Locations of local anesthetic dibucaine in model membranes and the interaction between dibucaine and a Na+ channel inactivation gate peptide as studied by 2H- and 1H-NMR spectroscopies

A fatty acid-ordered plasma membrane environment is critical for Ebola virus matrix protein assembly and budding

Plasma membrane (PM) domains and order phases have been shown to play a key role in the assembly, release, and entry of several lipid-enveloped viruses. In the present study, we provide a mechanistic understanding of the Ebola virus (EBOV) matrix protein VP40 interaction with PM lipids and their effect on VP40 oligomerization, a crucial step for viral assembly and budding. VP40 matrix formation is sufficient to induce changes in the PM fluidity. We demonstrate that the distance between the lipid headgroups, the fatty acid tail saturation, and the PM order are important factors for the stability of VP40 binding and oligomerization at the PM. The use of FDA-approved drugs to fluidize the PM destabilizes the viral matrix assembly leading to a reduction in budding efficiency. Overall, these findings support an EBOV assembly mechanism that reaches beyond lipid headgroup specificity by using ordered PM lipid regions independent of cholesterol.

Mechanism of local anesthetic-induced disruption of raft-like ordered membrane domains

BACKGROUND

Because ordered membrane domains, called lipid rafts, regulate activation of ion channels related to the nerve pulse, lipids rafts are thought to be a possible target for anesthetic molecules. To understand the mechanism of anesthetic action, we examined influence of representative local anesthetics (LAs); dibucaine, tetracaine, and lidocaine, on raft-like liquid-ordered (L_o)/non-raft-like liquid-disordered (L_d) phase separation.

METHODS

Impact of LAs on the phase separation was observed by fluorescent microscopy. LA-induced perturbation of the L_o and L_d membranes was examined by DPH anisotropy measurements. Incorporation of LAs to the membranes was examined by fluorescent anisotropy of LAs. The biding location of the LAs was indicated by small angle x-ray diffraction (SAXD).

RESULTS

Fluorescent experiments showed that dibucaine eliminated the phase separation the most effectively, followed by tetracaine and lidocaine. The disruption of the phase separation can be explained by their disordering effects on the L_o membrane. SAXD and other experiments further suggested that dibucaine's most potent perturbation of the L_o membrane is attributable to its deeper immersion and bulky molecular structure. Tetracaine, albeit immersed in the L_o membrane as deeply as dibucaine, less perturbs the L_o membrane probably because of its smaller bulkiness. Lidocaine hardly reaches the hydrophobic region, resulting in the weakest L_o membrane perturbation.

CONCLUSION

Dibcaine perturbs the L_o membrane the most effectively, followed by tetracaine and lidocaine. This ranking correlates with their anesthetic potency.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

This study suggests a possible mechanistic link between anesthetic action and perturbation of lipid rafts.

Phentolamine Reverses Epinephrine-Enhanced Skin Antinociception of Dibucaine in Rats

BACKGROUND

The objective of the experiment was to assess the antinociceptive effect of dibucaine, bupivacaine, and epinephrine. To assess the mechanism of action of the interaction between dibucaine and epinephrine, phentolamine, a nonselective α-adrenergic antagonist, was added to the mixture.

METHODS

We assessed sensory blockade with these drugs by injecting 0.6 mL of drug-in-saline in the dorsal thoracolumbar area of rats; pinprick of the "wheal" formed by the injectate was the area targeted for stimulation to elicit a cutaneous trunci muscle reflex. The sensory block of dibucaine was compared with that of bupivacaine or epinephrine. Drug-drug interactions were analyzed by isobologram. Phentolamine was added to investigate the antinociceptive effect of dibucaine coinjected with epinephrine.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that dibucaine, epinephrine, and bupivacaine produced dose-dependent skin antinociception. On the median effective dose (ED50) basis, the potency was higher for epinephrine (mean, 0.011 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.007-0.015] μmol) than for dibucaine (mean, 0.493 [95% CI, 0.435-0.560] μmol) (P < .01), while there were no significant differences between dibucaine and bupivacaine (mean, 0.450 [95% CI, 0.400-0.505] μmol). On the equipotent basis (75% effective dose, median effective dose, and 25% effective dose), sensory block duration provoked by epinephrine was greater (P < .01) than that provoked by dibucaine or bupivacaine. Coadministration of dibucaine with epinephrine produced a synergistic nociceptive block, whereas phentolamine blocked that synergistic block.

