Effect of hydrophobic surfactant proteins SP-B and SP-C on binary phospholipid monolayers: II. Infrared external reflectance-absorption spectroscopy

Analysis of protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions by isotope-edited infrared spectroscopy

The objective of this work is to highlight the power of isotope-edited Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in resolving important problems encountered in biochemistry, biophysics, and biomedical research, focusing on protein-protein and protein membrane interactions that play key roles in practically all life processes. An overview of the effects of isotope substitutions in (bio)molecules on spectral frequencies and intensities is given. Data are presented demonstrating how isotope-labeled proteins and/or lipids can be used to elucidate enzymatic mechanisms, the mode of membrane binding of peripheral proteins, regulation of membrane protein function, protein aggregation, and local and global structural changes in proteins during functional transitions. The use of polarized attenuated total reflection FTIR spectroscopy to identify the spatial orientation and the secondary structure of a membrane-bound interfacial enzyme and the mode of lipid hydrolysis is described. Methods of production of site-directed, segmental, and domain-specific labeling of proteins by the synthetic, semisynthetic, and recombinant strategies, including advanced protein engineering technologies such as nonsense suppression and frameshift quadruplet codons are overviewed.

Pulmonary Surfactant: A Mighty Thin Film

Pulmonary surfactant is a critical component of lung function in healthy individuals. It functions in part by lowering surface tension in the alveoli, thereby allowing for breathing with minimal effort. The prevailing thinking is that low surface tension is attained by a compression-driven squeeze-out of unsaturated phospholipids during exhalation, forming a film enriched in saturated phospholipids that achieves surface tensions close to zero. A thorough review of past and recent literature suggests that the compression-driven squeeze-out mechanism may be erroneous. Here, we posit that a surfactant film enriched in saturated lipids is formed shortly after birth by an adsorption-driven sorting process and that its composition does not change during normal breathing. We provide biophysical evidence for the rapid formation of an enriched film at high surfactant concentrations, facilitated by adsorption structures containing hydrophobic surfactant proteins. We examine biophysical evidence for and against the compression-driven squeeze-out mechanism and propose a new model for surfactant function. The proposed model is tested against existing physiological and pathophysiological evidence in neonatal and adult lungs, leading to ideas for biophysical research, that should be addressed to establish the physiological relevance of this new perspective on the function of the mighty thin film that surfactant provides.

Pathogenetic role of alveolar surfactant depleted by phosgene: Biophysical mechanisms and peak inhalation exposure metrics

In contrast to water-soluble respiratory tract irritants in their gas phase, the physicochemical properties of 'hydrophilicity' vs. 'lipophilicity' are the preponderant factors that dictate the site of major retention of the gas at the portal of entry. The lipophilic physical properties of phosgene gas facilitate retention in the alveolar region lined with amphipathic pulmonary surfactant (PS). The relationship between exposure and adverse health outcomes is complex, may vary over time, and is dependent on the biokinetics, biophysics, and pool size of PS relative to the inhaled dose of phosgene. Kinetic PS depletion is hypothesized to occur as inhalation followed by inhaled dose-dependent PS depletion. A kinetic model was developed to better understand the variables characterizing the inhaled dose rates of phosgene vs. PS pool size reconstitution. Modeling and empirical data from published evidence revealed that phosgene gas unequivocally follows a concentration x exposure (C × t) metric, independent of the frequency of exposure. The modeled and empirical data support the hypothesis that the exposure standards of phosgene are described best by a C × t time-averaged metric. Modeled data favorably duplicate expert panel-derived standards. Peak exposures within a reasonable range are of no concern.

Effect of naproxen on the model lipid membrane formed on the water-chitosan subphase

Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are those of the most common over the counter (OTC) medications widely used by millions of people every day. Unfortunately, despite their popularity those drugs can cause serious side effects in the digestive system (ulcers, bleeding, and pain). These inconveniences are caused by the changes in the structures of the outer phospholipid layers of gastric mucus and mucosa. As a result the H⁺ ions from the stomach acid can pass easily through these natural protective barriers and damage the epithelial cells which causes ulcers and bleeding. Chitosan as a polysaccharide known for its unique biocompatibility, drug delivery possibilities and wound healing effect has been chosen to examine if it can induce the reduction of undesirable effects of naproxen. This paper focuses on the interactions of the naproxen with a model biological membrane with and without the presence of chitosan. Applying the Langmuir technique coupled with the surface potential measurements and the Brewster angle microscope imaging allowed to characterize successfully examined systems in terms of the monolayer compressibility, thickness, stability, electric properties and morphology. The results proved that the presence of naproxen alters the mechanical and electrical properties of the model membrane depending on its surface pressure. Moreover, the addition of chitosan to the lipid-drug system causes significant changes in the properties of the layer, i.e. a reduction of its compressibility, thickness and morphology modification. Nevertheless, chitosan suppresses some changes induced by naproxen such as alteration of the apparent dipole moment and film stability.

