• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.119-124
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• 2003

To elucidate the molecular mechanism of pharmacological action of local anesthetics, we studied membrane actions of tetracaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, prilocaine and procaine. Fluorescence polarization of n-(9-anthroyloxy)stearic acid (n-AS) was used to examine the effects of these local anesthetics on differential rotational mobility of different positions of the number of synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicle (SPMV) phospholipid carbon atoms. The four membrane components differed with respect to 3, 6, 9 and 16-(9-anthroyloxy)stearic acid (3-AS, 6-AS, 9-AS and 16-AP) probes, indicating that differences in the membrane fluidity might be present. Degrees of the rotational mobility of 3-AS, 6-AS, 9-AS and 16-AP were different depending on depth of hydrocarbon interior. In a dose-dependentmanner, tetracaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, prilocaine and procaine decreased anisotropy of 3-AS, 6-AS, 9-AS and 16-AP in the hydrocarbon interior of the SPMV. These results indicate that local anesthetics have significant disordering effects on hydrocarbon interior of the SPMV, thus affecting the transport of $Na^+$ and $K^+$ in nerve membranes and leading to anesthetic action.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 1994

The synergic effect of iron plus blue light on the peroxidation of membrane lipid was investigated, using liposomes made of phospholipid. While strong irradiation did not affect Fe$^{+2}$-promoted lipid peroxidation that turned out to be O$_2$-dependent, ferric iron in bright light exerted a pronounced effect on the initiation of lipid peroxidation: this combined action of light and Fe$^{+3}$ on liposomal membranes was apparently independent of O$_2$. When liposomal samples containing Fe$^{+3}$ were subjected to irradiation, some portions of Fe$^{+3}$ were converted into Fe$^{+2}$. The extent of the Fe$^{+3}$-Fe$^{+2}$ conversion increased with increasing time of irradiation, which resembled the dependence of Fe$^{+3}$-promoted lipid peroxidation on irradiation. Further, it was observed that the effect of irradiation in liposomal samples containing Fe$^{+2}$ was strikingly mimicked by that of Fe$^{+2}$ addition to the same samples. The obligatory requirement of a suitable Fe$^{+3}$/Fe$^{+2}$ ratio for the genesis of iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, a controversial proposition, was also confirmed by the observation that lipid peroxidation was substantially enhanced by the addition of a mixture of Fe$^{+3}$ and Fe$^{+2}$, as compared to the addition of Fe$^{+3}$ or Fe$^{+2}$ alone. The results obtained in this study not only suggest that light acts as an effector for initiating lipid peroxidation, when Fe$^{+3}$ is present in membrane systems, but also imply that any chemical or physical factor that influences the redox states of iron in membranes can play a role in lipid peroxidation reactions.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.349-353
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• 2005

The globin in cytosol receives the heme in mitochondria and folds to the hemoglobin within erythrocyte. Two mechanisms have been proposed that the heme was transfered post-translationally or cotranslationally to the globin. In this research, how the globin in cytosol receives post-translationally the heme from membranes was studied according to pH and phospholipid composition. Globins dissolved in various pH buffer solutions $(PH\;3\~7)$ were rapidly added into the bulk of egg phosphatidylcholine $100\%\;or\;60\%$ liposomes containing hemin in pH 7 buffer solution. Hemin was very highly transferred to globin at pH 4 and 6. Also, hemin was more efficiently transfered to globin in egg phosphatidylcholine $100\%$ than in $60\%$ liposomes.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.192-197
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• 1990

The microviscosites of the lipid bilayers of liposomal membranes of phospholipids were measured by the intermolecular excimer, formation method employing pyrene as a fluorescence probe, and the effects of n-alkanols and other local anesthetics on the microviscosity were investigated. The results showed that the n-alkanols and the ohter local anesthetics effectively lowered the microviscosity of the lipid bilayer of the dipalmitoyl phosphatidycholine liposomal membrane in proportion to the concentration of the additives. Moreover, there was a fairly good correlation between the ocal anesthetic activities and the microviscosity-lowering activities of these drugs. This results suggests that the nerve blocking activity of local anesthetics might have some relation with their activity fluidizing the lipid bilayer of biomembrane.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Potoscience Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.126-126
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• 2005

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.144-150
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• 2002

This experiment was designed to investigate the antioxidant effects of Chrysanthemum coronarium L. (CC) fractions on the liposomal phospholipid membranes. The sample CC was extracted and fractionated into five different types, methanol (CCMM), hexane (CCMH), ethylacetate (CCMEA), butanol (CCMB), and aqueous (CCMA) fractions. The antioxidant activities of CC fractions in oxidized dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) liposomes were examined by spectrophotometry measuring conjugated dienes. The oxidation indices of five CC fractions exhibited weaker antioxidant activities than that of BHT in oxidized DLPC liposomes, however, showing much similar antioxidant activities of $\alpha$-tocopherol in the oxidized DLPC liposomes, which is known as a potent antioxidant. Among CC fractions, CCMM and CCMA in oxidized DLPC liposomes showed rather effective than $\alpha$-tocopherol after 2 h. These results strongly indicate that bioactive substances in CC fractions have a kind of function as potent antioxidants against biomembrane oxidation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.286-297
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• 2020