CONCLUSIONS

The preclinical data indicated that there is no statistically significant difference between the potency and duration of dibucaine and bupivacaine in this model. Epinephrine synergistically enhances the effects of dibucaine, while phentolamine partially blocked those effects. α-Adrenergic receptors play an important role in controlling synergistic analgesic effect of dibucaine combined with epinephrine.

Tetrahymena Cilia Cap is Built in a Multi-step Process: A Study by Atomic Force Microscopy

Cilia are complex and dynamic organelles that have motility and sensory functions. Defects in cilia biogenesis and function are at the origin of human ciliopathies. In motile cilia, a basal body organizes the axoneme composed of nine microtubule doublets surrounding a central pair of singlet microtubules. The distal ends of axonemal microtubules are attached to the membrane by microtubule-capping structures. Little is known about the early steps of cilium assembly. Although cilia grow and resorb from their distal tips, it remains poorly understood where and when the components of the caps are first assembled. By using Atomic Force Microscopy in tapping mode, with resolution at the nanometer range and with minimum sample manipulation, we show that Tetrahymena cilia assembly requires transient assembly of structures, composed of three components that are placed asymmetrically on an early elongating axoneme. In small uncapped axonemes the microtubule central pair was never observed. Additionally, we show that cilia cap assembly is a multi-step process in which structures of different sizes and shapes are put together in close proximity before the axoneme appears capped. We propose that the cap modifies the axoneme microtubule rate of polymerization and present a model for Tetrahymena cilia cap assembly.

Experimental and theoretical studies on IR, Raman, and UV-Vis spectra of quinoline-7-carboxaldehyde

Spectroscopic properties of quinoline-7-carboxaldehyde (Q7C) have been studied in detail both experimentally and theoretically. The FT-IR (4000-50 cm(-1)), FT-Raman (4000-50 cm(-1)), dispersive-Raman (3500-50 cm(-1)), and UV-Vis (200-400 nm) spectra of Q7C were recorded at room temperature (25 °C). Geometry parameters, potential energy surface about CCH(O) bond, harmonic vibrational frequencies, IR and Raman intensities, UV-Vis spectrum, and thermodynamic characteristics (at 298.15K) of Q7C were computed at Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional B3LYP levels employing the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Frontier molecular orbitals, molecular electrostatic potential, and Mulliken charge analyses of Q7C have also been performed. Q7C has two stable conformers that are energetically very close to each other with slight preference to the conformer that has oxygen atom of the aldehyde away from the nitrogen atom of the quinoline.

Vibrational spectra of quinoline-4-carbaldehyde: combined experimental and theoretical studies

The FT-IR (4000-50 cm(-1)), FT-Raman (4000-50 cm(-1)) and Dispersive-Raman (3500-50 cm(-1)) spectra of solid sample of quinoline-4-carbaldehyde (Q4C) have been recorded. The molecule structure, vibrational frequencies, IR intensities, Raman intensities and thermodynamic properties of the two possible aldehyde rotamers of Q4C have been obtained with the Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional B3LYP calculations employing the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Q4C has two stable conformers, in one of which the O atom of the aldehyde is oriented to form a H-bond with one of the hydrogens of quinoline, while in the other there is no such a H bond. The conformer with an extra H-bond is more stable and, thus it is the ground state. The computed vibrational frequencies of the lowest energy conformer agree also slightly better than those of the higher energy rotamer with the experimental frequencies after the computed frequencies are scaled. The temperature dependence of the standard heat capacities (C), standard entropies (S) and standard enthalpy (H) changes of Q4C has been discussed.