Simple Does Not Mean Trivial: Behavior of Phosphatidic Acid in Lipid Mono- and Bilayers

Phosphatidic acid (PA) is one of the simplest membrane phospholipids, yet it plays a crucial role in various biologically relevant processes that take place in cells. Since PA generation may be triggered by a variety of factors, very often of antagonistic character, the specific nature of physiological responses driven by PA is not clear. In order to shed more light on these issues, we carried out a systematic characterization of membranes containing one of the three biologically significant PA molecular species. The effect of these molecules on the properties of membranes composed of phosphatidylcholine and/or cholesterol was assessed in a multidisciplinary approach, including molecular dynamic simulations, flicker noise spectroscopy, and Langmuir monolayer isotherms. The first enables the determination of various macroscopic and microscopic parameters such as lateral diffusion, membrane thickness, and defect analysis. The obtained data revealed a strong interaction between unsaturated PA species and phosphatidylcholine. On the other hand, the behavior of saturated PA was greatly influenced by cholesterol. Additionally, a strong effect on mechanical properties was observed in the case of three-component systems, which could not be explained by the simple extrapolation of parameters of the corresponding two-component systems. Our data show that various PA species are not equivalent in terms of their influence on lipid mono- and bilayers and that membrane composition/properties, particularly those related to the presence of cholesterol, may strongly modulate PA behavior.

Strategies to Enhance Drug Absorption via Nasal and Pulmonary Routes

New therapeutic agents such as proteins, peptides, and nucleic acid-based agents are being developed every year, making it vital to find a non-invasive route such as nasal or pulmonary for their administration. However, a major concern for some of these newly developed therapeutic agents is their poor absorption. Therefore, absorption enhancers have been investigated to address this major administration problem. This paper describes the basic concepts of transmucosal administration of drugs, and in particular the use of the pulmonary or nasal routes for administration of drugs with poor absorption. Strategies for the exploitation of absorption enhancers for the improvement of pulmonary or nasal administration are discussed, including use of surfactants, cyclodextrins, protease inhibitors, and tight junction modulators, as well as application of carriers such as liposomes and nanoparticles.

Composition, structure and mechanical properties define performance of pulmonary surfactant membranes and films

The respiratory surface in the mammalian lung is stabilized by pulmonary surfactant, a membrane-based system composed of multiple lipids and specific proteins, the primary function of which is to minimize the surface tension at the alveolar air-liquid interface, optimizing the mechanics of breathing and avoiding alveolar collapse, especially at the end of expiration. The goal of the present review is to summarize current knowledge regarding the structure, lipid-protein interactions and mechanical features of surfactant membranes and films and how these properties correlate with surfactant biological function inside the lungs. Surfactant mechanical properties can be severely compromised by different agents, which lead to surfactant inhibition and ultimately contributes to the development of pulmonary disorders and pathologies in newborns, children and adults. A detailed comprehension of the unique mechanical and rheological properties of surfactant layers is crucial for the diagnostics and treatment of lung diseases, either by analyzing the contribution of surfactant impairment to the pathophysiology or by improving the formulations in surfactant replacement therapies. Finally, a short review is also included on the most relevant experimental techniques currently employed to evaluate lung surfactant mechanics, rheology, and inhibition and reactivation processes.

Immunohistochemical staining of surfactant proteins A and B in skin of psoriatic patients before and after narrow-band UVB phototherapy

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that is mediated by elements of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Surfactant proteins (SPs) play an important role in host defense mechanisms. They are thought to have a potential role in some inflammatory skin diseases including psoriasis.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate SP-A and SP-B immunohistochemical staining in skin of psoriatic patients before and after narrow-band UV radiation type B (NB-UVB) phototherapy.

STUDY DESIGN

Immunohistochemical staining for SP-A and SP-B was performed on tissues from 20 psoriatic patients before and after NB-UVB. Results were compared with the degree of improvement assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and duration of treatment.

RESULTS

In unaffected skin, SP-A and SP-B were restricted to the basal layer; however, in psoriatic skin, they appeared in suprabasal layers in 80% and 85% of cases, respectively. Dermal inflammatory cells showed SP-A in 11 cases (55%) and SP-B in only one case (5%). After treatment by NB-UVB, SP-A and SP-B staining showed predilection to the basal layer. Absence of SP-A staining in suprabasal layers after NB-UVB therapy was correlated to better response to therapy (p=0.003) and shorter duration of treatment (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

SP-A and SP-B positivity is increased in psoriatic skin and reduced after NB-UVB therapy. Absence of SP-A in suprabasal layers after NB-UVB therapy is associated with better response and shorter duration of treatment.

Infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy: principles and applications to lipid-protein interaction in Langmuir films

Infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) of lipid/protein monolayer films in situ at the air/water interface provides unique molecular structure and orientation information from the film constituents. The technique is thus well suited for studies of lipid/protein interaction in a physiologically relevant environment. Initially, the nature of the IRRAS experiment is described and the molecular structure information that may be obtained is recapitulated. Subsequently, several types of applications, including the determination of lipid chain conformation and tilt as well as elucidation of protein secondary structure are reviewed. The current article attempts to provide the reader with an understanding of the current capabilities of IRRAS instrumentation and the type of results that have been achieved to date from IRRAS studies of lipids, proteins, and lipid/protein films of progressively increasing complexity. Finally, possible extensions of the technology are briefly considered.

Mixed DPPC/DPPG monolayers at very high film compression

A drop shape technique using a constrained sessile drop constellation (ADSA-CSD) has been introduced as a superior technique for studying spread films specially at high collapse pressures [Saad et al. Langmuir 2008, 24, 10843-10850]. It has been shown that ADSA-CSD has certain advantages including the need only for small quantities of liquid and insoluble surfactants, the ability to measure very low surface tension values, easier deposition procedure, and leak-proof design. Here, this technique was applied to investigate mixed DPPC/DPPG monolayers to characterize the role of such molecules in maintaining stable film properties and surface activity of lung surfactant preparations. Results of compression isotherms were obtained for different DPPC/DPPG mixture ratios: 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50 in addition to pure DPPC and pure DPPG at room temperature of 24 degrees C. The ultimate collapse pressure of DPPC/DPPG mixtures was found to be 70.5 mJ/m2 (similar to pure DPPC) for the cases of low DPPG content (up to 20%). Increasing the DPPG content in the mixture (up to 40%) caused a slight decrease in the ultimate collapse pressure. However, further increase of DPPG in the mixture (50% or more) caused a sharp decrease in the ultimate collapse pressure to a value of 59.9 mJ/m2 (similar to pure DPPG). The change in film elasticity was also tracked for the range of mixture ratios studied. The physical reasons for such changes and the interaction between DPPC and DPPG molecules are discussed. The results also show a change in the film hysteresis upon successive compression and expansion cycles for different mixture ratios.

Molecular dynamics simulation study of a pulmonary surfactant film interacting with a carbonaceous nanoparticle

This article reports an all-atom molecular dynamics simulation to study a model pulmonary surfactant film interacting with a carbonaceous nanoparticle. The pulmonary surfactant is modeled as a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine monolayer with a peptide consisting of the first 25 residues from surfactant protein B. The nanoparticle model with a chemical formula C188H53 was generated using a computational code for combustion conditions. The nanoparticle has a carbon cage structure reminiscent of the buckyballs with open ends. A series of molecular-scale structural and dynamical properties of the surfactant film in the absence and presence of nanoparticle are analyzed, including radial distribution functions, mean-square displacements of lipids and nanoparticle, chain tilt angle, and the surfactant protein B peptide helix tilt angle. The results show that the nanoparticle affects the structure and packing of the lipids and peptide in the film, and it appears that the nanoparticle and peptide repel each other. The ability of the nanoparticle to translocate the surfactant film is one of the most important predictions of this study. The potential of mean force for dragging the particle through the film provides such information. The reported potential of mean force suggests that the nanoparticle can easily penetrate the monolayer but further translocation to the water phase is energetically prohibitive. The implication is that nanoparticles can interact with the lung surfactant, as supported by recent experimental data by Bakshi et al.

Characterization of the in situ structural and interfacial properties of the cationic hydrophobic heteropolypeptide, KL4, in lung surfactant bilayer and monolayer models at the air-water interface: implications for pulmonary surfactant delivery

This study examines the various equilibrium in situ secondary structures of the pharmaceutical heteropolypeptide, KL 4, in the solid state, in solution, and in the monolayer state alone and mixed with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG). In situ surface circular dichroism spectroscopy, using a method first reported by Damodaran (Damodaran, S. Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2003, 376, 182-188), of equilibrated KL 4, DPPC/KL 4, POPG/KL 4, and DPPC/POPG/KL 4 monolayers at the air-water interface was used to examine the in situ two-dimensional conformation of KL 4. Gravimetric vapor sorption by solid KL 4 was used to analyze the effects of water molecules on the conformation of KL 4 when confined as a monolayer at the surface of water. Solid-state KL 4 conformation was determined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). The equilibrium interfacial and spreading properties were measured at 25 degrees C, 37 degrees C, and 45 degrees C using the Wilhelmy plate method and Langmuir film balance. Equilibrium phase transition temperatures were measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that solid-state KL 4, which takes up very little water, exhibits beta-sheet and alpha-helix secondary structures, whereas KL 4 in solution appears to exist only as an alpha-helix. KL 4 forms a stable, insoluble monolayer, exhibiting beta-sheet and aperiodic structures. These structures provide KL 4, when confined in two-dimensions, the structural flexibility to maximize favorable cationic lysine-water interactions and favorable leucine-leucine hydrophobic and van der Waals interactions; while effectively "shielding" the leucine residues away from water. In DPPC/KL 4 monolayers, KL 4 retains its native beta-sheet and aperiodic structures, consistent with phase separation of DPPC and KL 4 in bilayers and monolayers. In POPG/KL 4 monolayers, KL 4 exhibits an increase in aperiodic secondary structures (loss of beta-sheet) to maximize favorable electrostatic interactions, consistent with the observed negative deviations from ideal monolayer mixing.