Mammalian patatin-like phospholipase domain containing proteins (PNPLAs) play critical roles in triglyceride hydrolysis, phospholipids metabolism, and lipid droplet (LD) homeostasis. PNPLA7 is a lysophosphatidylcholine hydrolase anchored on the endoplasmic reticulum which associates with LDs through its catalytic region (PNPLA7-C) in response to increased cyclic nucleotide levels. However, the interaction of PNPLA7 with LDs through its catalytic region is unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that PNPLA7-C localizes to the mature LDs ex vivo and also colocalizes with pre-existing LDs. Localization of PNPLA7-C with LDs induces LDs clustering via non-enzymatic intermolecular associations, while PNPLA7 alone does not induce LD clustering. Residues 742-1016 contains four putative transmembrane domains which act as a LD targeting motif and are required for the localization of PNPLA7-C to LDs. Furthermore, the N-terminal flanking region of the LD targeting motif, residues 681-741, contributes to the LD targeting, whereas the C-terminal flanking region (1169-1326) has an anti-LD targeting effect. Interestingly, the LD targeting motif does not exhibit lysophosphatidylcholine hydrolase activity even though it associates with LDs phospholipid membranes. These findings characterize the specific functional domains of PNPLA7 mediating subcellular positioning and interactions with LDs, as wells as providing critical insights into the structure of this evolutionarily conserved phospholipid-metabolizing enzyme family.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.68-74
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• 2002

Studies of the relationship between the composition of serum fatty acids and blood pressure are complex and controversial. Fatty acids, important constituents of biological membranes, could potentially affect vasoreactivities including blood pressure. In this study the compositions of fatty acids in serum phospholipids were compared between three types of hypertensive subjects (men, pre-menopausal women, and post-menopausal women) and their respective nrmotensive controls. Serum lipids were extracted and phospholipids were separated by thin layer chromatography. The percentage of palmitic acid (16 : 0) in serum phospholipids was significantly higher and the percentage of stearic acid (18 : 0) was significantly lower in all three hypertensive groups, compared with their corresponding control groups. Only in the group of post-menopausal women, palmitic acid was closely associated wish increases in both systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), while stearic acid was associated with decreases in both SBP and DBP. The polyunsaturated fatty acids in serum phospholipids behaved differently from saturated fatty acids. The ratios of products / precursor fatty acids, such as $\sumLCPUFA\omega6/18 : 2\omega$6, 20 : 4$\omega$6/18 : 2$\omega$6, ∑LCPUFA$\omega$3/18 : 3$\omega$3 and 22 : 6$\omega$3/20 : 5$\omega$3, were all clearly associated with both SBP and DBP in hypertensive, post-menopausal women. Desaturation and elongation in fatty acid metabolism could affect the bioavailability of eicosanoid precursors. Changes in the constituent fatty acids of phospholipids and eicosanoid precursors may also influence fluidity, ionic transport, hormone receptors and enzyme activities in biological membranes. In conclusion, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in post-menopausal women was positively associated with the level of palmitic acid, and negatively associated with the level of stearic acid, in serum phospholipids. The relationships between serum phospholipid-$\omega$6 and $\omega$3 series fatty acids and blood pressure in women, especially in post-menopausal women, require further investigation by taking into consideration hormonal status and eicosanoid metabolism. Funker study is needed to determine the value of dietary manipulation of fatty acid constituents of serum phospholipids, relating to hypertension in women.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.362-368
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• 2010

Dermcidin is a human antibiotic peptide that is secreted by the sweat glands and has no homology to other known antimicrobial peptides. As an initial step toward understanding dermcidin's mode of action at bacterial membranes, we used homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR to determine the conformation of the peptide in 50% trifluoroethanol solution. We found that dermcidin adopts a flexible amphipathic $\alpha$-helical structure with a helix-hinge-helix motif, which is a common molecular fold among antimicrobial peptides. Spin-down assays of dermcidin and several related peptides revealed that the affinity with which dermcidin binds to bacterial-mimetic membranes is primarily dependent on its amphipathic $\alpha$-helical structure and its length (>30 residues); its negative net charge and acidic pI have little effect on binding. These findings suggest that the mode of action of dermcidin is similar to that of other membrane-targeting antimicrobial peptides, though the details of its antimicrobial action remain to be determined.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2010

There are four key factors for gas-phase biofilters; biocatalysts(microorganisms), packing materials, design/operating techniques, and diagnosis/management techniques. Biofilter performance is significantly affected by microbial community structures as well as loading conditions. The microbial studies on biofilters are mostly performed on basis of culture-dependent methods. Recently, advanced methods have been proposed to characterize the microbial community structure in environmental samples. In this study, the physiological, biochemical and molecular methods for profiling microbial communities are reviewed, and their applicability to biofilters is discussed. Community-level physiological profile is based on the utilization capability of carbon substrate by heterotrophic community in environmental samples. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis method is based on the variability of fatty acids present in cell membranes of different microorganisms. Molecular methods using DNA directly extracted from environmental samples can be divided into "partial community DNA analysis" and "whole community DNA analysis" approaches. The former approaches consist in the analysis of PCR-amplified sequence, the genes of ribosomal operon are the most commonly used sequences. These methods include PCR fragment cloning and genetic fingerprinting such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism, ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis, and random amplified polymorphic DNA. The whole community DNA analysis methods are total genomic cross-DNA hybridization, thermal denaturation and reassociation of whole extracted DNA and extracted whole DNA fractionation using density gradient.