Experimental and theoretical quantum chemical investigations of 8-hydroxy-5-nitroquinoline

The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of 8-hydroxy-5-nitroquinoline have been recorded in the regions 4000-400 and 4000-100 cm(-1), respectively. The spectra were interpreted in terms of fundamentals modes, combination and overtone bands. The normal coordinate analysis was carried out to confirm the precision of the assignments. The structure of the compound was optimised and the structural characteristics were determined by density functional theory (DFT) using B3LYP method with 6-31G(**), 6-311++G(**) and cc-pVDZ basis sets. The vibrational frequencies were calculated in all these methods and were compared with the experimental frequencies which yield good agreement between observed and calculated frequencies. The infrared and Raman spectra were also predicted from the calculated intensities. (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra were recorded and (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated using the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method. UV-Visible spectrum of the compound was recorded and the electronic properties HOMO and LUMO energies were measured by time-dependent TD-DFT approach. The influences of the nitro and hydroxy groups on the skeletal modes and on the proton chemical shifts have been investigated.

Determination of structural and vibrational properties of 6-quinolinecarboxaldehyde using FT-IR, FT-Raman and dispersive-Raman experimental techniques and theoretical HF and DFT (B3LYP) methods

The FT-IR (4000-50 cm(-1)), FT-Raman (4000-50 cm(-1)) and Dispersive-Raman (3500-50 cm(-1)) spectra of solid sample of 6-quinolinecarboxaldehyde (6QC) have been recorded. The structure, vibrational frequencies, IR intensities, Raman activities and thermodynamic properties of the two possible aldehyde rotamers of 6QC have been calculated at the Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional B3LYP levels employing 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The complete assignments were performed on the basis of the potential energy distribution (PED) of the all vibrational modes. Since HF and B3LYP mode definitions of this molecule are quite similar to each other, we only give in Table 3 PED of Rot1 calculated at B3LYP level for the sake of simplicity. Potential energy surface has been scanned over the C3-C2-C1O16 torsion angle. When the O atom of the aldehyde is farther away than the nitrogen atom of the quinoline, 6QC has the lowest possible energy, and thus is in its ground state. The scaled theoretical frequencies of the lowest energy rotamer agree also slightly better than those of the higher energy rotamer with the experimental frequencies. The thermodynamic characteristics of the ground state of 6QC have been theoretically investigated at 298.15 K temperature.

Examining protection from anoxic depolarization by the drugs dibucaine and carbetapentane using whole cell recording from CA1 neurons

As an immediate consequence of stroke onset, failure of the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase pump evokes a propagating anoxic depolarization (AD) across gray matter. Acute neuronal swelling and dendritic beading arise within seconds in the future ischemic core, imaged as changes in light transmittance (ΔLT). AD is itself not a target for drug-based reduction of stroke injury because it is generated in the 1st min of stroke onset. Peri-infarct depolarizations (PIDs) are milder AD-like events that recur during the hours following AD and contribute to infarct expansion. Inhibiting PIDs with drugs could limit expansion. Two types of drugs, "caines" and σ(1)-receptor ligands, have been found to inhibit AD onset (and may also oppose PID initiation), yet their underlying actions have not been examined. Imaging ΔLT in the CA1 region simultaneously with whole cell current-clamp recording from CA1 pyramidal neurons reveal that the elevated LT front and onset of the AD are coincident. Either dibucaine or carbetapentane pretreatment significantly delays AD onset without affecting resting membrane potential or neuronal input resistance. Dibucaine decreases excitability by raising spike threshold and decreasing action potential (AP) frequency, whereas carbetapentane eliminates the fast afterhyperpolarization while accentuating the slow afterhyperpolarization to reduce AP frequency. Orthodromic and antidromic APs are eliminated by dibucaine within 15 min but not by carbetapentane. Thus both drugs reduce cortical excitability at the level of the single pyramidal neuron but through strikingly different mechanisms. In vivo, both drugs would likely inhibit recurring PIDs in the expanding penumbra and so potentially could reduce developing neuronal damage over many hours poststroke when PIDs occur.