Current perspectives in pulmonary surfactant--inhibition, enhancement and evaluation

Pulmonary surfactant (PS) is a complicated mixture of approximately 90% lipids and 10% proteins. It plays an important role in maintaining normal respiratory mechanics by reducing alveolar surface tension to near-zero values. Supplementing exogenous surfactant to newborns suffering from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), a leading cause of perinatal mortality, has completely altered neonatal care in industrialized countries. Surfactant therapy has also been applied to the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) but with only limited success. Biophysical studies suggest that surfactant inhibition is partially responsible for this unsatisfactory performance. This paper reviews the biophysical properties of functional and dysfunctional PS. The biophysical properties of PS are further limited to surface activity, i.e., properties related to highly dynamic and very low surface tensions. Three main perspectives are reviewed. (1) How does PS permit both rapid adsorption and the ability to reach very low surface tensions? (2) How is PS inactivated by different inhibitory substances and how can this inhibition be counteracted? A recent research focus of using water-soluble polymers as additives to enhance the surface activity of clinical PS and to overcome inhibition is extensively discussed. (3) Which in vivo, in situ, and in vitro methods are available for evaluating the surface activity of PS and what are their relative merits? A better understanding of the biophysical properties of functional and dysfunctional PS is important for the further development of surfactant therapy, especially for its potential application in ARDS.

Surfactant proteins in inflammatory skin diseases: controlled study

Surfactant proteins (SP) have recently been reported to be expressed in human skin tissue. SP is thought to play an essential role in the firstline defense of skin. In this study, we aimed to investigate if the SP may play a role in inflammatory skin diseases. Seven volunteers with psoriasis (n = 3), atopic dermatitis (n = 2), lichen planus (n = 1) and Behcet's disease (n = 1) participated in the study. Biopsies from each lesion and adjacent (approximately 2 cm distant) normal-appearing skin in patients were performed. Expression and localization of the SP-A, -B, -C, and -D in fresh tissues were studied by an immunohistochemical technique. In all patients, there was a weak cytoplasmic staining with SP-A and SP-D and nuclear staining with SP-B and SP-C in the epidermis of normal-appearing skin samples. However, epidermal staining with SP was observed to be stronger in all lesional samples. In addition, there was a prominent staining in inflammatory cells infiltrating dermis. This expression represents a previously unknown immunologic response in the inflammatory skin diseases and may represent an important step in the pathogenesis of these disorders.

Lateral diffusion of molecules in two-component lipid bilayer: a Monte Carlo simulation study

Lateral diffusion of membrane components makes possible any in-plane membrane reaction and has a key role in signaling in cell membranes. In this report the equilibrium lateral diffusion of intrinsic molecules in an equimolar DMPC/DSPC mixture is simulated using a thoroughly tested two-state model of two-component phospholipid bilayers. The model has been successful in calculating the excess heat capacity function, the most frequent center-to-center distances between DSPC clusters, and the fractal dimensions of gel clusters (Sugar, I. P., Thompson, T. E., Biltonen, R. L. Biophys. J. 1999, 76, 2099-2110). In the gel/fluid mixed phase region, a diffusing intrinsic molecule may change its state from fluid to gel (or from gel to fluid) at any time. A common characterization of the diffusion of intrinsic molecules is given by the simulated average first-passage time curves. We find that these curves can be described as power functions containing two parameters, alpha and beta, except near the percolation threshold of gel/fluid or compositional clusters. We find also that the intrinsic molecules are involved in approximately normal diffusion, i.e., beta approximately 2 in the extreme gel and fluid phase regions, while in the gel/fluid and gel/gel mixed phase regions the diffusion is anomalous, i.e., beta not equal 2. In the mixed phase regions, when the initial local state of the diffusing molecule is not specified, each component is involved in sub-diffusion (beta > 2). In the gel/fluid mixed phase region molecules situated initially inside a fluid cluster are involved in sub-diffusion, but DMPC molecules situated initially inside a gel cluster are involved in super-diffusion (beta < 2). The possibility of anomalous diffusion in membranes apparently arises because the diffusing molecule visits a variety of different environments characterized by its relative proximity to various membrane components. The diffusion is actually anomalous when the components of the bilayer are nonrandomly distributed. The deviation from random distribution is strongly correlated with beta. Similar to the results of the NMR experiments, the calculated relative diffusion coefficient continuously decreases in the gel/fluid mixed phase region with decreasing temperature. In apparent contradiction, diffusion measured by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) demonstrates the existence of a threshold temperature, below which long-range diffusion of FRAP probe molecules is essentially blocked. This threshold temperature is highly correlated with the percolation temperature of gel clusters.

