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Wnętrzak A, Chachaj-Brekiesz A, Kobierski J, Dynarowicz-Latka P. The Structure of Oxysterols Determines Their Behavior at Phase Boundaries: Implications for Model Membranes and Structure-Activity Relationships. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1440:3-29. [PMID: 38036872 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-43883-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The presence of an additional polar group in the cholesterol backbone increases the hydrophilicity of resulting compounds (oxysterols), determines their arrangement at the phase boundary, and interactions with other lipids and proteins. As a result, physicochemical properties of biomembranes (i.e., elasticity, permeability, and ability to bind proteins) are modified, which in turn may affect their functioning. The observed effect depends on the type of oxysterol and its concentration and can be both positive (e.g., antiviral activity) or negative (disturbance of cholesterol homeostasis, signal transduction, and protein segregation). The membrane activity of oxysterols has been successfully studied using membrane models (vesicles, monolayers, and solid supported films). Membrane models, in contrast to the natural systems, provide the possibility to selectively examine the specific aspect of biomolecule-membrane interactions. Moreover, the gradual increase in the complexity of the used model allows to understand the molecular phenomena occurring at the membrane level. The interest in research on artificial membranes has increased significantly in recent years, mainly due to the development of modern and sophisticated physicochemical methods (static and dynamic) in both the micro- and nanoscale, which are applied with the assistance of powerful theoretical calculations. This review provides an overview of the most important findings on this topic in the current literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Wnętrzak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
| | | | - Jan Kobierski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
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Graphene in Polymeric Nanocomposite Membranes—Current State and Progress. Processes (Basel) 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/pr11030927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
One important application of polymer/graphene nanocomposites is in membrane technology. In this context, promising polymer/graphene nanocomposites have been developed and applied in the production of high-performance membranes. This review basically highlights the designs, properties, and use of polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes in the field of gas separation and purification. Various polymer matrices (polysulfone, poly(dimethylsiloxane), poly(methyl methacrylate), polyimide, etc.), have been reinforced with graphene to develop nanocomposite membranes. Various facile strategies, such as solution casting, phase separation, infiltration, self-assembly, etc., have been employed in the design of gas separation polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes. The inclusion of graphene in polymeric membranes affects their morphology, physical properties, gas permeability, selectivity, and separation processes. Furthermore, the final membrane properties are affected by the nanofiller content, modification, dispersion, and processing conditions. Moreover, the development of polymer/graphene nanofibrous membranes has introduced novelty in the field of gas separation membranes. These high-performance membranes have the potential to overcome challenges arising from gas separation conditions. Hence, this overview provides up-to-date coverage of advances in polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes, especially for gas separation applications. The separation processes of polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes (in parting gases) are dependent upon variations in the structural design and processing techniques used. Current challenges and future opportunities related to polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes are also discussed.
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Lazniewska J, Bader C, Hickey SM, Selemidis S, O'Leary J, Simpson PV, Stagni S, Plush SE, Massi M, Brooks D. Rhenium(I) conjugates as tools for tracking cholesterol in cells. Metallomics 2022; 14:6601455. [PMID: 35657681 PMCID: PMC9344854 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfac040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Cholesterol is vital to control membrane integrity and fluidity, but is also a precursor to produce steroid hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D. Consequently, altered cholesterol biology has been linked to many diseases, including metabolic syndromes and cancer. Defining the intracellular pools of cholesterol and its trafficking within cells is essential to understand both normal cell physiology and mechanisms of pathogenesis. We have synthesized a new cholesterol mimic (ReTEGCholestanol), comprising a luminescent rhenium metal complex and a cholestanol targeting unit, linked using a tetraethylene glycol (TEG) spacer. ReTEGCholestanol demonstrated favourable imaging properties and improved water solubility when compared to a cholesterol derivative, and structurally related probes lacking the TEG linker. A non-malignant and three malignant prostate cell lines were used to characterize the uptake and intracellular distribution of ReTEGCholestanol. The ReTEGCholestanol complex was effectively internalized and mainly localized to late endosomes/lysosomes in non-malignant PNT1a cells, while in prostate cancer cells it also accumulated in early endosomes and multivesicular bodies, suggesting disturbed cholesterol biology in the malignant cells. The ReTEGCholestanol is a novel imaging agent for visualizing endosomal uptake and trafficking, which may be used to define cholesterol related biology including membrane integration and altered lipid trafficking/processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shane M Hickey
- UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
| | - Stavros Selemidis
- Department of Human Biosciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - John O'Leary
- Discipline of Histopathology, University of Dublin Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Peter V Simpson
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences - Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
| | - Stefano Stagni
- Department of Industrial Chemistry Toso Montanari, University of Bologna, Via Zamboni, 33, Bologna I-40136, Italy
| | - Sally E Plush
- UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
| | - Massimiliano Massi
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences - Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
| | - Doug Brooks
