multilayered structure, the barrier due to buried lipid can be easily overcome. Serum did not noticeably promote the lipid exchange of zwitterionic liposomes. The phenomenon is of potential importance for the application of cationic liposomes to nonviral gene delivery, which often involves the presence of serum in vitro, and necessarily involves serum contact in vivo.

DNA release from lipoplexes by anionic lipids: correlation with lipid mesomorphism, interfacial curvature, and membrane fusion

DNA release from lipoplexes is an essential step during lipofection and is probably a result of charge neutralization by cellular anionic lipids. As a model system to test this possibility, fluorescence resonance energy transfer between DNA and lipid covalently labeled with Cy3 and BODIPY, respectively, was used to monitor the release of DNA from lipid surfaces induced by anionic liposomes. The separation of DNA from lipid measured this way was considerably slower and less complete than that estimated with noncovalently labeled DNA, and depends on the lipid composition of both lipoplexes and anionic liposomes. This result was confirmed by centrifugal separation of released DNA and lipid. X-ray diffraction revealed a clear correlation of the DNA release capacity of the anionic lipids with the interfacial curvature of the mesomorphic structures developed when the anionic and cationic liposomes were mixed. DNA release also correlated with the rate of fusion of anionic liposomes with lipoplexes. It is concluded that the tendency to fuse and the phase preference of the mixed lipid membranes are key factors for the rate and extent of DNA release. The approach presented emphasizes the importance of the lipid composition of both lipoplexes and target membranes and suggests optimal transfection may be obtained by tailoring lipoplex composition to the lipid composition of target cells.

Mixtures of cationic lipid O-ethylphosphatidylcholine with membrane lipids and DNA: phase diagrams

Ethylphosphatidylcholines are positively charged membrane lipid derivatives, which effectively transfect DNA into cells and are metabolized by the cells. For this reason, they are promising nonviral transfection agents. With the aim of revealing the kinds of lipid phases that may arise when lipoplexes interact with cellular lipids during DNA transfection, temperature-composition phase diagrams of mixtures of the O-ethyldipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine with representatives of the major lipid classes (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, cholesterol) were constructed. Phase boundaries were determined using differential scanning calorimetry and synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The effects of ionic strength and of DNA presence were examined. A large variety of polymorphic and mesomorphic structures were observed. Surprisingly, marked enhancement of the affinity for nonlamellar phases was observed in mixtures with phosphatidylethanolamine and cholesterol as well as with phosphatidylglycerol (previously reported). Because of the potential relevance to transfection, it is noteworthy that such phases form at close to physiological conditions, and in the presence of DNA. All four mixtures exhibit a tendency to molecular clustering in the gel phase, presumably due to the specific interdigitated molecular arrangement of the O-ethyldipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine gel bilayers. It is evident that a remarkably broad array of lipid phases could arise in transfected cells and that these could have significant effects on transfection efficiency. The data may be particularly useful for selecting possible "helper" lipids in the lipoplex formulations, and in searches for correlations between lipoplex structure and transfection activity.

Novel fluorescent cationic phospholipid, O-4-napthylimido-1-butyl-DOPC, exhibits unusual foam morphology, forms hexagonal and cubic phases in mixtures, and transfects DNA

The novel cationic triester of phosphatidylcholine, O-4-napthylimido-1-butyl-dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (NB-DOPC), has been synthesized: 1-amino-4-butanol was reacted with napthylic anhydride to form 4-hydroxybutyl-1-napthylamide, which was then reacted with triflic anhydride; the resultant triflate was reacted with dioleoylphosphatidylcholine so as to transfer the napthylimido-butyl group to the unsubstituted phosphate oxygen. The resultant compound is thus not only positively charged, but also has a bulky hydrophobic moiety attached to the headgroup. This novel cationic phospholipid exhibits a peculiar long-living foam-like morphology upon hydration, which could have applications in encapsulation and delivery. It is characterized by high adhesiveness to hydrophobic surfaces. X-ray diffraction showed that it forms a lamellar structure of rather short repeat period, indicative of an unusually small interlamellar separation and low hydration level. It readily incorporates DNA and organizes into lamellar lipoplexes. These DNA-lipid complexes effectively transfect DNA into cells. In an equimolar mixture of this lipid with the anionic dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol lamellar arrays coexist with disordered uncorrelated structures, however, these transform into a bicontinuous cubic phase, Pn3m, upon addition of DNA. When mixed with another anionic lipid, cardiolipin, at a NB-DOPC/ cardiolipin 2:1 molar ratio, it forms the inverted hexagonal phase which is of potential interest for nanotechnology applications.