New insights into lung surfactant monolayers using vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy

At the air-water interface, interfacial molecular structure, intermolecular interactions, film relaxation and film respreading of model lung surfactant monolayers were studied using vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy combined with a Langmuir film balance. Chain-perdeuterated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC-d62), palmitoyloleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG), palmitic acid (PA) and tripalmitin were investigated. In the DPPC-d62-PA binary monolayer, PA showed a condensing effect on the DPPC chains. On the contrary, in the DPPC-d62-POPG binary monolayer, POPG showed a fluidizing effect on the DPPC chains. In the ternary monolayer system of DPPC-d62-POPG-PA, the balance between the fluidizing and the condensing effect was also observed. In addition, the film relaxation behavior of DPPC-d62 and the enhanced film stability of DPPC-d62 caused by the addition of tripalmitin were observed. Real-time VSFG was also employed to study the respreading properties of a complex lung surfactant mixture containing DPPC-d62, POPG, PA and KL4 (a mimic of SP-B) peptide, which revealed DPPC enrichment after film compression.

Surfactant Protein Expression in Human Skin: Evidence and Implications

The presence of surfactant proteins (SPs), critical to local barrier and defense functions and usually associated with the lung, was revealed in adult and fetal human skin complementary deoxyribonucleic acid, in skin samples from three adult female donors and also in cultured fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and melanocytes. Using reverse transcription-PCR, SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D messenger ribonucleic acid expression was detected to varying extents in the different skin sources. The stronger expression of SP-C in fetal skin, compared to adult skin, suggested that the role of this protein alters with age. Immunohistochemical studies showed variable distribution of SPs in human epidermis and dermis, confirming that these proteins are indeed translated and expressed in skin tissue. In vitro studies showed that the surface tension of SP-deficient artificial sebum is (a) lowered by skin-extracted SP-B and (b) further reduced to a level comparable to normal sebum by the additional presence of skin-extracted SP-A and SP-D, consistent with their surface tension-lowering capabilities in lung. The possible roles of SPs in skin, based on their known functions in the lung are discussed. However, their potential as therapeutic targets or diagnostic markers of skin disease remains to be elucidated.

Condensing effect of palmitic acid on DPPC in mixed Langmuir monolayers

The interaction between deuterated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC-d62) and palmitic acid (PA) in mixed Langmuir monolayers is studied using vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy. Palmitic acid is an additive in exogenous lung surfactant preparations such as Survanta and Surfaxin. The effect of PA on the chain conformation and orientation of DPPC in the liquid-expanded and condensed phases is explored. A condensing effect of PA on DPPC is observed with VSFG. At 12 mN/m, DPPC-d62 alone is in the liquid-expanded phase. Adding PA increases the conformational ordering of DPPC chains and causes DPPC to transition from the expanded phase into the condensed phase. At 42 mN/m, DPPC-d62 and PA form a mixed structure in the condensed phase. The presence of PA decreases the chain tilt angle of DPPC, increasing the orientational ordering of DPPC chains. At 42 mN/m, there is also evidence from the frequency red shift of the PO2- symmetric stretch that the carboxyl group of PA forms a hydrogen bond with the phosphate group of DPPC in the condensed phase. From this work the effect of PA on DPPC is 2-fold: (1) PA increases the chain ordering of DPPC and promotes the LE and TC phase separation and (2) due to the miscibility between DPPC and PA in the condensed phase, PA decreases the collapse pressure.

High-resolution studies of lung surfactant collapse

Survanta is a replacement lung surfactant (LS) used in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), the fourth leading cause of infant mortality in the United States. It consists of purified LS from bovine sources and retains the surfactant proteins (SP) SP-B and SP-C, both thought to be important in proper respiratory function. As such, it provides a useful and biologically relevant model system to probe the structure and function of natural LS. Here, we report results from high-resolution studies on model monolayers formed from Survanta to probe the mechanism of collapse at high surface pressure. Our results show the formation of two different collapse structures. At 62 mN/m, slightly below the collapse pressure, monolayer collapse occurs through buckling. Confocal fluorescence measurements on supported films reveal regions of overlapping phase structure in the films that mark the transition from monolayer to multilayer. Simultaneous near-field scanning optical microscopy fluorescence and force measurements show that the transition seen in the fluorescence measurements accompanies corresponding approximately 4-5 nm changes in membrane topography. This change in height is consistent with bilayer formation on monolayer collapse. Analysis of the phase structure near the transitions also suggests that the buckling occurs from a continuous film. However, when the film is compressed to its collapse pressure of 65 mN/m, buckling is no longer evident in the collapsed region. In addition, multilayers and lipid-protein aggregates that are up to 40 nm higher than the monolayer are observed in the collapsed film at this pressure.

