Cholesterol modulates glycolipid conformation and receptor activity

Crystal structure of an L chain optimised 14F7 anti-ganglioside Fv suggests a unique tumour-specificity through an unusual H-chain CDR3 architecture

Targeted cancer immunotherapy offers increased efficacy concomitantly with reduced side effects. One antibody with promising clinical potential is 14F7, which specifically recognises the NeuGc GM3 ganglioside. This antigen is found in the plasma membrane of a range of tumours, but is essentially absent from healthy human cells. 14F7 can discriminate NeuGc GM3 from the very similar NeuAc GM3, a common component of cell membranes. The molecular basis for this unique specificity is poorly understood. Here we designed and expressed 14F7-derived single-chain Fvs (scFvs), which retained the specificity of the parent antibody. Detailed expression and purification protocols are described as well as the synthesis of the NeuGc GM3 trisaccharide. The most successful scFv construct, which comprises an alternative variable light chain (V_LA), allowed structure determination to 2.2 Å resolution. The structure gives insights into the conformation of the important CDR H3 loop and the suspected antigen binding site. Furthermore, the presence of V_LA instead of the original V_L elucidates how this subdomain indirectly stabilises the CDR H3 loop. The current work may serve as a guideline for the efficient production of scFvs for structure determination.

Detecting Protein-Glycolipid Interactions Using CaR-ESI-MS and Model Membranes: Comparison of Pre-loaded and Passively Loaded Picodiscs

Catch-and-release electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (CaR-ESI-MS), implemented using model membranes (MMs), is a promising approach for the discovery of glycolipid ligands of glycan-binding proteins (GBPs). Picodiscs (PDs), which are lipid-transporting complexes composed of the human sphingolipid activator protein saposin A and phospholipids, have proven to be useful MMs for such studies. The present work compares the use of conventional (pre-loaded) PDs with passively loaded PDs (^PLPDs) for CaR-ESI-MS screening of glycolipids against cholera toxin B subunit homopentamer (CTB₅). The pre-loaded PDs were prepared from a mixture of purified glycolipid and phospholipid or a mixture of lipids extracted from tissue, while the ^PLPDs were prepared by incubating PDs containing only phospholipid with glycolipid-containing lipid mixtures in aqueous solution. Time-dependent changes in the composition of the ^PLPDs produced by incubation with glycomicelles of the ganglioside GM1 were monitored using collision-induced dissociation of the gaseous PD ions and from the extent of ganglioside binding to CTB₅ measured by ESI-MS. GM1 incorporation into PDs was evident within a few hours of incubation. At incubation times ≥ 10 days, GM1 binding to CTB₅ was indistinguishable from that observed with pre-loaded PDs produced directly from GM1 at the same concentration. Comparison of ganglioside binding to CTB₅ measured for pre-loaded PDs and ^PLPDs prepared from glycolipids extracted from pig and mouse brain revealed that the ^PLPDs allow for the detection of a greater number of ganglioside ligands. Together, the results of this study suggest ^PLPDs may have advantages over conventionally prepared PDs for screening glycolipids against GBPs using CaR-ESI-MS. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Membrane assembly of Shiga toxin glycosphingolipid receptors and toxin refractiveness of MDCK II epithelial cells

Shiga toxins (Stxs) are the major virulence factors of Stx-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), which cause hemorrhagic colitis and severe extraintestinal complications due to injury of renal endothelial cells, resulting in kidney failure. Since kidney epithelial cells are suggested additional targets for Stxs, we analyzed Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) II epithelial cells for presence of Stx-binding glycosphingolipids (GSLs), determined their distribution to detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs), and ascertained the lipid composition of DRM and non-DRM preparations. Globotriaosylceramide and globotetraosylceramide, known as receptors for Stx1a, Stx2a, and Stx2e, and Forssman GSL as a specific receptor for Stx2e, were found to cooccur with SM and cholesterol in DRMs of MDCK II cells, which was shown using TLC overlay assay detection combined with mass spectrometry. The various lipoforms of GSLs were found to mainly harbor ceramide moieties composed of sphingosine (d18:1) and C24:1/C24:0 or C16:0 FA. The cells were highly refractory toward Stx1a, Stx2a, and Stx2e, most likely due to the absence of Stx-binding GSLs in the apical plasma membrane determined by immunofluorescence confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results suggest that the cellular content of Stx receptor GSLs and their biochemical detection in DRM preparations alone are inadequate to predict cellular sensitivity toward Stxs.

Colocalization of receptors for Shiga toxins with lipid rafts in primary human renal glomerular endothelial cells and influence of D-PDMP on synthesis and distribution of glycosphingolipid receptors

Damage of human renal glomerular endothelial cells (HRGECs) of the kidney represents the linchpin in the pathogenesis of the hemolytic uremic syndrome caused by Shiga toxins of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). We performed a comprehensive structural analysis of the Stx-receptor glycosphingolipids (GSLs) globotriaosylceramide (Gb3Cer, Galα4Galβ4Glcβ1Cer) and globotetraosylceramide (Gb4Cer, GalNAcβ3Galα4Galβ4Glcβ1Cer) and their distribution in lipid raft analog detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs) and nonDRMs prepared from primary HRGECs. Predominant receptor lipoforms were Gb3Cer and Gb4Cer with Cer (d18:1, C16:0), Cer (d18:1, C22:0) and Cer (d18:1, C24:1/C24:0). Stx-receptor GSLs co-distribute with sphingomyelin (SM) and cholesterol as well as flotillin-2 in DRMs, representing the liquid-ordered membrane phase and indicating lipid raft association. Lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC) was identified as a nonDRM marker phospholipid of the liquid-disordered membrane phase. Exposure of primary HRGECs to the ceramide analogon d-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (D-PDMP) reduced total Gb3Cer and Gb4Cer content, roughly calculated from two biological replicates, down to half and quarter of its primordial content, respectively, but strengthened their prevalence and cholesterol preponderance in DRMs. At the same time, the distribution of PC, SM and lyso-PC to subcellular membrane fractions remained unaffected by D-PDMP treatment. Defining the GSL composition and precise microdomain structures of primary HRGECs may help to develop novel therapeutic options to combat life-threatening EHEC infections.