Cationic O-ethylphosphatidylcholines and their lipoplexes: phase behavior aspects, structural organization and morphology

Ethylphosphatidylcholines, positively charged membrane lipid derivatives in which the anionic charge of the phosphate oxygen has been eliminated by ethylation, are promising nonviral, metabolizable transfection agents. We studied in detail the phase behavior, structural organization and morphology of the ethylphosphatidylcholines and their lipoplexes. Unlike the other phospholipids, dehydration does not change the melting transition temperature of O-ethyl-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (EDPPC). Neither does an isoelectric amount of DNA, when added to the EDPPC aqueous dispersion. This is ascribed to the inability of EDPPC to form hydrogen bonds because of its headgroup modification. Similarly to its parent lipid DPPC, EDPPC displays a subtransition at 15 degrees C in its differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) heating scans after prolonged low-temperature incubation. The cooling behavior of the O-ethylphosphatidylcholines is sensitive to the thermal prehistory and the ionic strength. Different aggregate morphologies in the solid and the liquid-crystalline phases-respectively lamellar sheets and vesicles, as documented by light microscopy-are considered responsible for the cooling pattern. The interconversion between these morphologies is slow or even kinetically hindered, however, increasing the ionic strength to physiological values facilitates the conversion. The interdigitated chain arrangement of EDPPC gel phase tolerates incorporation of DNA between the bilayers. The minimum observed separation between the DNA strands is approximately 30-32 A, at DNA/lipid molar ratio > or =1. Formation of lipoplexes with DNA ordered in a 1-D lattice sandwiched between interdigitated lipid bilayers is reported for the first time.

An index of lipid phase diagrams

There is a growing awareness of the utility of lipid phase behavior data in studies of membrane-related phenomena. Such miscibility information is commonly reported in the form of temperature-composition (T-C) phase diagrams. The current index is a conduit to the relevant literature. It lists lipid phase diagrams, their components and conditions of measurement, and complete bibliographic information. The main focus of the index is on lipids of membrane origin where water is the dispersing medium. However, it also includes records on acylglycerols, fatty acids, cationic lipids, and detergent-containing systems. The miscibility of synthetic and natural lipids with other lipids, with water, and with biomolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, etc.) and non-biological materials (drugs, anesthetics, organic solvents, etc.) is within the purview of the index. There are 2188 phase diagram records in the index, the bulk (81%) of which refers to binary (two-component) T-C phase diagrams. The remainder is made up of more complex (ternary, quaternary) systems, pressure-T phase diagrams, and other more exotic miscibility studies. The index covers the period from 1965 through to July, 2001.

New ordered metastable phases between the gel and subgel phases in hydrated phospholipids

Formation of low-temperature ordered gel phases in several fully hydrated phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) and phosphatidylcholines (PCs) with saturated chains as well as in dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) was observed by synchrotron x-ray diffraction, microcalorimetry, and densitometry. The diffraction patterns recorded during slow cooling show that the gel-phase chain reflection cooperatively splits into two reflections, signaling a transformation of the usual gel phase into a more ordered phase, with an orthorhombic chain packing (the Y-transition). This transition is associated with a small decrease (2-4 microl/g) or inflection of the partial specific volume. It is fully reversible with the temperature and displays in heating direction as a small (0.1-0.7 kcal/mol) endothermic event. We recorded a Y-transition in distearoyl PE, dipalmitoyl PE (DPPE), mono and dimethylated DPPE, distearoyl PC, dipalmitoyl PC, diC(15)PC, and DPPG. No such transition exists in dimyristoyl PE and dilauroyl PE where the gel L(beta) phase transforms directly into subgel L(c) phase, as well as in the unsaturated dielaidoyl PE. The PE and PC low-temperature phases denoted L(R1) and SGII, respectively, have different hydrocarbon chain packing. The SGII phase is with tilted chains, arranged in an orthorhombic lattice of two-nearest-neighbor type. Except for the PCs, it was also registered in ionized DPPG. In the L(R1) phase, the chains are perpendicular to the bilayer plane and arranged in an orthorhombic lattice of four-nearest-neighbor type. It was observed in PEs and in protonated DPPG. The L(R1) and SGII phases are metastable phases, which may only be formed by cooling the respective gel L(beta) and L(beta') phases, and not by heating the subgel L(c) phase. Whenever present, they appear to represent an indispensable intermediate step in the formation of the latter phase.