Mode of interaction of hydrophobic amphiphilic alpha-helical peptide/dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine with phosphatidylglycerol or palmitic acid at the air-water interface

Surface pressure (pi)-, surface potential (DeltaV)-, dipole moment (mu( perpendicular))-area (A) isotherms and morphological behavior at the air-water interface were obtained for multicomponent monolayers of two different systems for dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC)/egg-phosphatidylglycerol (PG) (= 68:22, by weight)/Hel 13-5 and DPPC/palmitic acid (PA) (= 90:9, by weight)/Hel 13-5 (Hel 13-5 is a newly designed 18-mer amphiphilic alpha-helical peptide with 13 hydrophobic and 5 hydrophilic amino acid residues). The phase behavior of these model systems was investigated on a subsolution of 0.02 M tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) buffer (pH 8.4) with 0.13 M NaCl at 298.2 K by employing the Wilhelmy method, the ionizing electrode method, and fluorescence microscopy. Especially, the present study focuses on the interfacial effect of the addition of Hel 13-5 on two binary systems, DPPC/egg-PG and DPPC/PA monolayers, as the substitute for pulmonary surfactant proteins, and on the respective roles of PG and PA for the monolayers in the three-component systems. Constant kink points ( approximately 42 mN m(-1)) clearly appear on the pi-A isotherms, independent of the compositions in the ternary systems, which corresponds to the Hel 13-5 collapse pressure similar to that of SP-B and SP-C as functions in multicomponent monolayers. This implies that Hel 13-5 is squeezed out of ternary monolayers above approximately 42 mN m(-1), resulting in two- to three-dimensional phase transformation. Furthermore, Langmuir isotherms clearly show that Hel 13-5 with egg-PG is squeezed out of the DPPC/egg-PG/Hel 13-5 system, whereas only Hel 13-5 is squeezed out of the DPPC/PA/Hel 13-5 system. Cyclic compression and expansion isotherms of these systems were carried out to confirm the spreading and respreading capacities. In addition, the interfacial behavior of the ternary mixtures has been analyzed by the additivity rule. Morphological examinations and comparisons have verified the interactions of Hel 13-5 with the representative miscible mixture (DPPC/PA system) by fluorescence microscopy. Consequently, distinct morphological variations corresponding to the squeeze-out behavior are observed as a fluorescent contrast recovery. Herein, a new mechanism of the refluorescent phenomenon is proposed by varying the surface composition of Hel 13-5.

DPPC Langmuir monolayer at the air-water interface: probing the tail and head groups by vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy

Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) is the predominant lipid component in lung surfactant. In this study, the Langmuir monolayer of deuterated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC-d62) in the liquid-expanded (LE) phase and the liquid-condensed (LC) phase has been investigated at the air-water interface with broad bandwidth sum frequency generation (BBSFG) spectroscopy combined with a Langmuir film balance. Four moieties of the DPPC molecule are probed by BBSFG: the terminal methyl (CD3) groups of the tails, the methylene (CD2) groups of the tails, the choline methyls (CH3) in the headgroup, and the phosphate in the headgroup. BBSFG spectra of the four DPPC moieties provide information about chain conformation, chain orientation, headgroup orientation, and headgroup hydration. These results provide a comprehensive picture of the DPPC phase behavior at the air-water interface. In the LE phase, the DPPC hydrocarbon chains are conformationally disordered with a significant number of gauche configurations. In the LC phase, the hydrocarbon chains are in an all-trans conformation and are tilted from the surface normal by 25 degrees. In addition, the orientations of the tail terminal methyl groups are found to remain nearly unchanged with the variation of surface area. Qualitative analysis of the BBSFG spectra of the choline methyl groups suggests that these methyl groups are tilted but lie somewhat parallel to the surface plane in both the LE and LC phases. The dehydration of the phosphate headgroup due to the LE-LC phase transition is observed through the frequency blue shift of the phosphate symmetric stretch in the fingerprint region. In addition, implications for lung surfactant function from this work are discussed.

