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Fernandes E, Lopes CM, Lúcio M. Lipid Biomimetic Models as Simple Yet Complex Tools to Predict Skin Permeation and Drug-Membrane Biophysical Interactions. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:807. [PMID: 38931927 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The barrier function of the skin is primarily determined by its outermost layer, the Stratum Corneum (SC). The SC consists of corneocytes embedded in a lipid matrix composed mainly of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids in equimolar proportions and is organised in a complex lamellar structure with different periodicities and lateral packings. This matrix provides a diffusion pathway across the SC for bioactive compounds that are administered to the skin. In this regard, and as the skin administration route has grown in popularity, there has been an increase in the use of lipid mixtures that closely resemble the SC lipid matrix, either for a deeper biophysical understanding or for pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes. This review focuses on a systematic analysis of the main outcomes of using lipid mixtures as SC lipid matrix models for pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes. Thus, a methodical evaluation of the main outcomes based on the SC structure is performed, as well as the main recent developments in finding suitable new in vitro tools for permeation testing based on lipid models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduarda Fernandes
- CF-UM-UP-Centro de Física das Universidades do Minho e Porto, Departamento de Física, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Carla M Lopes
- FFP-I3ID-Instituto de Investigação, Inovação e Desenvolvimento, FP-BHS-Biomedical and Health Sciences Research Unit, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
- UCIBIO-Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, MedTech-Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Marlene Lúcio
- CF-UM-UP-Centro de Física das Universidades do Minho e Porto, Departamento de Física, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- CBMA-Centro de Biologia Molecular e Ambiental, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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2
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Paraskevopoulos G, Fandrei F, Kumar Pratihast A, Paraskevopoulou A, Panoutsopoulou E, Opálka L, Singh Mithu V, Huster D, Vávrová K. Effects of imidazolium ionic liquids on skin barrier lipids - Perspectives for drug delivery. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 659:449-462. [PMID: 38183811 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Ionic liquids (ILs) have great potential to facilitate transdermal and topical drug delivery. Here, we investigated the mechanism of action of amphiphilic ILs 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide (C8MIM) and 3-dodecyl-1-methylimidazolium bromide (C12MIM) in skin barrier lipid models in comparison to their complex effects in human skin. C8MIM incorporated in a skin lipid model was a better permeation enhancer than C12MIM for water and model drugs, theophylline and diclofenac. Solid state 2H NMR and X-ray diffraction indicated that both ILs prefer the cholesterol-rich regions in skin lipids without significantly perturbing their lamellar arrangement and that C8MIM induces the formation of an isotropic lipid phase to a greater extent compared to C12MIM. C12MIM applied topically to the lipid model or human skin as a pretreatment was more potent than C8MIM. When co-applied with the drugs to human skin, aqueous C12MIM was more potent than C8MIM in enhancing theophylline permeation, but neither IL affected (even decreased) diclofenac permeation. Thus, the IL's ability to permeabilize skin lipid barrier is strongly modulated by its ability to reach the site of action and its interactions with drug and solvent. Such an interplay is far from trivial and requires detailed investigation to realize the full potential of ILs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Paraskevopoulos
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Ferdinand Fandrei
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04275 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ajit Kumar Pratihast
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Paraskevopoulou
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Eleni Panoutsopoulou
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Opálka
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Venus Singh Mithu
- Department of Chemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04275 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
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3
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Bouwstra JA, Nădăban A, Bras W, McCabe C, Bunge A, Gooris GS. The skin barrier: An extraordinary interface with an exceptional lipid organization. Prog Lipid Res 2023; 92:101252. [PMID: 37666282 PMCID: PMC10841493 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2023.101252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
The barrier function of the skin is primarily located in the stratum corneum (SC), the outermost layer of the skin. The SC is composed of dead cells with highly organized lipid lamellae in the intercellular space. As the lipid matrix forms the only continuous pathway, the lipids play an important role in the permeation of compounds through the SC. The main lipid classes are ceramides (CERs), cholesterol (CHOL) and free fatty acids (FFAs). Analysis of the SC lipid matrix is of crucial importance in understanding the skin barrier function, not only in healthy skin, but also in inflammatory skin diseases with an impaired skin barrier. In this review we provide i) a historical overview of the steps undertaken to obtain information on the lipid composition and organization in SC of healthy skin and inflammatory skin diseases, ii) information on the role CERs, CHOL and FFAs play in the lipid phase behavior of very complex lipid model systems and how this knowledge can be used to understand the deviation in lipid phase behavior in inflammatory skin diseases, iii) knowledge on the role of both, CER subclasses and chain length distribution, on lipid organization and lipid membrane permeability in complex and simple model systems with synthetic CERs, CHOL and FFAs, iv) similarity in lipid phase behavior in SC of different species and complex model systems, and vi) future directions in modulating lipid composition that is expected to improve the skin barrier in inflammatory skin diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joke A Bouwstra