Detection of the metastable rippled gel phase in hydrated phosphatidylcholine by fluorescence spectroscopy

Steady-state and time-resolved emission spectroscopy of 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) have been used for characterization of the metastable rippled gel phase, Pbeta'(mst), formed in fully-hydrated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) upon cooling from the liquid crystalline phase Lalpha [Tenchov et al., Biophys. J. 56 (1989) 757]. The Pbeta'(mst) phase of DPPC clearly differs from the stable Pbeta' phase by increased (approximately 27%) ANS emission intensity, by enhanced (approximately 23%) average radiative rate constant, and by reduced (approximately 18%) non-radiative quenching rate constant. The fluorescence intensity peak at the Pbeta'-->Lalpha transition temperature is replaced by a large, reversible stepwise intensity drop at the Pbeta'(mst)-->Lalpha transition. No such effects have been found for dimiristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) dispersions confirming previous results that DMPC does not form a Pbeta'(mst) phase. Since ANS is known to predominantly reside in the interfacial region, the observed effects indicate differences between the stable and metastable rippled phases in the organization and dynamics of their lipid/water interfaces. The data demonstrate that the metastable rippled phase manifests its appearance also through interactions with small molecules (ANS size approximately 8 A).

Discrete reduction of type I collagen thermal stability upon oxidation

The oxidation of acid-soluble calf skin collagen type I caused by metal-dependent free radical generating systems, Fe(II)/H2O2 and Cu(II)/H2O2, was found to bring down in a specific, discrete way the collagen thermal stability, as determined by microcalorimetry and scanning densitometry. Initial oxidation results in splitting of the collagen denaturational transition into two components. Along with the endotherm at 41 degrees C typical for non-oxidized collagen, a second, similarly cooperative endotherm appears at 35 degrees C and increases in enthalpy with the oxidant concentration and exposure time, while the first peak correspondingly decreases. The two transitions at 35 and 41 degrees C were registered by densitometry as stepwise increases of the collagen-specific volume. Further oxidation results in massive collagen destruction manifested as abolishment of both denaturational transitions. The two oxidative systems used produce identical effects on the collagen stability but at higher concentrations of Cu(II) in comparison to Fe(II). The discrete reduction of the protein thermal stability is accompanied by a decrease of the free amino groups, suggestive of an oxidation attack of the side chains of lysine residues. Since the denaturation temperature of collagen shifts from above to below body temperature (41 degrees C-35 degrees C) upon oxidation, it appears important to account for this effect in a context of the possible physiological implications of collagen oxidation.

An ordered metastable phase in hydrated phosphatidylethanolamine: the Y-transition

By using time-resolved X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning densitometry, we observed rapid formation at low temperature of a metastable ordered phase, termed LR1 phase, in fully hydrated dihexadecylphosphatidylethanolamine (DHPE). The LR1 phase has the same lamellar repeat period as the gel Lbeta phase but differs from the latter in its more ordered, orthorhombic hydrocarbon chain arrangement. It forms at about 12 degrees C upon cooling and manifests itself as splitting of the sharp, symmetric wide-angle X-ray peak of the DHPE gel phase into two reflections. This transition, designated the 'Y-transition', is readily reversible and proceeds with almost no hysteresis between cooling and heating scans. Calorimetrically, the LR1-->Lbeta transition is recorded as a low-enthalpy (0.2 kcal/mol) endothermic event. The formation of the LR1 phase from the gel phase is associated with a small, about 2 microl/g, decrease of the lipid partial specific volume recorded by scanning densitometry, in agreement with a volume calculation based on the X-ray data. The formation of the equilibrium Lc phase was found to take place from within the LR1 phase. This appears to be the only observable pathway for crystallisation of DHPE upon low-temperature incubation. Once formed, the Lc phase of this lipid converts directly into Lbeta phase at 50 degrees C, skipping the LR1 phase. Thus, the LR1 phase of DHPE can only be entered by cooling of the gel Lbeta phase. The data disclose certain similarities between the low-temperature polymorphism of DHPE and that of long-chain normal alkanes.