Cholesterol enhances influenza binding avidity by controlling nanoscale receptor clustering

Influenza virus infects cells by binding to sialylated glycans on the cell surface. While the chemical structure of these glycans determines hemagglutinin-glycan binding affinity, bimolecular affinities are weak, so binding is avidity-dominated and driven by multivalent interactions. Here, we show that membrane spatial organization can control viral binding. Using single-virus fluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate that the sterol composition of the target membrane enhances viral binding avidity in a dose-dependent manner. Binding shows a cooperative dependence on concentration of receptors for influenza virus, as would be expected for a multivalent interaction. Surprisingly, the ability of sterols to promote viral binding is independent of their ability to support liquid-liquid phase separation in model systems. We develop a molecular explanation for this observation via molecular dynamics simulations, where we find that cholesterol promotes small-scale clusters of glycosphingolipid receptors. We propose a model whereby cholesterol orders the monomeric state of glycosphingolipid receptors, reducing the entropic penalty of receptor association and thus favoring multimeric complexes without phase separation. This model explains how cholesterol and other sterols control the spatial organization of membrane receptors for influenza and increase viral binding avidity. A natural consequence of this finding is that local cholesterol concentration in the plasma membrane of cells may alter the binding avidity of influenza virions. Furthermore, our results demonstrate a form of cholesterol-dependent membrane organization that does not involve lipid rafts, suggesting that cholesterol's effect on cell membrane heterogeneity is likely the interplay of several different factors.

Lipid bilayer stress in obesity-linked inflammatory and metabolic disorders

The maintenance of the characteristic lipid compositions and physicochemical properties of biological membranes is essential for their proper function. Mechanisms allowing to sense and restore membrane homeostasis have been identified in prokaryotes for a long time and more recently in eukaryotes. A membrane remodeling can result from aberrant metabolism as seen in obesity. In this review, we describe how such lipid bilayer stress can account for the modulation of membrane proteins involved in the pathogenesis of obesity-linked inflammatory and metabolic disorders. We address the case of the Toll-like receptor 4 that is implicated in the obesity-related low grade inflammation and insulin resistance. The lipid raft-mediated TLR4 activation is promoted by an enrichment of the plasma membrane with saturated lipids or cholesterol increasing the lipid phase order. We discuss of the plasma membrane Na, K-ATPase that illustrates a new concept according to which direct interactions between specific residues and particular lipids determine both stability and activity of the pump in parallel with indirect effects of the lipid bilayer. The closely related sarco(endo)-plasmic Ca-ATPase embedded in the more fluid ER membrane seems to be more sensitive to a lipid bilayer stress as demonstrated by its inactivation in cholesterol-loaded macrophages or its inhibition mediated by an increased PtdCho/PtdEtn ratio in obese mice hepatocytes. Finally, we describe the model recently proposed for the activation of the conserved IRE-1 protein through alterations in the ER membrane lipid packing and thickness. Such IRE-1 activation could occur in response to abnormal lipid synthesis and membrane remodeling as observed in hepatocytes exposed to excess nutrients. Since the IRE-1/XBP1 branch also stimulates the lipid synthesis, this pathway could create a vicious cycle "lipogenesis-ER lipid bilayer stress-lipogenesis" amplifying hepatic ER pathology and the obesity-linked systemic metabolic defects.

Cellular effects of fluorodeoxyglucose: Global changes in the lipidome and alteration in intracellular transport

2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG), labeled with ¹⁸F radioisotope, is the most common imaging agent used for positron emission tomography (PET) in oncology. However, little is known about the cellular effects of FDG. Another glucose analogue, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), has been shown to affect many cellular functions, including intracellular transport and lipid metabolism, and has been found to improve the efficacy of cancer chemotherapeutic agents in vivo. Thus, in the present study, we have investigated cellular effects of FDG with the focus on changes in cellular lipids and intracellular transport. By quantifying more than 200 lipids from 17 different lipid classes in HEp-2 cells and by analyzing glycosphingolipids from MCF-7, HT-29 and HBMEC cells, we have discovered that FDG treatment inhibits glucosylceramide synthesis and thus reduces cellular levels of glycosphingolipids. In addition, in HEp-2 cells the levels and/or species composition of other lipid classes, namely diacylglycerols, phosphatidic acids and phosphatidylinositols, were found to change upon treatment with FDG. Furthermore, we show here that FDG inhibits retrograde Shiga toxin transport and is much more efficient in protecting cells against the toxin than 2DG. In summary, our data reveal novel effects of FDG on cellular transport and glycosphingolipid metabolism, which suggest a potential clinical application of FDG as an adjuvant for cancer chemotherapy.

Optical Antenna-Based Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy to Probe the Nanoscale Dynamics of Biological Membranes

The plasma membrane of living cells is compartmentalized at multiple spatial scales ranging from the nano- to the mesoscale. This nonrandom organization is crucial for a large number of cellular functions. At the nanoscale, cell membranes organize into dynamic nanoassemblies enriched by cholesterol, sphingolipids, and certain types of proteins. Investigating these nanoassemblies known as lipid rafts is of paramount interest in fundamental cell biology. However, this goal requires simultaneous nanometer spatial precision and microsecond temporal resolution, which is beyond the reach of common microscopes. Optical antennas based on metallic nanostructures efficiently enhance and confine light into nanometer dimensions, breaching the diffraction limit of light. In this Perspective, we discuss recent progress combining optical antennas with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to monitor microsecond dynamics at nanoscale spatial dimensions. These new developments offer numerous opportunities to investigate lipid and protein dynamics in both mimetic and native biological membranes.