Ab initio, density functional theory and structural studies of 4-amino-2-methylquinoline

The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and FT-Raman spectra of 4-amino-2-methylquinoline (AMQ) have been recorded in the range 4000-400 and 4000-100 cm(-1), respectively. The experimental vibrational frequency was compared with the wavenumbers obtained theoretically by ab initio HF and DFT-B3LYP gradient calculations employing the standard 6-31 G** and high level 6-311 ++G** basis sets for optimised geometry of the compound. The complete vibrational assignment and analysis of the fundamental modes of the compounds were carried out using the experimental FTIR and FT-Raman data, and quantum mechanical studies. The geometry and normal modes of vibration obtained from the HF and DFT methods are in good agreement with the experimental data. The potential energy distribution of the fundamental modes was calculated with ab initio force fields utilising Wilson's FG matrix method. The NH-pi interactions and the influence of amino and methyl groups on the skeletal modes are investigated.

Vibrational spectroscopic investigations, ab initio and DFT studies on 7-bromo-5-chloro-8-hydroxyquinoline

The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and FT-Raman spectra of 7-bromo-5-chloro-8-hydroxyquinoline (BCHQ) have been measured in the range 4000-400 and 4000-100cm(-1), respectively. Complete vibrational assignment and analysis of the fundamental modes of the compound were carried out using the observed FTIR and FT-Raman data. The geometry was optimised without any symmetry constrains using the DFT/B3LYP and HF methods with 6-31G** basis set. The vibrational frequencies which were determined experimentally are compared with those obtained theoretically from ab initio HF and density functional theory (DFT) gradient calculations employing the HF/6-31G** and B3LYP/6-31G** methods for the optimised geometry of the compound. The structural parameters and normal modes of vibration obtained from HF and DFT methods are in good agreement with the experimental data. Normal coordinate analysis was also carried out with ab initio force fields utilising Wilson's FG matrix method.

NMR of molecules interacting with lipids in small unilamellar vesicles

Detailed characterization of protein, peptide or drug interactions with natural membrane is still a challenge. This review focuses on the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for the analysis of interaction of molecules with small unilamellar vesicles (SUV). These phospholipid vesicles are often used as model membranes for fluorescence or circular dichroism experiments. The various NMR approaches for studying molecule-lipid association are reviewed. After a brief survey of the SUV characterization, the use of heteronuclear NMR (phosphorous, carbon, fluorine) is described. Applications of proton NMR through transferred nuclear Overhauser effect to perform structural determination of peptide are presented. Special care is finally given to the influence of the kinetic of the interactions for the proton NMR of bound molecules in SUV, which can constitute a good model for the study of dynamical processes at the membrane surface.

Evidence for a multivalent interaction of symmetrical, N-linked, lidocaine dimers with voltage-gated Na+ channels

The interaction of symmetrical lidocaine dimers with voltage-gated Na+ channels (VGSCs) was examined using a FLIPR membrane potential assay and voltage-clamp. The dimers, in which the tertiary amines of the lidocaine moieties are linked by an alkylene chain (two to six methylene units), inhibited VGSC activator-evoked depolarization of cells heterologously-expressing rat (r) Na(v)1.2a, human (h) Na(v)1.5, and rNa(v)1.8, with potencies 10- to 100-fold higher than lidocaine (compound 1). The rank order of potency (C4 (compound 4) > C3 (compound 3) > or = C2 (compound 2) = C5 (compound 5) = C6 (compound 6) >> compound 1) was similar at each VGSC. Compound 4 exhibited strong use-dependent inhibition of hNa(v)1.5 with pIC50 values < 4.5 and 6.0 for tonic and phasic block, respectively. Coincubation with local anesthetics but not tetrodotoxin attenuated compound 4-mediated inhibition of hNa(v)1.5. These data suggest that the compound 4 binding site(s) is identical, or allosterically coupled, to the local anesthetic receptor. The dissociation rate of the dimers from hNa(v)1.5 was dependent upon the linker length, with a rank order of compound 1 > compound 5 = compound 6 > compound 2 >> compound 3. The observation that both the potency and dissociation rate of the dimers was dependent upon linker length is consistent with a multivalent interaction at VGSCs. hNa(v)1.5 VGSCs did not recover from inhibition by compound 4. However, "chase" with free local anesthetic site inhibitors increased the rate of dissociation of compound 4. Together, these data support the hypothesis that compound 4 simultaneously occupies two binding sites on VGSCs, both of which can be bound by known local anesthetic site inhibitors.