Protein-lipid interactions and surface activity in the pulmonary surfactant system

Pulmonary surfactant is a lipid-protein complex, synthesized and secreted by the respiratory epithelium of lungs to the alveolar spaces, whose main function is to reduce the surface tension at the air-liquid interface to minimize the work of breathing. The activity of surfactant at the alveoli involves three main processes: (i) transfer of surface active molecules from the aqueous hypophase into the interface, (ii) surface tension reduction to values close to 0 mN/m during compression at expiration and (iii) re-extension of the surface active film upon expansion at inspiration. Phospholipids are the main surface active components of pulmonary surfactant, but the dynamic behaviour of phospholipids along the breathing cycle requires the necessary participation of some specific surfactant associated proteins. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on the structure, disposition and lipid-protein interactions of the hydrophobic surfactant proteins SP-B and SP-C, the two main actors participating in the surface properties of pulmonary surfactant. Some of the methodologies currently used to evaluate the surface activity of the proteins in lipid-protein surfactant preparations are also revised. Working models for the potential molecular mechanism of SP-B and SP-C are finally discussed. SP-B might act in surfactant as a sort of amphipathic tag, directing the lipid-protein complexes to insert and re-insert very efficiently into the air-liquid interface along successive breathing cycles. SP-C could be essential to maintain association of lipid-protein complexes with the interface at the highest compressed states, at the end of exhalation. The understanding of the mechanisms of action of these proteins is critical to approach the design and development of new clinical surfactant preparations for therapeutical applications.

Structure and properties of phospholipid-peptide monolayers containing monomeric SP-B(1-25) II. Peptide conformation by infrared spectroscopy

The conformation and orientation of synthetic monomeric human sequence SP-B(1-25) (mSP-B(1-25)) was studied in films with phospholipids at the air-water (A/W) interface by polarization modulation infrared reflectance absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS). Modified two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) correlation analysis was applied to PM-IRRAS spectra to define changes in the secondary structure and rates of reorientation of mSP-B(1-25) in the monolayer during compression. PM-IRRAS spectra and 2D IR correlation analysis showed that, in pure films, mSP-B(1-25) had a major alpha-helical conformation plus regions of beta-sheet structure. These alpha-helical regions reoriented later during film compression than beta structural regions, and became oriented normal to the A/W interface as surface pressure increased. In mixed films with 4:1 mol:mol acyl chain perdeuterated 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (sodium salt) (DPPC-d(62):DOPG), the IR spectra of mSP-B(1-25) showed that a significant, concentration-dependent conformational change occurred when mSP-B(1-25) was incorporated into a DPPC-d(62):DOPG monolayer. At an mSP-B(1-25) concentration of 10 wt.%, the peptide assumed a predominantly beta-sheet conformation with no contribution from alpha-helical structures. At lower, more physiological peptide concentrations, 2D IR correlation analysis showed that the propensity of mSP-B(1-25) to form alpha-helical structures was increased. In phospholipid films containing 5 wt.% mSP-B(1-25), a substantial alpha-helical peptide structural component was observed, but regions of alpha and beta structure reoriented together rather than independently during compression. In films containing 1 wt.% mSP-B(1-25), peptide conformation was predominantly alpha-helical and the helical regions reoriented later during compression than the remaining beta structural components. The increased alpha-helical structure of mSP-B(1-25) demonstrated here by PM-IRRAS and 2D IR correlation analysis in monolayers of 4:1 DPPC:DOPG containing 1 wt.% (and, to a lesser extent, 5 wt.%) peptide may be relevant for the formation of the intermediate order 'dendritic' surface phase observed in similar surface films by epi-fluorescence.

Raman spectra of planar supported lipid bilayers

Raman scattering has been used to obtain high quality vibrational spectra of planar supported lipid bilayers (pslb's) at the silica/water interface without the use of resonance or surface enhancement. A total internal reflection geometry was used both to increase the bilayer signal and to suppress the water background. Polarization control permits the determination of four components of the Raman tensor, of which three are independent for a uniaxial film. Spectra are reported of the phospholipids DMPC, DPPC, and POPC, in the C-H stretching region and the fingerprint region. The temperature-dependent polarized spectra of POPC show only small changes over the range 14-41 degrees C. The corresponding spectra of DMPC and DPPC bilayers show large thermal changes consistent with a decreasing tilt angle from the surface normal and increasing chain ordering at lower temperatures. The thermal behavior of DMPC pslb's is similar to that of vesicles of the same lipid in bulk suspension. In contrast to calorimetry, which shows a sharp phase transition (L alpha-L beta') with decreasing temperature, the changes in the Raman spectra occur over a temperature range of ca. 10 degrees C commencing at the calorimetric phase transition temperature.

The effects of denaturants on protein conformation and behavior at air/solution interface

In this study, we discuss the interfacial behavior of five proteins with different conformational character, and each is investigated in native and denatured states. The protein molecules are layered and spread onto the air/solution interfaces to form protein monolayer. The surface pressure-time (Pi(t)) and surface pressure-area per molecule (Pi-A) isotherms were measured by using the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) balance consisted of a Nima trough system. The differences between monolayered protein's behaviors at air/solution interface indicate that denaturants, such as urea, guanidinium chloride and dithiothreitol, have different effects on conformational changes of proteins. Additionally, the interfacial behavior of the proteins in our study provides a fundamental profile about the protein structural stability and implies industrial applications in protein refolding process.