Revealing the Raft Domain Organization in the Plasma Membrane by Single-Molecule Imaging of Fluorescent Ganglioside Analogs

Gangliosides have been implicated in a variety of physiological processes, particularly in the formation and function of raft domains in the plasma membrane. However, the scarcity of suitable fluorescent ganglioside analogs had long prevented us from determining exactly how gangliosides perform their functions in the live-cell plasma membrane. With the development of new fluorescent ganglioside analogs, as described by Komura et al. (2017), this barrier has been broken. We can now address the dynamic behaviors of gangliosides in the live-cell plasma membrane, using fluorescence microscopy, particularly by single-fluorescent molecule imaging and tracking. Single-molecule tracking of fluorescent GM1 and GM3 revealed that these molecules are transiently and dynamically recruited to monomers (monomer-associated rafts) and homodimer rafts of the raftophilic GPI-anchored protein CD59 in quiescent cells, with exponential residency times of 12 and 40ms, respectively, in a manner dependent on raft-lipid interactions. Upon CD59 stimulation, which induces CD59-cluster signaling rafts, the fluorescent GM1 and GM3 analogs were recruited to the signaling rafts, with a lifetime of 48ms. These results represent the first direct evidence that GPI-anchored receptors and gangliosides interact in a cholesterol-dependent manner. Furthermore, they show that gangliosides continually move in and out of rafts that contain CD59 in an extremely dynamic manner, with much higher frequency than expected previously. Such studies would not have been possible without fluorescent ganglioside probes, which exhibit native-like behavior and single-molecule tracking. In this chapter, we review the methods for single-molecule tracking of fluorescent ganglioside analogs and the results obtained by applying these methods.

doGlycans-Tools for Preparing Carbohydrate Structures for Atomistic Simulations of Glycoproteins, Glycolipids, and Carbohydrate Polymers for GROMACS

Carbohydrates constitute a structurally and functionally diverse group of biological molecules and macromolecules. In cells they are involved in, e.g., energy storage, signaling, and cell-cell recognition. All of these phenomena take place in atomistic scales, thus atomistic simulation would be the method of choice to explore how carbohydrates function. However, the progress in the field is limited by the lack of appropriate tools for preparing carbohydrate structures and related topology files for the simulation models. Here we present tools that fill this gap. Applications where the tools discussed in this paper are particularly useful include, among others, the preparation of structures for glycolipids, nanocellulose, and glycans linked to glycoproteins. The molecular structures and simulation files generated by the tools are compatible with GROMACS.

Gb3 Glycosphingolipids with Fluorescent Oligoene Fatty Acids: Synthesis and Phase Behavior in Model Membranes

Glycosphingolipids are involved in a number of physiological and pathophysiological processes, and they serve as receptors for a variety of bacterial toxins and viruses. To investigate their function in lipid membranes, fluorescently labeled glycosphingolipids are highly desirable. Herein, a synthetic route to access Gb₃ glycosphingolipids with fluorescently labeled fatty acids, consisting of pentaene and hexaene moieties either at the terminus or in the middle of the acyl chain, has been developed. The fluorescent properties of the Gb₃ derivatives were investigated in small unilamellar vesicles composed of a raft-like mixture. Phase-separated giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) allowed the quantification of the apparent partitioning coefficients of the Gb₃ compounds by means of confocal fluorescence laser scanning microscopy. The determined partition coefficients demonstrate that the Gb₃ derivatives are preferentially localized in the liquid-disordered (l_d ) phase. To analyze whether the compounds behave like their physiological counterparts, Cy3-labeled (Cy: cyanine) Shiga toxin B subunits (STxB) were specifically bound to Gb₃ -doped GUVs. However, the protein was favorably localized in the l_d phase, in contrast to results reported for STxB bound to naturally occurring Gb₃ , which is discussed in terms of the packing density of the lipids in the liquid-ordered (l_o ) phase.

Polarity-Sensitive Probes for Superresolution Stimulated Emission Depletion Microscopy

The lateral organization of molecules in the cellular plasma membrane plays an important role in cellular signaling. A critical parameter for membrane molecular organization is how the membrane lipids are packed. Polarity-sensitive dyes are powerful tools to characterize such lipid membrane order, employing, for example, confocal and two-photon microscopy. The investigation of potential nanodomains, however, requires the use of superresolution microscopy. Here, we test the performance of the polarity-sensitive membrane dyes Di-4-ANEPPDHQ, Di-4-AN(F)EPPTEA, and NR12S in superresolution stimulated emission depletion microscopy. Measurements on cell-derived membrane vesicles, in the plasma membrane of live cells, and on single virus particles, show the high potential of these dyes for probing nanoscale membrane heterogeneity.

Development of new ganglioside probes and unraveling of raft domain structure by single-molecule imaging

Gangliosides are involved in a variety of biological roles and are a component of lipid rafts found in cell plasma membranes (PMs). Gangliosides are especially abundant in neuronal PMs and are essential to their physiological functions. However, the dynamic behaviors of gangliosides have not been investigated in living cells due to a lack of fluorescent probes that behave like their parental molecules. We have recently developed, using an entirely chemical method, four new ganglioside probes (GM1, GM2, GM3, and GD1b) that act similarly to their parental molecules in terms of raft partitioning and binding affinity. Using single fluorescent-molecule imaging, we have found that ganglioside probes dynamically enter and leave rafts featuring CD59, a GPI-anchored protein. This occurs both before and after stimulation. The residency time of our ganglioside probes in rafts with CD59 oligomers was 48ms, after stimulation. The residency times in CD59 homodimer and monomer rafts were 40ms and 12ms, respectively. In this review, we introduce an entirely chemical-based ganglioside analog synthesis method and describe its application in single-molecule imaging and for the study of the dynamic behavior of gangliosides in cell PMs. Finally, we discuss how raft domains are formed, both before and after receptor engagement. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Neuro-glycoscience, edited by Kenji Kadomatsu and Hiroshi Kitagawa.

Syntheses of Fluorescent Gangliosides for the Studies of Raft Domains

Gangliosides, glycosphingolipids containing one or more sialic acids in the glycan chain, are involved in various important biological processes in cell plasma membranes (PMs). However, the behaviors and functions of gangliosides are poorly understood, primarily because of the lack of fluorescent analogs that are equivalent to native gangliosides that can be used as chemical and physical probes. In this study, we developed entirely chemical methods to synthesize fluorescent gangliosides (GM3, GM2, GM1, and GD1b) in which the glycan components are site-specifically labeled with various fluorescent dyes. The functional evaluations of the synthesized fluorescent gangliosides demonstrated the great influence of fluorescent dye on the physical properties of gangliosides in PMs and revealed the fluorescent ganglioside analogs which show similar behaviors to the native gangliosides.