Effect of the glycosphingolipid, GM1 on localization of dibucaine in phospholipid vesicles: a fluorescence study

Interaction of the local anesthetic dibucaine with small unilamellar vesicles of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) containing different mole percents of monosialoganglioside (GM1) has been studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorescence measurements on dibucaine in the presence of phospholipid vesicles containing various amounts of GM1 yielded a pattern of variation of wavelength at emission maximum and steady-state anisotropy which indicated that the microenvironment of dibucaine is more hydrophobic and rigid in membranes that contain GM1 than in membranes without it. Experiments on quenching of fluorescence from membrane-associated dibucaine by potassium iodide showed reduced quenching efficiency with the increase in GM1 content of the vesicles, demonstrating lesser accessibility of the iodide quenchers to dibucaine in the presence of GM1, when compared to that in its absence. Total emission intensity decay profiles of dibucaine yielded two lifetime components of approximately 1 and approximately 2.8-3.1 ns with mean relative contributions of approximately 25 and approximately 75%, respectively. The mean lifetime in vesicles was 20-30% lower than in the aqueous medium and showed a definite increase in presence of GM1 from that in the absence of it. All the spectral properties point that dibucaine encountered regions of membrane containing significant amount of GM1 and penetrated deeper in hydrophobic core of the bilayer.

Suppression of insulin signalling by a synthetic peptide KIFMK suggests the cytoplasmic linker between DIII-S6 and DIV-S1 as a local anaesthetic binding site on the sodium channel

1. Acetyl-KIFMK-amide (KIFMK) restores fast inactivation to mutant sodium channels having a defective inactivation gate. Its binding site with sodium channels could be considered to be the cytoplasmic linker (III-IV linker) connecting domains III and IV of the sodium channel alpha subunit. There is a close resemblance of the amino-acid sequences between the III-IV linker and the activation loop of the insulin receptor (IR). This resemblance of the amino-acid sequences suggests that KIFMK may also modulate insulin signalling. In order to test this assumption, we studied the effects of KIFMK and its related (KIYEK, KIQMK, and DIYET) and unrelated (LPFFD) peptides on tyrosine phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of IR in vitro. 2. Purified IR was phosphorylated in vitro with insulin in the presence of various synthetic peptides and lignocaine. The phosphorylation level of IR was then evaluated after SDS-PAGE separation, followed by Western blot analysis with antiphosphotyrosine antibody. 3. KIFMK and KIYEK inhibited insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation of IR. Lignocaine showed similar effects, but at a higher order of concentration. KIYEK and DIYET, but not KIFMK, dephosphorylated the phosphorylated tyrosine residues. The structurally unrelated peptide LPFFD had no effect either on phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of IR. 4. These results indicate that KIFMK, KIYEK, and lignocaine bind with the autophosphorylation sites of IR. 5. The present findings also suggest that KIFMK and lignocaine bind with the III-IV linker of sodium channel alpha subunit.