- Division of Biotherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Andreea Nădăban
- Division of Biotherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wim Bras
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States of America
| | - Clare McCabe
- School of Engineering & Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Annette Bunge
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, United States of America
| | - Gerrit S Gooris
- Division of Biotherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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4
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Fandrei F, Havrišák T, Opálka L, Engberg O, Smith A, Pullmannová P, Kučerka N, Ondrejčeková V, Demé B, Nováková L, Steinhart M, Vávrová K, Huster D. The Intriguing Molecular Dynamics of Cer[EOS] in Rigid Skin Barrier Lipid Layers Requires Improvement of the Model. J Lipid Res 2023; 64:100356. [PMID: 36948272 PMCID: PMC10154977 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2023.100356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Omega-O-acyl ceramides such as 32-linoleoyloxydotriacontanoyl sphingosine (Cer[EOS]) are essential components of the lipid skin barrier, which protects our body from excessive water loss and the penetration of unwanted substances. These ceramides drive the lipid assembly to epidermal-specific long periodicity phase (LPP), structurally much different than conventional lipid bilayers. Here, we synthesized Cer[EOS] with selectively deuterated segments of the ultralong N-acyl chain or deuterated or 13C-labeled linoleic acid and studied their molecular behavior in a skin lipid model. Solid-state 2H NMR data revealed surprising molecular dynamics for the ultralong N-acyl chain of Cer[EOS] with increased isotropic motion towards the isotropic ester-bound linoleate. The sphingosine moiety of Cer[EOS] is also highly mobile at skin temperature, in stark contrast to the other LPP components, N-lignoceroyl sphingosine acyl, lignoceric acid and cholesterol, which are predominantly rigid. The dynamics of the linoleic chain is quantitatively described by distributions of correlation times and using dynamic detector analysis. These NMR results along with neutron diffraction data suggest an LPP structure with alternating fluid (sphingosine chain-rich), rigid (acyl chain-rich), isotropic (linoleate-rich), rigid (acyl-chain rich), and fluid layers (sphingosine chain-rich). Such an arrangement of the skin barrier lipids with rigid layers separated with two different dynamic "fillings" i) agrees well with ultrastructural data, ii) satisfies the need for simultaneous rigidity (to ensure low permeability) and fluidity (to ensure elasticity, accommodate enzymes or antimicrobial peptides), and iii) offers a straightforward way to remodel the lamellar body lipids into the final lipid barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinand Fandrei
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04275 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tomáš Havrišák
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Opálka
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Oskar Engberg
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04275 Leipzig, Germany
| | - AlbertA Smith
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04275 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Petra Pullmannová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Norbert Kučerka
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Odbojárov 10, 832 32 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Veronika Ondrejčeková
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Bruno Demé
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, CS 20156, 38042 Grenoble, CEDEX 9, France
| | - Lucie Nováková
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Miloš Steinhart
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Science in Prague, Heyrovského nám. 2, 162 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04275 Leipzig, Germany
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5
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Serotonergic drugs modulate the phase behavior of complex lipid bilayers. Biochimie 2022; 203:40-50. [PMID: 35447219 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin is an endogenous neurotransmitter involved in both physiological and pathophysiological processes. Traditionally, serotonin acts as a ligand for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) leading to subsequent cell signaling. However, serotonin can also bind to lipid membranes with high affinity and modulate the phase behavior in 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)/N-palmitoyl-D-erythro-sphingosylphosphorylcholine (PSM)/cholesterol model membranes mimicking the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. Here, we investigated if serotonergic drugs containing the pharmacophore from serotonin would also modulate phase behavior in lipid membranes in a similar fashion. We used 2H NMR spectroscopy to explore the phase behavior of POPC/PSM/cholesterol (4/4/2 molar ratio) mixtures in the presence of the serotonergic drugs aripiprazole, BRL-54443, BW-723C86, and CP-135807 at a lipid to drug molar ratio of 10:1. POPC and PSM were perdeuterated in the palmitoyl chain, respectively, and prepared in individual samples. Numerical lineshape simulations of the 2H NMR spectra were used to calculate the order parameter profiles and projected lengths of the saturated acyl chains. All serotonergic drugs induce two components in 2H NMR spectra, indicating that they increased the hydrophobic mismatch between the thickness of the coexisting lipid phases leading to larger domain sizes, relatively similarly to serotonin. AFM force indentation and Raman spectral studies, which interrogate membrane mechanical properties, also indicate changes in membrane order in the presence of these drugs. These findings highlight how serotonergic drugs alter membrane phase behavior and could modulate both target and other membrane proteins, possibly explaining the side effects observed for serotonergic and other clinically relevant drugs.