The mystery of membrane organization: composition, regulation and roles of lipid rafts

Cellular plasma membranes are laterally heterogeneous, featuring a variety of distinct subcompartments that differ in their biophysical properties and composition. A large number of studies have focused on understanding the basis for this heterogeneity and its physiological relevance. The membrane raft hypothesis formalized a physicochemical principle for a subtype of such lateral membrane heterogeneity, in which the preferential associations between cholesterol and saturated lipids drive the formation of relatively packed (or ordered) membrane domains that selectively recruit certain lipids and proteins. Recent studies have yielded new insights into this mechanism and its relevance in vivo, owing primarily to the development of improved biochemical and biophysical technologies.

Histo-Blood Group Antigen Presentation Is Critical for Binding of Norovirus VLP to Glycosphingolipids in Model Membranes

Virus entry depends on biomolecular recognition at the surface of cell membranes. In the case of glycolipid receptors, these events are expected to be influenced by how the glycan epitope close to the membrane is presented to the virus. This presentation of membrane-associated glycans is more restricted than that of glycans in solution, particularly because of orientational constraints imposed on the glycolipid through its lateral interactions with other membrane lipids and proteins. We have developed and employed a total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy-based binding assay and a scheme for molecular dynamics (MD) membrane simulations to investigate the consequences of various glycan presentation effects. The system studied was histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) epitopes of membrane-bound glycosphingolipids (GSLs) derived from small intestinal epithelium of humans (type 1 chain) and dogs (type 2 chain) interacting with GII.4 norovirus-like particles. Our experimental results showed strong binding to all lipid-linked type 1 chain HBGAs but no or only weak binding to the corresponding type 2 chain HBGAs. This is in contrast to results derived from STD experiments with free HBGAs in solution where binding was observed for Lewis x. The MD data suggest that the strong binding to type 1 chain glycolipids was due to the well-exposed (1,2)-linked α-l-Fucp and (1,4)-linked α-l-Fucp residues, while the weaker binding or lack of binding to type 2 chain HBGAs was due to the very restricted accessibility of the (1,3)-linked α-l-Fucp residue when the glycolipid is embedded in a phospholipid membrane. Our results not only contribute to a general understanding of protein-carbohydrate interactions on model membrane surfaces, particularly in the context of virus binding, but also suggest a possible role of human intestinal GSLs as potential receptors for norovirus uptake.

Phase Partitioning of GM1 and Its Bodipy-Labeled Analog Determine Their Different Binding to Cholera Toxin

Driven by interactions between lipids and proteins, biological membranes display lateral heterogeneity that manifests itself in a mosaic of liquid-ordered (Lo) or raft, and liquid-disordered (Ld) or non-raft domains with a wide range of different properties and compositions. In giant plasma membrane vesicles and giant unilamellar vesicles, specific binding of Cholera Toxin (CTxB) to GM1 glycolipids is a commonly used strategy to label raft domains or Lo membrane environments. However, these studies often use acyl-chain labeled bodipy-GM1 (bdGM1), whose headgroup accessibility and membrane order or phase partitioning may differ from those of GM1, rendering the interpretation of CTxB binding data quite problematic. To unravel the molecular basis of CTxB binding to GM1 and bdGM1, we explored the partitioning and the headgroup presentation of these gangliosides in the Lo and Ld phases using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations complemented by CTxB binding experiments. The conformation of both GM1 and bdGM1 was shown to be largely similar in the Lo and Ld phases. However, bdGM1 showed reduction in receptor availability when reconstituted into synthetic bilayer mixtures, highlighting that membrane phase partitioning of the gangliosides plays a considerable role in CTxB binding. Our results suggest that the CTxB binding is predominately modulated by the partitioning of the receptor to an appropriate membrane phase. Further, given that the Lo and Ld partitioning of bdGM1 differs from those of GM1, usage of bdGM1 for studying GM1 behavior in cells can lead to invalid interpretation of experimental data.

Glycosylation and Lipids Working in Concert Direct CD2 Ectodomain Orientation and Presentation

Proteins embedded in the plasma membrane mediate interactions with the cell environment and play decisive roles in many signaling events. For cell-cell recognition molecules, it is highly likely that their structures and behavior have been optimized in ways that overcome the limitations of membrane tethering. In particular, the ligand binding regions of these proteins likely need to be maximally exposed. Here we show by means of atomistic simulations of membrane-bound CD2, a small cell adhesion receptor expressed by human T-cells and natural killer cells, that the presentation of its ectodomain is highly dependent on membrane lipids and receptor glycosylation acting in apparent unison. Detailed analysis shows that the underlying mechanism is based on electrostatic interactions complemented by steric interactions between glycans in the protein and the membrane surface. The findings are significant for understanding the factors that render membrane receptors accessible for binding and signaling.

Protection against Shiga Toxins

Shiga toxins consist of an A-moiety and five B-moieties able to bind the neutral glycosphingolipid globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) on the cell surface. To intoxicate cells efficiently, the toxin A-moiety has to be cleaved by furin and transported retrogradely to the Golgi apparatus and to the endoplasmic reticulum. The enzymatically active part of the A-moiety is then translocated to the cytosol, where it inhibits protein synthesis and in some cell types induces apoptosis. Protection of cells can be provided either by inhibiting binding of the toxin to cells or by interfering with any of the subsequent steps required for its toxic effect. In this article we provide a brief overview of the interaction of Shiga toxins with cells, describe some compounds and conditions found to protect cells against Shiga toxins, and discuss whether they might also provide protection in animals and humans.

Long-chain GM1 gangliosides alter transmembrane domain registration through interdigitation

Extracellular and cytosolic leaflets in cellular membranes are distinctly different in lipid composition, yet they contribute together to signaling across the membranes. Here we consider a mechanism based on long-chain gangliosides for coupling the extracellular and cytosolic membrane leaflets together. Based on atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we find that long-chain GM1 in the extracellular leaflet exhibits a strong tendency to protrude into the opposing bilayer leaflet. This interdigitation modulates the order in the cytosolic monolayer and thereby strengthens the interaction and coupling across a membrane. Coarse-grained simulations probing longer time scales in large membrane systems indicate that GM1 in the extracellular leaflet modulates the phase behavior in the cytosolic monolayer. While short-chain GM1 maintains phase-symmetric bilayers with a strong membrane registration effect, the situation is altered with long-chain GM1. Here, the significant interdigitation induced by long-chain GM1 modulates the behavior in the cytosolic GM1-free leaflet, weakening and slowing down the membrane registration process. The observed physical interaction mechanism provides a possible means to mediate or foster transmembrane communication associated with signal transduction.