The neuronal lipid membrane permeability was markedly increased by bupivacaine and mildly affected by lidocaine and ropivacaine

We investigated the local anesthetic action on ionic membrane conductance (membrane conductance) and selectivity in membranes formed with neuronal phospholipids in the absence and presence of cholesterol. In membranes without cholesterol, 1 mM bupivacaine and ropivacaine increased the membrane conductance approximately 4.5-fold; and 5 mM lidocaine, ropivacaine and bupivacaine increased the membrane conductance by 2.7-, 2.8- and 22.2-fold, respectively. In the presence of cholesterol, 5 mM ropivacaine had no effect, lidocaine decreased the membrane conductance by 2-fold, and bupivacaine increased the membrane conductance by 17-fold. Local anesthetics did not affect the ion selectivity in membranes without cholesterol, but they all decreased the Na(+) selectivity in membranes with cholesterol. Cholesterol reduced the lidocaine- and ropivacaine-induced membrane conductance increase by eliminating or reversing the Na(+) conductance increase and by lowering the Cl(-) conductance increase. In the absence of cholesterol, 5 mM bupivacaine increased both Na(+) conductance (38-fold) and Cl(-) conductance (19-fold), while in the presence of cholesterol it only increased Cl(-) conductance (26-fold). Of the local anesthetics studied, ropivacaine was the least membrane toxic while bupivacaine was the most toxic.

Mechanism of suppression of insulin signalling with lignocaine

Lignocaine suppresses insulin-stimulated glucose transport into the cells and insulin-stimulated glycogenesis at doses equivalent to that used in the treatment of muscle pain disorder. We evaluated the direct effect of lignocaine on insulin receptor (IR) kinase activity. After lignocaine (40 mM, approximately equivalent to 1%) or an equal volume (100 microl) saline had been injected into the tibialis anterior muscle of rat, insulin (50 mM g-1 body weight) was administered into the portal vein in vivo. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting were used to detect insulin-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of both IR-beta and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1, and insulin-stimulated binding of IRS-1 to p85 regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) in the extracted muscle. In the in vitro study, purified IR from rat liver and/or recombinant IRS-1 protein with adenosine triphosphate were incubated with lignocaine (4 or 40 mM). Lignocaine reduced insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of IR-beta to 12.6+/-5.7% (P<0.001), and IRS-1 to 32.1+/-18.8% (P<0.01), and also reduced insulin-stimulated binding of IRS-1 to p85 to 27.4+/-12.7% (P<0.001) relative to control (100%) in muscle in vivo. The in vitro study revealed that lignocaine directly inhibited both basal and insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of IR. These results indicate that clinically used doses of lignocaine inhibit insulin signalling in skeletal muscle. The inhibitory effect of lignocaine on tyrosine kinase activity of the IR underlies the suppression of insulin signalling with lignocaine.

Interactions of some local anesthetics and alcohols with membranes

A review of the results obtained by our group in the last decade regarding the interactions of procaine, lidocaine, dibucaine and tetracaine with membranes is presented in the context of the literature data. The action upon membranes, in first approximation monomolecular film of stearic acid spread at the air/water interface used as a membrane model, the modification of biomembrane structure and function using diffraction methods, lipid phase transition, fluidity of lipids and proteins, membrane expansion and platelet aggregation were studied. The thermodynamic knowledge of membrane-alcohol interactions improved by using highly sensitive calorimetric techniques are briefly reported. One of the main conclusions is that the physical state of a monolayer model membrane was the result of competitive interactions between film-film and film-substrate interactions. It was taken into account that local anesthetics, such as lidocaine, carbisocaine, mesocaine, showed changes in the bilayer structure, reflected in macroscopic mechanical properties. This restructuring of the lipid bilayer has a significant influence on the operation of functional subunits, e.g. ionic channels formed by gramicidin. The results support the concept of non-specific interactions of local anesthetics with lipid bilayers. The theoretical modeling of the interactions of local anesthetics is closely compared with experimental data. Our new theory of relaxation for these interactions is using a non-archimedean formalism based on a process resulting from superpositions of different component processes which take place at different scales of time.