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Cholesterol Sulfate Fluidizes the Sterol Fraction of the Stratum Corneum Lipid Phase and Increases its Permeability. J Lipid Res 2022; 63:100177. [PMID: 35143845 PMCID: PMC8953687 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2022.100177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Desulfation of cholesterol sulfate (CholS) to cholesterol (Chol) is an important event in epidermal homeostasis and necessary for stratum corneum (SC) barrier function. The CholS/Chol ratio decreases during SC maturation but remains high in pathological conditions, such as X-linked ichthyosis, characterized by dry and scaly skin. The aim of this study was to characterize the influence of the CholS/Chol molar ratio on the structure, dynamics, and permeability of SC lipid model mixtures. We synthesized deuterated CholS and investigated lipid models with specifically deuterated components using 2H solid-state NMR spectroscopy at temperatures from 25°C to 80°C. Although the rigid acyl chains in ceramides and fatty acids remained essentially rigid upon variation of the CholS/Chol ratio, both sterols were increasingly fluidized in lipid models containing higher CholS concentrations. We also show the X-ray repeat distance of the lipid lamellar phase (105 Å) and the orthorhombic chain packing of the ceramide’s acyl chains and long free fatty acids did not change upon the variation of the CholS content. However, the Chol phase separation visible in models with high Chol concentration disappeared at the 50:50 CholS/Chol ratio. This increased fluidity resulted in higher permeabilities to model markers of these SC models. These results reveal that a high CholS/Chol ratio fluidizes the sterol fraction and increases the permeability of the SC lipid phase while maintaining the lamellar lipid arrangement with an asymmetric sterol distribution.
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7
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Uche L, Gooris GS, Bouwstra JA, Beddoes CM. Increased Levels of Short-Chain Ceramides Modify the Lipid Organization and Reduce the Lipid Barrier of Skin Model Membranes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:9478-9489. [PMID: 34319754 PMCID: PMC8389989 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c01295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The skin barrier function is attributed to the stratum corneum (SC) intercellular lipid matrix, which is composed primarily of ceramides (CERs), free fatty acids, and cholesterol. These lipids are organized in two lamellar phases: the short and long periodicity phases (SPP and LPP), respectively. The LPP is considered important for the skin barrier function. High levels of short-chain CERs are observed in various inflammatory skin diseases and have been correlated with barrier dysfunction. In this research, we investigated how the increase in the fraction of the short-chain CER with a nonhydroxy C16 acyl chain linked to a C18 sphingosine base CER NS(C16) at the expense of the physiological chain length CER NS with a C24 acyl chain (CER NS(C24)) impacts the microstructure and barrier function of a lipid model that mimicked certain characteristics of the SC lipid organization. The permeability and lipid organization of the model membranes were compared with that of a control model without CER NS(C16). The permeability increased significantly when ≥50% of CER NS(C24) was substituted with CER NS(C16). Employing biophysical techniques, we showed that the lipid packing density reduced with an increasing proportion of CER NS(C16). Substitution of 75% of CER NS(C24) by CER NS(C16) resulted in the formation of phase-separated lipid domains and alteration of the LPP structure. Using deuterium-labeled lipids enabled simultaneous characterization of the C24 and C16 acyl chains in the lipid models, providing insight into the mechanisms underlying the reduced skin barrier function in diseased skin.