Glycolipid Crosslinking Is Required for Cholera Toxin to Partition Into and Stabilize Ordered Domains

Current models of lipid rafts propose that lipid domains exist as nanoscale compositional fluctuations and these fluctuations can potentially be stabilized into larger domains, consequently better compartmentalizing cellular functions. However, the mechanisms governing stabilized raft assembly and function remain unclear. Here, we test the role of glycolipid crosslinking as a raft targeting and ordering mechanism using the well-studied raft marker cholera toxin B pentamer (CTxB) that binds up to five GM1 glycosphingolipids to enter host cells. We show that when applied to cell-derived giant plasma membrane vesicles, a variant of CTxB containing only a single functional GM1 binding site exhibits significantly reduced partitioning to the ordered phase compared to wild-type CTxB with five binding sites. Moreover, monovalent CTxB does not stabilize membrane domains, unlike wild-type CTxB. These results support the long-held hypothesis that CTxB stabilizes raft domains via a lipid crosslinking mechanism and establish a role for crosslinking in the partitioning of CTxB to ordered domains.

Glycolipids and Lectins in Endocytic Uptake Processes

A host of endocytic processes has been described at the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells. Their categorization has most commonly referenced cytosolic machinery, of which the clathrin coat has occupied a preponderant position. In what concerns intra-membrane constituents, the focus of interest has been on phosphatidylinositol lipids and their capacity to orchestrate endocytic events on the cytosolic leaflet of the membrane. The contribution of extracellular determinants to the construction of endocytic pits has received much less attention, depite the fact that (glyco)sphingolipids are exoplasmic leaflet fabric of membrane domains, termed rafts, whose contributions to predominantly clathrin-independent internalization processes is well recognized. Furthermore, sugar modifications on extracellular domains of proteins, and sugar-binding proteins, termed lectins, have also been linked to the uptake of endocytic cargoes at the plasma membrane. In this review, we first summarize these contributions by extracellular determinants to the endocytic process. We thus propose a molecular hypothesis - termed the GL-Lect hypothesis - on how GlycoLipids and Lectins drive the formation of compositional nanoenvrionments from which the endocytic uptake of glycosylated cargo proteins is operated via clathrin-independent carriers. Finally, we position this hypothesis within the global context of endocytic pathway proposals that have emerged in recent years.

Glycosphingolipid storage in Fabry mice extends beyond globotriaosylceramide and is affected by ABCB1 depletion

Aim:

Fabry disease is caused by α-galactosidase A deficiency leading to accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb₃) in tissues. Clinical manifestations do not appear to correlate with total Gb₃ levels. Studies examining tissue distribution of specific acyl chain species of Gb₃ and upstream glycosphingolipids are lacking.

Material & methods/Results:

Thorough characterization of the Fabry mouse sphingolipid profile by LC-MS revealed unique Gb₃ acyl chain storage profiles. Storage extended beyond Gb₃; all Fabry tissues also accumulated monohexosylceramides. Depletion of ABCB1 had a complex effect on glycosphingolipid storage.

Conclusion:

These data provide insights into how specific sphingolipid species correlate with one another and how these correlations change in the α-galactosidase A-deficient state, potentially leading to the identification of more specific biomarkers of Fabry disease.

Fabry disease is caused by a shortage of the enzyme α-galactosidase A leading to storage of a fat called globotriaosylceramide (Gb₃) in tissues. Disease severity does not appear to correlate directly with total Gb₃. Importantly, Gb₃ is comprised of many highly related but distinct species. We examined levels of Gb₃ species and precursor molecules in Fabry mice. Gb₃ species and storage are unique to each tissue. Furthermore, storage is not limited to Gb₃; precursor fats are also elevated. Detailed analyses of differences in storage between the normal and α-galactosidase A-deficient state may provide a better understanding of the causes of Fabry disease.

X-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence diffraction studies of interaction between human adhesion/growth-regulatory galectin-1 and DPPE-GM1 lipid monolayer at an air/water interface

The specific interaction of ganglioside GM1 with the homodimeric (prototype) endogenous lectin galectin-1 triggers growth regulation in tumor and activated effector T cells. This proven biorelevance directed interest to studying association of the lectin to a model surface, i.e. a 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine/ganglioside GM1 (80 : 20 mol%) monolayer, at a bioeffective concentration. Surface expansion by the lectin insertion was detected at a surface pressure of 20 mN/m. On combining the methods of grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and X-ray reflectivity, a transient decrease in lipid-ordered phase of the monolayer was observed. The measured electron density distribution indicated that galectin-1 is oriented with its long axis in the surface plane, ideal for cis-crosslinking. The data reveal a conspicuous difference to the way the pentameric lectin part of the cholera toxin, another GM1-specific lectin, is bound to the monolayer. They also encourage further efforts to monitor effects of structurally different members of the galectin family such as the functionally antagonistic chimera-type galectin-3.

The Integrin Receptor in Biologically Relevant Bilayers: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Integrins are heterodimeric (αβ) cell surface receptors that are potential therapeutic targets for a number of diseases. Despite the existence of structural data for all parts of integrins, the structure of the complete integrin receptor is still not available. We have used available structural data to construct a model of the complete integrin receptor in complex with talin F2-F3 domain. It has been shown that the interactions of integrins with their lipid environment are crucial for their function but details of the integrin/lipid interactions remain elusive. In this study an integrin/talin complex was inserted in biologically relevant bilayers that resemble the cell plasma membrane containing zwitterionic and charged phospholipids, cholesterol and sphingolipids to study the dynamics of the integrin receptor and its effect on bilayer structure and dynamics. The results of this study demonstrate the dynamic nature of the integrin receptor and suggest that the presence of the integrin receptor alters the lipid organization between the two leaflets of the bilayer. In particular, our results suggest elevated density of cholesterol and of phosphatidylserine lipids around the integrin/talin complex and a slowing down of lipids in an annulus of ~30 Å around the protein due to interactions between the lipids and the integrin/talin F2-F3 complex. This may in part regulate the interactions of integrins with other related proteins or integrin clustering thus facilitating signal transduction across cell membranes.