Effect of cholesterol on interaction of dibucaine with phospholipid vesicles: a fluorescence study

Interaction of the local anesthetic dibucaine with small unilamellar vesicles of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) containing different mol percents of cholesterol has been studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorescence measurements on dibucaine in presence of phospholipid vesicles containing various amounts of cholesterol yielded a pattern of variation of wavelength at emission maximum and steady-state anisotropy which indicated that the microenvironment of dibucaine is more polar and flexible in membranes that contain cholesterol than in membranes without cholesterol. Experiments on quenching of fluorescence from membrane-associated dibucaine by potassium iodide showed a marked increase in quenching efficiency as the cholesterol content of the vesicles was increased, demonstrating increased accessibility of the iodide quenchers to dibucaine in the presence of cholesterol, when compared to that in its absence. Total emission intensity decay profiles of dibucaine yielded two lifetime components of approximately 1 ns and approximately 2.8--3.1 ns with mean relative contributions of approximately 25 and approximately 75%, respectively. The mean lifetime in vesicles was 20--30% smaller than in the aqueous medium and showed a moderate variation with cholesterol content. Fluorescence measurements at two different temperatures in DMPC SUVs, one at 33 degrees C, above the phase transition temperature and another at 25 degrees C, around the main phase transition, indicated two different mode of dibucaine localization. At 25 degrees C dibucaine partitioned differentially in presence and absence of cholesterol. However, at 33 degrees C the apparent partition coefficients remained unaltered indicating differences in the microenvironment of dibucaine in presence and absence of cholesterol in the phospholipid membranes.

Interaction of local anesthetics with phospholipids in Langmuir monolayers

We have used epifluorescence microscopy to study the interactions of two local anesthetics of the "caine" family (tetracaine and dibucaine), with Langmuir monolayers of the phospholipid dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). These results show that incorporation of either dibucaine or tetracaine causes significant changes in the domain shapes of the liquid condensed phase in monolayers. In particular, at low pH, where the charged cationic form of the local anesthetics predominates, local anesthetic: DPPC monolayers formed significantly less compact liquid condensed domains with highly ramified shapes, compared to DPPC-only controls. For high pH values at which both local anesthetics are electrically neutral, the liquid condensed domains in mixed monolayers resembled that of DPPC-only controls, indicating that these effects have their origins in electrostatic interactions between the local anesthetics and the phospholipid headgroups. Epifluorescence images obtained using the intrinsic fluorescence of dibucaine indicated that dibucaine partitions into both the liquid condensed and liquid expanded phases.

Membrane effects of trifluoperazine, dibucaine and praziquantel on human erythrocytes

Trifluoperazine (TFP) is a potent antipsychotic agent, dibucaine (DBC) is a local anaesthetic and praziquantel (PZQ) is a highly effective agent against schistosomiasis. The present work was conducted to (i) investigate the cytotoxic effects of TFP, DBC and PZQ on human erythrocyte membranes; and (ii) compare the alterations induced by the cationic drugs (TFP and DBC) with those induced by the uncharged compound (PZQ), in an attempt to have a better insight on the pathways of each drug-membrane interaction. The erythrocyte morphological alterations induced by sublytic concentrations of TFP, DBC and PZQ were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and expressed quantitatively by the morphological index. Haemolysis and release of membrane lipids (phospholipids and cholesterol) produced by selected concentrations of TFP, DBC and PZQ, were compared with those resulting from the corresponding triple concentrations of each drug. Our results showed that the uncharged molecule of PZQ induces the same morphological alterations (stomatocytosis) as the cationic drugs TFP and DBC. Haemolysis was shown to vary with the drug used and to be concentration-dependent, with values approximately 10-fold more elevated for TFP and DBC than for PZQ, which revealed a maximum of 6% haemolysis for the highest concentration tested. Different concentration-response curves were obtained for lipid elution, although the profiles of cholesterol and phospholipids released were similar for all drugs. Nevertheless, at a fixed rate of 50% haemolysis, TFP induced a approximately 2-fold increment in the elution of cholesterol when compared with that produced by DBC (P<0. 05). The different effects induced by TFP, DBC and PZQ on erythrocyte morphology, haemolysis and lipid exfoliation are related to the physical and chemical characteristics of each compound. These results suggest that distinct cell membrane interaction pathways lead to drug-specific mechanisms of cytotoxicity.