Distinct effects of SP-B and SP-C on the uptake of surfactant-like liposomes by alveolar cells in vivo and in vitro

The effects of surfactant protein B (SP-B) and SP-C on the uptake of surfactant-like liposomes by alveolar type II cells and alveolar macrophages were studied both in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, mechanically ventilated rats were intratracheally instilled with fluorescently labeled liposomes that had SP-B and/or SP-C incorporated in different concentrations. Consequently, the alveolar cells were isolated, and cell-associated fluorescence was determined using flow cytometry. The results show that the incorporation of SP-B does not influence the uptake, and it also does not in the presence of essential cofactors. The inclusion of SP-C in the liposomes enhanced the alveolar type II cells at a SP-C to lipid ratio of 2:100. If divalent cations (calcium and magnesium) were present at physiological concentrations in the liposome suspension, uptake of liposomes by alveolar macrophages was also enhanced. In vitro, the incorporation of SP-B affected uptake only at a protein-to-lipid ratio of 8:100, whereas the inclusion of SP-C in the liposomes leads to an increased uptake at a protein-to-lipid ratio of 1:100. From these results, it can be concluded that SP-B is unlikely to affect uptake of surfactant, whereas SP-C in combination with divalent cations and other solutes are capable of increasing the uptake.

Deacylated pulmonary surfactant protein SP-C transforms from alpha-helical to amyloid fibril structure via a pH-dependent mechanism: an infrared structural investigation

Bovine pulmonary surfactant protein C (SP-C) is a hydrophobic, alpha-helical membrane-associated lipoprotein in which cysteines C4 and C5 are acylated with palmitoyl chains. Recently, it has been found that the alpha-helix form of SP-C is metastable, and under certain circumstances may transform from an alpha-helix to a beta-strand conformation that resembles amyloid fibrils. This transformation is accelerated when the protein is in its deacylated form (dSP-C). We have used infrared spectroscopy to study the structure of dSP-C in solution and at membrane interfaces. Our results show that dSP-C transforms from an alpha-helical to a beta-type amyloid fibril structure via a pH-dependent mechanism. In solution at low pH, dSP-C is alpha-helical in nature, but converts to an amyloid fibril structure composed of short beta-strands or beta-hairpins at neutral pH. The alpha-helix structure of dSP-C is fully recoverable from the amyloid beta-structure when the pH is once again lowered. Attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy of lipid-protein monomolecular films showed that the fibril beta-form of dSP-C is not surface-associated at the air-water interface. In addition, the lipid-associated alpha-helix form of dSP-C is only retained at the surface at low surface pressures and dissociates from the membrane at higher surface pressures. In situ polarization modulation infrared spectroscopy of protein and lipid-protein monolayers at the air-water interface confirmed that the residual dSP-C helix conformation observed in the attenuated total reflectance infrared spectra of transferred films is randomly or isotropically oriented before exclusion from the membrane interface. This work identifies pH as one of the mechanistic causes of amyloid fibril formation for dSP-C, and a possible contributor to the pathogenesis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

An infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy study of the secondary structure in (KL4)4K, a therapeutic agent for respiratory distress syndrome, in aqueous monolayers with phospholipids

KLLLLKLLLLKLLLLKLLLLK (KL(4)) has been suggested to mimic some aspects of the pulmonary surfactant protein SP-B and has been tested clinically as a therapeutic agent for respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants [Cochrane, C. G., and Revak, S. D. (1991) Science 254, 566-568]. It is of obvious interest to understand the mechanism of KL(4) function as a guide for design of improved therapeutic agents. Attenuated total reflection (ATR) IR measurements have indicated that KL(4) is predominantly alpha-helical with a transmembrane orientation in lipid multilayers (1), a geometry quite different from the originally proposed peripheral membrane lipid interaction. However, the lipid multilayer model required for ATR may not be the best experimental paradigm to mimic the in vivo function of KL(4). In the current experiments, IR reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) was used to evaluate peptide secondary structure in monolayers at the air/water interface, the physical state that best approximates the alveolar lining. In contrast to the ATR-IR results, KL(4) (2.5-5 mol %) films with either DPPC or DPPC/DPPG (7/3 mol ratio) adopted an antiparallel beta-sheet structure at all surface pressures studied > or =5 mN/m, including pressures physiologically relevant for lung function (40-72 mN/m). In contrast, in DPPG/KL(4) films, the dominant conformation was the alpha-helix over the entire pressure range, a possible consequence of enhanced electrostatic interactions. IRRAS has thus provided unique molecular structure information and insight into KL(4)/lipid interaction in a physiologically relevant state. A structural model is proposed for the response of the peptide to surface pressure changes.