Addition of lysophospholipids with large head groups to cells inhibits Shiga toxin binding

Shiga toxin (Stx), an AB₅ toxin, binds specifically to the neutral glycosphingolipid Gb3 at the cell surface before being transported into cells. We here demonstrate that addition of conical lysophospholipids (LPLs) with large head groups inhibit Stx binding to cells whereas LPLs with small head groups do not. Lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI 18:0), the most efficient LPL with the largest head group, was selected for in-depth investigations to study how the binding of Stx is regulated. We show that the inhibition of Stx binding by LPI is reversible and possibly regulated by cholesterol since addition of methyl-β-cyclodextrin (mβCD) reversed the ability of LPI to inhibit binding. LPI-induced inhibition of Stx binding is independent of signalling and membrane turnover as it occurs in fixed cells as well as after depletion of cellular ATP. Furthermore, data obtained with fluorescent membrane dyes suggest that LPI treatment has a direct effect on plasma membrane lipid packing with shift towards a liquid disordered phase in the outer leaflet, while lysophosphoethanolamine (LPE), which has a small head group, does not. In conclusion, our data show that cellular treatment with conical LPLs with large head groups changes intrinsic properties of the plasma membrane and modulates Stx binding to Gb3.

Modes of diffusion of cholera toxin bound to GM1 on live cell membrane by image mean square displacement analysis

The image-mean square displacement technique applies the calculation of the mean square displacement commonly used in single-molecule tracking to images without resolving single particles. The image-mean square displacement plot obtained is similar to the mean square displacement plot obtained using the single-particle tracking technique. This plot is then used to reconstruct the protein diffusion law and to identify whether the labeled molecules are undergoing pure isotropic, restricted, corralled, transiently confined, or directed diffusion. In our study total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy images were taken of Cholera toxin subunit B (CtxB) membrane-labeled NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts and MDA 231 MB cells. We found a population of CTxB undergoing purely isotropic diffusion and one displaying restricted diffusion with corral sizes ranging from 150 to ∼1800 nm. We show that the diffusion rate of CTxB bound to GM1 is independent of the size of the confinement, suggesting that the mechanism of confinement is different from the mechanism controlling the diffusion rate of CtxB. We highlight the potential effect of continuous illumination on the diffusion mode of CTxB. We also show that aggregation of CTxB/GM1 in large complexes occurs and that these aggregates tend to have slower diffusion rates.

Raft-based interactions of gangliosides with a GPI-anchored receptor

Gangliosides, glycosphingolipids containing one or more sialic acid(s) in the glyco-chain, are involved in various important physiological and pathological processes in the plasma membrane. However, their exact functions are poorly understood, primarily because of the scarcity of suitable fluorescent ganglioside analogs. Here, we developed methods for systematically synthesizing analogs that behave like their native counterparts in regard to partitioning into raft-related membrane domains or preparations. Single-fluorescent-molecule imaging in the live-cell plasma membrane revealed the clear but transient colocalization and codiffusion of fluorescent ganglioside analogs with a fluorescently labeled glycosylphosphatidylinisotol (GPI)-anchored protein, human CD59, with lifetimes of 12 ms for CD59 monomers, 40 ms for CD59's transient homodimer rafts in quiescent cells, and 48 ms for engaged-CD59-cluster rafts, in cholesterol- and GPI-anchoring-dependent manners. The ganglioside molecules were always mobile in quiescent cells. These results show that gangliosides continually and dynamically exchange between raft domains and the bulk domain, indicating that raft domains are dynamic entities.

2-Hydroxy Fatty Acid Enantiomers of Gb3 Impact Shiga Toxin Binding and Membrane Organization

Shiga toxin subunit B (STxB) binding to its cellular receptor Gb3 leads to the formation of protein-lipid clusters and bending of the membrane. A newly developed synthetic route allowed synthesizing the biologically most relevant Gb3-C24:1 2OH species with both, the natural (Gb3-R) as well as the unnatural (Gb3-S) configuration of the 2OH group. The derivatives bind STxB with identical nanomolar affinity, while the propensity to induce membrane tubules in giant unilamellar vesicles is more pronounced for Gb3-S. Fluorescence and atomic force microscopy images of phase-separated supported membranes revealed differences in the lateral organization of the protein on the membrane. Gb3-R favorably induces large and tightly packed protein clusters, while a lower protein density is found on Gb3-S doped membranes.

Red Blood Cell Susceptibility to Pneumolysin: CORRELATION WITH MEMBRANE BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

This study investigated the effect of the biochemical and biophysical properties of the plasma membrane as well as membrane morphology on the susceptibility of human red blood cells to the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin pneumolysin, a key virulence factor of Streptococcus pneumoniae, using single cell studies. We show a correlation between the physical properties of the membrane (bending rigidity and surface and dipole electrostatic potentials) and the susceptibility of red blood cells to pneumolysin-induced hemolysis. We demonstrate that biochemical modifications of the membrane induced by oxidative stress, lipid scrambling, and artificial cell aging modulate the cell response to the toxin. We provide evidence that the diversity of response to pneumolysin in diabetic red blood cells correlates with levels of glycated hemoglobin and that the mechanical properties of the red blood cell plasma membrane are altered in diabetes. Finally, we show that diabetic red blood cells are more resistant to pneumolysin and the related toxin perfringolysin O relative to healthy red blood cells. Taken together, these studies indicate that the diversity of cell response to pneumolysin within a population of human red blood cells is influenced by the biophysical and biochemical status of the plasma membrane and the chemical and/or oxidative stress pre-history of the cell.