Analysis of the tangled relationships between P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance and the lipid phase of the cell membrane

P-glycoprotein (Pgp), the so-called multidrug transporter, is a plasma membrane glycoprotein often involved in the resistance of cancer cells towards multiple anticancer agents in the multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype. It has long been recognized that the lipid phase of the plasma membrane plays an important role with respect to multidrug resistance and Pgp because: the compounds involved in the MDR phenotype are hydrophobic and diffuse passively through the membrane; Pgp domains involved in drug binding are located within the putative transmembrane segments; Pgp activity is highly sensitive to its lipid environment; and Pgp may be involved in lipid trafficking and metabolism. Unraveling the different roles played by the membrane lipid phase in MDR is relevant, not only to the evaluation of the precise role of Pgp, but also to the understanding of the mechanism of action and function of Pgp. With this aim, I review the data from different fields (cancer research, medicinal chemistry, membrane biophysics, pharmaceutical research) concerning drug-membrane, as well as Pgp-membrane, interactions. It is emphasized that the lipid phase of the membrane cannot be overlooked while investigating the MDR phenotype. Taking into account these aspects should be useful in the search of ways to obviate MDR and could also be relevant to the study of other multidrug transporters.

Mechanisms of bupivacaine action on Na+ and K+ channels in myelinated axons of Xenopus laevis

The local anaesthetic bupivacaine has recently been proposed to inhibit Na+ channels indirectly by making the resting potential less negative. To test this hypothesis we analysed the effects of bupivacaine on voltage and current clamped nodes of Ranvier. Contrary to the hypothesis, the leak current and the resting potential were unaffected. The Na+ and K+ channels were, however, affected at relatively low concentrations (33 microM). Steady-state activation curves were decreased without notable shift effects, whereas the Na+ inactivation curve was decreased and shifted in negative direction. The effect on the Na+ current was tentatively explained by a single-site, state-dependent binding model (Kd = 44 microM), while that on the K+ current was explained by two population-specific mechanisms, one open-state dependent (Kd = 550 microM) and one state independent (Kd = 59 microM). The binding stoichiometry was higher than 1:1 for the main sites of action. In conclusion, bupivacaine exerts its main anaesthetic action on myelinated nerve axons by a direct modification of Na+ channels.

Carboxyl groups at the membrane interface as molecular targets for local anesthetics

The interaction of the tertiary amine drugs chlorpromazine and dibucaine in their cationic form with carboxyl groups at the membrane surface is studied at concentrations relevant to anesthesia. Spin-labeled stearic acid is used both to provide the carboxyl groups and to monitor binding and ionization behavior in egg lecithin liposomes. Membrane anesthetic concentrations are spectrophotometrically obtained. They are shown to determine the drug influence on carboxyl groups at the membrane surface, independently of aqueous concentrations. The intramembrane association constants (related to the usual aqueous phase ones through the partition coefficient) of the drugs with fatty acids are determined. The same value (10(2) M-1) is obtained for both drugs, suggesting that it is approximately the same for all tertiary amine local anesthetics. pH titrations of anesthetic-treated spin-labeled membranes are performed. The observed shifts in the fatty acid pK are higher than can be produced assuming uniform distribution of the drug in the membrane surface, implying that there is an increased affinity of local anesthetics for superficial carboxyl. This affinity could account for the resting block of voltage-gated Na+ channels. Under these considerations, local anesthetic binding sites at voltage-gated Na+ channels and at sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase are proposed.

Conformational features of charged dibucaine in solution as investigated by 13C- and 1H-NMR

Conformational features of charged dibucaine in [2H6]DMSO were elucidated by measuring 13C and 1H spin-lattice relaxation rates and 1H-(1H) and 13C-(1H) nuclear Overhauser effects. The reorientational correlation time of the aromatic moiety was evaluated at 0.16 ns at room temperature and side chains were observed to display segmental motion. Relevant distances were calculated by isolating dipolar interaction terms of 1H-1H or 13C-1H pairs. The 'preferred' conformation in solution was shown to present several analogies, but also some differences, with the structures obtained by solid state experiments, energy calculations and LIS data.