- Correspondence: School of Molecular and Life Sciences - Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia. Tel: +61-8-830-21229; E-mail:
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Juhl AD, Wüstner D. Pathways and Mechanisms of Cellular Cholesterol Efflux-Insight From Imaging. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:834408. [PMID: 35300409 PMCID: PMC8920967 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.834408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is an essential molecule in cellular membranes, but too much cholesterol can be toxic. Therefore, mammalian cells have developed complex mechanisms to remove excess cholesterol. In this review article, we discuss what is known about such efflux pathways including a discussion of reverse cholesterol transport and formation of high-density lipoprotein, the function of ABC transporters and other sterol efflux proteins, and we highlight their role in human diseases. Attention is paid to the biophysical principles governing efflux of sterols from cells. We also discuss recent evidence for cholesterol efflux by the release of exosomes, microvesicles, and migrasomes. The role of the endo-lysosomal network, lipophagy, and selected lysosomal transporters, such as Niemann Pick type C proteins in cholesterol export from cells is elucidated. Since oxysterols are important regulators of cellular cholesterol efflux, their formation, trafficking, and secretion are described briefly. In addition to discussing results obtained with traditional biochemical methods, focus is on studies that use established and novel bioimaging approaches to obtain insight into cholesterol efflux pathways, including fluorescence and electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray tomography as well as mass spectrometry imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Dupont Juhl
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, PhyLife, Physical Life Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Daniel Wüstner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, PhyLife, Physical Life Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Wilson KA, Wang L, O’Mara ML. Site of Cholesterol Oxidation Impacts Its Localization and Domain Formation in the Neuronal Plasma Membrane. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3873-3884. [PMID: 34633798 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is integral to the structure of mammalian cell membranes. Oxidation of cholesterol alters how it behaves in the membrane and influences the membrane biophysical properties. Elevated levels of oxidized cholesterol are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. Previous work has investigated the impact of oxidized cholesterol in the context of simple model membrane systems. However, there is a growing body of literature that shows that complex membranes possessing physiological phospholipid distributions have different properties from those of binary or trinary model membranes. In the current work, the impact of oxidized cholesterol on the biophysical properties of a complex neuronal plasma membrane is investigated using coarse-grained Martini molecular dynamics simulations. Comparison of the native neuronal membrane to neuronal membranes containing 10% tail-oxidized or 10% head-oxidized cholesterol shows that the site of oxidization changes the behavior of the oxidized cholesterol in the membrane. Furthermore, species-specific domain formation is observed between each oxidized cholesterol and minor lipid classes. Although both tail-oxidized and head-oxidized cholesterols modulate the biophysical properties of the membrane, smaller changes are observed in the complex neuronal membrane than seen in the previous work on simple binary or trinary model membranes. This work highlights the presence of compensatory effects of lipid diversity in the complex neuronal membrane. Overall, this study improves our molecular-level understanding of the effects of oxidized cholesterol on the properties of neuronal tissue and emphasizes the importance of studying membranes with realistic lipid compositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie A. Wilson
- Research School of Chemistry, College of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Lily Wang
- Research School of Chemistry, College of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Megan L. O’Mara
- Research School of Chemistry, College of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
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Reinholdt P, Joensen LE, Petersen D, Szomek M, Mularski A, Simonsen AC, Kongsted J, Wüstner D. Photophysical and Structural Characterization of Intrinsically Fluorescent Sterol Aggregates. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:5838-5852. [PMID: 34061522 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c00628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Self-association of cholesterol into aggregates and crystals is a hallmark of developing atherosclerosis. Intrinsically fluorescent sterols, such as dehydroergosterol (DHE), can be used to study sterol aggregation by fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy, but a thorough understanding of DHE's photophysical and structural properties in the aggregated state is missing. Here, we show that DHE forms submicron fluorescent aggregates when evaporated from an ethanol solution. Using atomic force microscopy, we find that DHE, like cholesterol, forms compact oblate-shape aggregates of <100 nm in diameter. DHE's fluorescence is lowered in the aggregate compared to the monomeric form, and characteristic spectral changes accompany the aggregation process. Electronic structure calculations of DHE dimers in water indicate that Frenkel-type exciton coupling contributes to the lowered DHE fluorescence in the aggregates. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we show that DHE forms compact aggregates on the nanosecond scale and with strong intermolecular attraction, in which a broad range of orientations, and therefore electronic couplings, will take place. Tight packing of DHE in aggregates also lowers the apparent absorption cross section, further reducing the molecular brightness of the aggregates. Our results pave the way for systematic solubility studies of intrinsically fluorescent analogues of biologically relevant sterols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Reinholdt
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Lütje E Joensen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Daniel Petersen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Maria Szomek
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Anna Mularski
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Adam Cohen Simonsen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Jacob Kongsted
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Daniel Wüstner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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