Identification and quantitation of lipid C=C location isomers: A shotgun lipidomics approach enabled by photochemical reaction

The field of lipidomics has been significantly advanced by mass spectrometric analysis. The distinction and quantitation of the unsaturated lipid isomers, however, remain a long-standing challenge. In this study, we have developed an analytical tool for both identification and quantitation of lipid C=C location isomers from complex mixtures using online Paternò-Büchi reaction coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The potential of this method has been demonstrated with an implementation into shotgun lipid analysis of animal tissues. Among 96 of the unsaturated fatty acids and glycerophospholipids identified from rat brain tissue, 50% of them were found as mixtures of C=C location isomers; for the first time, to our knowledge, the quantitative information of lipid C=C isomers from a broad range of classes was obtained. This method also enabled facile cross-tissue examinations, which revealed significant changes in C=C location isomer compositions of a series of fatty acids and glycerophospholipid (GP) species between the normal and cancerous tissues.

Changes in membrane sphingolipid composition modulate dynamics and adhesion of integrin nanoclusters

Sphingolipids are essential constituents of the plasma membrane (PM) and play an important role in signal transduction by modulating clustering and dynamics of membrane receptors. Changes in lipid composition are therefore likely to influence receptor organisation and function, but how this precisely occurs is difficult to address given the intricacy of the PM lipid-network. Here, we combined biochemical assays and single molecule dynamic approaches to demonstrate that the local lipid environment regulates adhesion of integrin receptors by impacting on their lateral mobility. Induction of sphingomyelinase (SMase) activity reduced sphingomyelin (SM) levels by conversion to ceramide (Cer), resulting in impaired integrin adhesion and reduced integrin mobility. Dual-colour imaging of cortical actin in combination with single molecule tracking of integrins showed that this reduced mobility results from increased coupling to the actin cytoskeleton brought about by Cer formation. As such, our data emphasizes a critical role for the PM local lipid composition in regulating the lateral mobility of integrins and their ability to dynamically increase receptor density for efficient ligand binding in the process of cell adhesion.

Sphingolipids in viral infection

Viruses exploit membranes and their components such as sphingolipids in all steps of their life cycle including attachment and membrane fusion, intracellular transport, replication, protein sorting and budding. Examples for sphingolipid-dependent virus entry are found for: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which besides its protein receptors also interacts with glycosphingolipids (GSLs); rhinovirus, which promotes the formation of ceramide-enriched platforms and endocytosis; or measles virus (MV), which induces the surface expression of its own receptor CD150 via activation of sphingomyelinases (SMases). While SMase activation was implicated in Ebola virus (EBOV) attachment, the virus utilizes the cholesterol transporter Niemann-Pick C protein 1 (NPC1) as 'intracellular' entry receptor after uptake into endosomes. Differential activities of SMases also affect the intracellular milieu required for virus replication. Sindbis virus (SINV), for example, replicates better in cells lacking acid SMase (ASMase). Defined lipid compositions of viral assembly and budding sites influence virus release and infectivity, as found for hepatitis C virus (HCV) or HIV. And finally, viruses manipulate cellular signaling and the sphingolipid metabolism to their advantage, as for example influenza A virus (IAV), which activates sphingosine kinase 1 and the transcription factor NF-κB.

Inhibition of Rab prenylation by statins induces cellular glycosphingolipid remodeling

Statins, which specifically inhibit HMG Co-A reductase, the rate-limiting step of cholesterol biosynthesis, are widely prescribed to reduce serum cholesterol and cardiac risk, but many other effects are seen. We now show an effect of these drugs to induce profound changes in the step-wise synthesis of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in the Golgi. Glucosylceramide (GlcCer) was increased several-fold in all cell lines tested, demonstrating a widespread effect. Additionally, de novo or elevated lactotriaosylceramide (Lc3Cer; GlcNAcβ1-3Galβ1-4GlcCer) synthesis was observed in 70%. Western blot showed that GlcCer synthase (GCS) was elevated by statins, and GCS and Lc3Cer synthase (Lc3S) activities were increased; however, transcript was elevated for Lc3S only. Supplementation with the isoprenoid precursor, geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), a downstream product of HMG Co-A reductase, reversed statin-induced glycosyltransferase and GSL elevation. The Rab geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitor 3-PEHPC, but not specific inhibitors of farnesyl transferase, or geranylgeranyl transferase I, was sufficient to replicate statin-induced GlcCer and Lc3Cer synthesis, supporting a Rab prenylation-dependent mechanism. While total cholesterol was unaffected, the trans-Golgi network (TGN) cholesterol pool was dissipated and medial Golgi GCS partially relocated by statins. GSL-dependent vesicular retrograde transport of Verotoxin and cholera toxin to the Golgi/endoplasmic reticulum were blocked after statin or 3-PEHPC treatment, suggesting aberrant, prenylation-dependent vesicular traffic as a basis of glycosyltransferase increase and GSL remodeling. These in vitro studies indicate a previously unreported link between Rab prenylation and regulation of GCS activity and GlcCer metabolism.

Stage-specific embryonic antigen-3 (SSEA-3) and β3GalT5 are cancer specific and significant markers for breast cancer stem cells

The discovery of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are responsible for self-renewal and tumor growth in heterogeneous cancer tissues, has stimulated interests in developing new cancer therapies and early diagnosis. However, the markers currently used for isolation of CSCs are often not selective enough to enrich CSCs for the study of this special cell population. Here we show that the breast CSCs isolated with CD44(+)CD24(-/lo)SSEA-3(+) or ESA(hi)PROCR(hi)SSEA-3(+) markers had higher tumorigenicity than those with conventional markers in vitro and in vivo. As few as 10 cells with CD44(+)CD24(-/lo)SSEA-3(+) formed tumor in mice, compared with more than 100 cells with CD44(+)CD24(-/lo). Suppression of SSEA-3 expression by knockdown of the gene encoding β-1,3-galactosyltransferase 5 (β3GalT5) in the globo-series pathway, led to apoptosis in cancer cells specifically but had no effect on normal cells. This finding is further supported by the analysis of SSEA-3 and the two related globo-series epitopes SSEA4 and globo-H in stem cells (embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells) and various normal and cancer cells, and by the antibody approach to target the globo-series glycans and the late-stage clinical trials of a breast cancer vaccine.