Accelerated formation of cubic phases in phosphatidylethanolamine dispersions

By means of x-ray diffraction we show that several sodium salts and the disaccharides sucrose and trehalose strongly accelerate the formation of cubic phases in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) dispersions upon temperature cycling through the lamellar liquid crystalline-inverted hexagonal (Lalpha-HII) phase transition. Ethylene glycol does not have such an effect. The degree of acceleration increases with the solute concentration. Such an acceleration has been observed for dielaidoyl PE (DEPE), dihexadecyl PE, and dipalmitoyl PE. It was investigated in detail for DEPE dispersions. For DEPE (10 wt% of lipid) aqueous dispersions at 1 M solute concentration, 10-50 temperature cycles typically result in complete conversion of the Lalpha phase into cubic phase. Most efficient is temperature cycling executed by laser flash T-jumps. In that case the conversion completes within 10-15 cycles. However, the cubic phases produced by laser T-jumps are less ordered in comparison to the rather regular cubic structures produced by linear, uniform temperature cycling at 10 degrees C/min. Temperature cycles at scan rates of 1-3 degrees C/min also induce the rapid formation of cubic phases. All solutes used induce the formation of Im3m (Q229) cubic phase in 10 wt% DEPE dispersions. The initial Im3m phases appearing during the first temperature cycles have larger lattice parameters that relax to smaller values with continuation of the cycling after the disappearance of the Lalpha phase. A cooperative Im3m --> Pn3m transition takes place at approximately 85 degrees C and transforms the Im3m phase into a mixture of coexisting Pn3m (Q224) and Im3m phases. The Im3m/Pn3m lattice parameter ratio is 1. 28, as could be expected from a representation of the Im3m and Pn3m phases with the primitive and diamond infinite periodic minimal surfaces, respectively. At higher DEPE contents ( approximately 30 wt%), cubic phase formation is hindered after 20-30 temperature cycles. The conversion does not go through, but reaches a stage with coexisting Ia3d (Q230) and Lalpha phases. Upon heating, the Ia3d phase cooperatively transforms into a mixture of, presumably, Im3m and Pn3m phases at about the temperature of the Lalpha-HII transition. This transformation is readily reversible with the temperature. The lattice parameters of the DEPE cubic phases are temperature-insensitive in the Lalpha temperature range and decrease with the temperature in the range of the HII phase.

Phases and phase transitions of the phosphatidylcholines

LIPIDAT (http://www.lipidat.chemistry.ohio-state.edu) is an Internet accessible, computerized relational database providing access to the wealth of information scattered throughout the literature concerning synthetic and biologically derived polar lipid polymorphic and mesomorphic phase behavior and molecular structures. Here, a review of the data subset referring to phosphatidylcholines is presented together with an analysis of these data. This subset represents ca. 60% of all LIPIDAT records. It includes data collected over a 43-year period and consists of 12,208 records obtained from 1573 articles in 106 different journals. An analysis of the data in the subset identifies trends in phosphatidylcholine phase behavior reflecting changes in lipid chain length, unsaturation (number, isomeric type and position of double bonds), asymmetry and branching, type of chain-glycerol linkage (ester, ether, amide), position of chain attachment to the glycerol backbone (1,2- vs. 1,3-) and head group modification. Also included is a summary of the data concerning the effect of pressure, pH, stereochemical purity, and different additives such as salts, saccharides, amino acids and alcohols, on phosphatidylcholine phase behavior. Information on the phase behavior of biologically derived phosphatidylcholines is also presented. This review includes 651 references.

Low amounts of PEG-lipid induce cubic phase in phosphatidylethanolamine dispersions

By using time-resolved X-ray diffraction we demonstrate that low amounts (5-10 mol%) of a phospholipid with two saturated hydrocarbon acyl chains 14 carbon atoms long and PEG550 chain covalently attached to its phosphoethanolamine polar head group, DMPE(PEG550), induce spontaneous formation of a cubic phase with lattice constant 20.5 nm (cubic aspect #8, space group Im3m) in aqueous dispersions of dielaidoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DEPE). This phase displays a highly resolved X-ray diffraction pattern with 17 low-angle reflections. The cubic phase was found to intrude in the temperature range between the lamellar liquid crystalline (L(alpha)) phase and the inverted hexagonal phase (H(II)) known to form in pure DEPE/water dispersions. A higher DMPE(PEG550) amount of 20 mol% was found to eliminate the non-lamellar phases in the temperature scale up to 100 degrees C. DMPE grafted with PEG5000 only shifts the L(alpha)-H(II) transition of DEPE to higher temperatures but does not promote formation of cubic phase. These findings indicate that, consistent with their bulky head groups, the PEG-lipids decrease the tendency for negative interfacial mean curvature of the DEPE bilayers.

New phases induced by sucrose in saturated phosphatidylethanolamines: an expanded lamellar gel phase and a cubic phase