Shiga toxin glycosphingolipid receptors of Vero-B4 kidney epithelial cells and their membrane microdomain lipid environment

Shiga toxins (Stxs) are produced by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), which cause human infections with an often fatal outcome. Vero cell lines, derived from African green monkey kidney, represent the gold standard for determining the cytotoxic effects of Stxs. Despite their global use, knowledge about the exact structures of the Stx receptor glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and their assembly in lipid rafts is poor. Here we present a comprehensive structural analysis of Stx receptor GSLs and their distribution to detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs), which were prepared from Vero-B4 cells and used as lipid raft equivalents. We identified globotriaosylceramide (Gb3Cer) and globotetraosylceramide (Gb4Cer) as the GSL receptors for Stx1a, Stx2a, and Stx2e subtypes using TLC overlay detection combined with MS. The uncommon Stx receptor, globopentaosylceramide (Gb5Cer, Galβ3GalNAcβ3Galα4Galβ4Glcβ1Cer), which was specifically recognized (in addition to Gb3Cer and Gb4Cer) by Stx2e, was fully structurally characterized. Lipoforms of Stx receptor GSLs were found to mainly harbor ceramide moieties composed of sphingosine (d18:1) and C24:0/C24:1 or C16:0 fatty acid. Moreover, co-occurrence with lipid raft markers, SM and cholesterol, in DRMs suggested GSL association with membrane microdomains. This study provides the basis for further exploring the functional impact of lipid raft-associated Stx receptors for toxin-mediated injury of Vero-B4 cells.

Hopanoids as functional analogues of cholesterol in bacterial membranes

The functionality of cellular membranes relies on the molecular order imparted by lipids. In eukaryotes, sterols such as cholesterol modulate membrane order, yet they are not typically found in prokaryotes. The structurally similar bacterial hopanoids exhibit similar ordering properties as sterols in vitro, but their exact physiological role in living bacteria is relatively uncharted. We present evidence that hopanoids interact with glycolipids in bacterial outer membranes to form a highly ordered bilayer in a manner analogous to the interaction of sterols with sphingolipids in eukaryotic plasma membranes. Furthermore, multidrug transport is impaired in a hopanoid-deficient mutant of the gram-negative Methylobacterium extorquens, which introduces a link between membrane order and an energy-dependent, membrane-associated function in prokaryotes. Thus, we reveal a convergence in the architecture of bacterial and eukaryotic membranes and implicate the biosynthetic pathways of hopanoids and other order-modulating lipids as potential targets to fight pathogenic multidrug resistance.

Carbohydrate conformation and lipid condensation in monolayers containing glycosphingolipid Gb3: influence of acyl chain structure

Globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), a glycosphingolipid found in the plasma membrane of animal cells, is the endocytic receptor of the bacterial Shiga toxin. Using x-ray reflectivity (XR) and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXD), lipid monolayers containing Gb3 were investigated at the air-water interface. XR probed Gb3 carbohydrate conformation normal to the interface, whereas GIXD precisely characterized Gb3's influence on acyl chain in-plane packing and area per molecule (APM). Two phospholipids, 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE), were used to study Gb3 packing in different lipid environments. Furthermore, the impact on monolayer structure of a naturally extracted Gb3 mixture was compared to synthetic Gb3 species with uniquely defined acyl chain structures. XR results showed that lipid environment and Gb3 acyl chain structure impact carbohydrate conformation with greater solvent accessibility observed for smaller phospholipid headgroups and long Gb3 acyl chains. In general, GIXD showed that Gb3 condensed phospholipid packing resulting in smaller APM than predicted by ideal mixing. Gb3's capacity to condense APM was larger for DSPC monolayers and exhibited different dependencies on acyl chain structure depending on the lipid environment. The interplay between Gb3-induced changes in lipid packing and the lipid environment's impact on carbohydrate conformation has broad implications for glycosphingolipid macromolecule recognition and ligand binding.

Impact of galactosylceramides on the nanomechanical properties of lipid bilayer models: an AFM-force spectroscopy study

Galactosylceramides (GalCer) are glycosphingolipids bound to a monosaccharide group, responsible for inducing extensive hydrogen bonds that yield their alignment and accumulation in the outer leaflet of the biological membrane together with cholesterol (Chol) in rafts. In this work, the influence of GalCer on the nanomechanical properties of supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) based on DPPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and DLPC (1,2-didodecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocoline) as model systems was assessed. Phosphatidylcholine (PC):GalCer SLBs were characterized by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), in both imaging and force spectroscopy (AFM-FS) modes. Comparing both PC systems, we determined that the behaviour of SLB mixtures is governed by the PC phase-like state at the working temperature. While a phase segregated system is observed for DLPC:GalCer SLBs, GalCer are found to be dissolved in DPPC SLBs for GalCer contents up to 20 mol%. In both systems, the incorporation of GalCer intensifies the nanomechanical properties of SLBs. Interestingly, segregated domains of exceptionally high mechanical stability are formed in DLPC:GalCer SLBs. Finally, the role of 20 mol% Chol in GalCer organization and function in the membranes was assessed. Both PC model systems displayed phase segregation and remarkable nanomechanical stability when GalCer and Chol coexist in SLBs.

Cis and trans unsaturated phosphatidylcholine bilayers: A molecular dynamics simulation study

Trans unsaturated lipids are uncommon in nature. In the human diet, they occur as natural products of ruminal bacteria or from industrial food processing like hydrogenation of vegetable oils. Consumption of trans unsaturated lipids has been shown to have a negative influence on human health; in particular, the risk of cardiovascular disease is higher when the amount of trans unsaturated lipids in the diet is elevated. In this study, we first performed quantum mechanical calculations to specifically and accurately parameterize cis and trans mono-unsaturated lipids and subsequently validated the newly derived parameter set. Then, we carried out molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of lipid bilayers composed of cis or trans unsaturated lipids with and without cholesterol. Our results show that trans mono-unsaturated chains are more flexible than cis mono-unsaturated chains due to lower barriers for rotation around the single bonds next to the trans double bond than those next to the cis double bond. In effect, interactions between cholesterol and trans unsaturated chains are stronger than cis unsaturated chains, which results in a higher ordering effect of cholesterol in trans unsaturated bilayers.