A new lamellar gel phase (L beta *) with expanded lamellar period was found at low temperatures in dihexadecylphosphatidylethanolamine (DHPE) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) dispersions in concentrated sucrose solutions (1-2.4 M). It forms via a cooperative, relatively broad transition upon cooling of the L beta gel phase of these lipids. According to the X-ray data, the transformation between L beta and L beta * is reversible, with a temperature hysteresis of 6-10 degrees C and a transition width of about 10 degrees C. No specific volume changes and a very small heat absorption of about 0.05 kcal/mol accompany this transition. The L beta *-L beta transition temperature strongly depends on the disaccharide concentration. From a value of about 10 degrees C below the melting transition of DHPE, it drops by 25 degrees C with decrease of sucrose concentration from 2.4 M to 1 M. The low-temperature gel phase L beta * has a repeat spacing by 8-10 A larger than that of the L beta gel phase and a single symmetric 4.2 A wide-angle peak. It has been observed in 1, 1.25, 1.5 and 2.4 M solutions of sucrose, but not in 0.5 M of sucrose. The data clearly indicate that the expanded lamellar period of the L beta * phase results from a cooperative, reversible with the temperature, increase of the interlamellar space of the L beta gel phase. Other sugars (trehalose, maltose, fructose, glucose) induce similar expanded low-temperature gel phases in DHPE and DPPE. The L beta * phase is osmotically insensitive. Its lamellar period does not depend on the sucrose concentration, while the lattice spacings of the L alpha, L beta and HII phases decrease linearly with increase of sucrose concentration. Another notable sugar effect is the induction of a cubic phase in these lipids. It forms during the reverse HII-L alpha transition and coexists with the L alpha phase in the whole temperature range between the HII and L beta phases. The cubic phase has only been observed at sucrose concentrations of I M and above. In accordance with previous data, sucrose suppresses the L alpha phase in both lipids and brings about a direct L beta-HII phase transition in DHPE. A raid, reversible gel-subgel transformation takes place at 17 degrees C in both DPPE and DHPE. Its properties do not depend on the sucrose concentration. The observed new effects of disaccharides on the properties of lipid dispersions might be relevant to their action as natural protectants.

Metastable rippled gel phase in saturated phosphatidylcholines: calorimetric and densitometric characterization

A long-living metastable rippled phase P beta' mst has been earlier reported to form in aqueous dispersions of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) upon cooling from the lamellar liquid crystalline phase L alpha (Tenchov et al. (1989) Biophys. J. 56, 757-768). Here we demonstrate that similar metastable phases form also in distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) and dihexadecylphosphatidylcholine (DHPC) but not in dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC). The thermodynamic parameters of P beta' mst in DPPC, DSPC and DHPC have been characterized in detail by means of differential scanning calorimetry and scanning densitometry. It is shown that the P beta' mst phase in these three lipids has higher specific heat capacity by 0.1-0.4 kcal K-1 mol-1 and higher specific volume by 1-2 microliters/g than the equilibrium P beta' phase formed upon heating from the L beta' phase. The P beta' mst-->L alpha transition in these three lipids takes place at 0.06-0.14 degree C lower temperature than the P beta'-->L alpha transition. Its enthalpy is lower by 5-11% and the apparent maximum specific heat Cp max is lower by 11-14%. The P beta' mst phase is a long-living phase-it does not relax into the equilibrium P beta' for at least several hours. The replacement of the ester glycerol-hydrocarbon chain linkages in DPPC with ether bonds in DHPC does not influence the formation of P beta' mst.

Thermal stability of calf skin collagen type I in salt solutions

The thermal stability of acid-soluble collagen type I from calf skin in salt solutions is studied by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry. Three concentration ranges have been clearly distinguished in the dependence of collagen thermal stability on ion concentration. At concentrations below 20 mM, all studied salts reduce the temperature of collagen denaturation with a factor of about 0.2 degree C per 1 mM. This effect is attributed to screening of electrostatic interactions leading to collagen stabilisation. At higher concentrations, roughly in the range 20-500 mM, the different salts either slightly stabilise or further destabilise the collagen molecule in salt-specific way that correlates with their position in the lyotropic series. The effect of anions is dominating and follows the order H2PO4- > or = SO4(2-) > Cl- > SCN-, with sign inversion at about SO4(2-). This effect, generally known as the Hofmeister effect, is associated with indirect protein-salt interactions exerted via competition for water molecules between ions and the protein surface. At still higher salt concentrations (onset concentrations between 200 and 800 mM for the different salts), the temperature of collagen denaturation and solution opacity markedly increase for all studied salts due to protein salting out and aggregation. The ability of salts to salt out collagen also correlates with their position in the lyotropic series and increases for chaotropic ions. The SO4(2-) anions interact specifically with collagen - they induce splitting of the protein denaturation peak into two components in the range 100-150 mM Na2SO4 and 300-750 mM Li2SO4. The variations of the collagen denaturation enthalpy at low and intermediate salt concentrations are consistent with a weak linear increase of the enthalpy with denaturation temperature. Its derivative, d(delta H)/dT, is approximately equal to the independently measured difference in the heat capacities of the denatured and native states, delta Cp = Cp(D) - Cp(N) approximately 0.1 cal.g-1 K-1.