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Pham QD, Gregoire S, Biatry B, Cassin G, Topgaard D, Sparr E. Skin hydration as a tool to control the distribution and molecular effects of intermediate polarity compounds in intact stratum corneum. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 603:874-885. [PMID: 34246090 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.06.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The barrier function of the skin is mainly assured by its outermost layer, stratum corneum (SC), which consists of dead keratin-filled cells embedded in a lipid matrix. The skin is daily exposed to an environment with changing conditions in terms of hydration and different chemicals. Here we investigate how a molecule that has reasonable solubility in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic environments can be directed to certain regions in SC by changing the skin hydration. We use 1,2,3-trimethoxy propane (TMP) as a model substance and solid-state NMR on natural abundance 13C to obtain atomically resolved information on the molecular dynamics of TMP as well as SC lipid and protein components at varying hydration conditions. Upon dehydration, TMP redistributes from the hydrophilic corneocytes to the hydrophobic SC lipid regions. In this way, TMP can act to prevent the fluid-solid lipid transition in drying conditions and be present in the corneocytes in more humid conditions. Hydration can thereby be used as a switch to control the location and action of TMP or similar compounds in complex materials like SC. The general principles described here can also have impact on other applications including lipid-based formulations in food, drug delivery and cosmetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quoc Dat Pham
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 22100 Lund, Sweden; Department of Food Technology, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 22100 Lund, Sweden; Product Design, McNeil AB, Box 941, 25109, Helsingborg, Sweden.
| | - Sebastien Gregoire
- L'Oreal Research & Innovation, 1, avenue Eugène Schueller, 93601 Aulnay-sous- Bois, France
| | - Bruno Biatry
- L'Oreal Research & Innovation, 1, avenue Eugène Schueller, 93601 Aulnay-sous- Bois, France
| | - Guillaume Cassin
- L'Oreal Research & Innovation, 1, avenue Eugène Schueller, 93601 Aulnay-sous- Bois, France
| | - Daniel Topgaard
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | - Emma Sparr
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 22100 Lund, Sweden
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Engberg O, Bochicchio A, Brandner AF, Gupta A, Dey S, Böckmann RA, Maiti S, Huster D. Serotonin Alters the Phase Equilibrium of a Ternary Mixture of Phospholipids and Cholesterol. Front Physiol 2020; 11:578868. [PMID: 33192582 PMCID: PMC7645218 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.578868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Unsaturated and saturated phospholipids tend to laterally segregate, especially in the presence of cholesterol. Small molecules such as neurotransmitters, toxins, drugs etc. possibly modulate this lateral segregation. The small aromatic neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) has been found to bind to membranes. We studied the lipid structure and packing of a ternary membrane mixture consisting of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine, palmitoyl-sphingomyelin, and cholesterol at a molar ratio of 4/4/2 in the absence and in the presence of 5-HT, using a combination of solid-state 2H NMR, atomic force microscopy, and atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Both NMR and MD report formation of a liquid ordered (L o ) and a liquid disordered (L d ) phase coexistence with small domains. Lipid exchange between the domains was fast such that single component 2H NMR spectra are detected over a wide temperature range. A drastic restructuring of the domains was induced when 5-HT is added to the membranes at a 9 mol% concentration relative to the lipids. 2H NMR spectra of all components of the mixture showed two prominent contributions indicative of molecules of the same kind residing both in the disordered and the ordered phase. Compared to the data in the absence of 5-HT, the lipid chain order in the disordered phase was further decreased in the presence of 5-HT. Likewise, addition of serotonin increased lipid chain order within the ordered phase. These characteristic lipid chain order changes were confirmed by MD simulations. The 5-HT-induced larger difference in lipid chain order results in more pronounced differences in the hydrophobic thickness of the individual membrane domains. The correspondingly enlarged hydrophobic mismatch between ordered and disordered phases is assumed to increase the line tension at the domain boundary, which drives the system into formation of larger size domains. These results not only demonstrate that small membrane binding molecules such as neurotransmitters have a profound impact on essential membrane properties. It also suggests a mechanism by which the interaction of small molecules with membranes can influence the function of membrane proteins and non-cognate receptors. Altered membrane properties may modify lateral sorting of membrane protein, membrane protein conformation, and thus influence their function as suspected for neurotransmitters, local anesthetics, and other small drug molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oskar Engberg
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Bochicchio
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Astrid F. Brandner
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ankur Gupta
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Simli Dey
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Rainer A. Böckmann
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sudipta Maiti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
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10
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Engberg O, Kováčik A, Pullmannová P, Juhaščik M, Opálka L, Huster D, Vávrová K. The Sphingosine and Acyl Chains of Ceramide [NS] Show Very Different Structure and Dynamics That Challenge Our Understanding of the Skin Barrier. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:17383-17387. [PMID: 32515145 PMCID: PMC7540555 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202003375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The lipid phase of the uppermost human skin layer is thought to comprise highly rigid lipids in an orthorhombic phase state to protect the body against the environment. By synthesizing sphingosine-d28 deuterated N-lignoceroyl-d-erythro-sphingosine (ceramide [NS]), we compare the structure and dynamics of both chains of that lipid in biologically relevant mixtures using X-ray diffraction, 2 H NMR analysis, and infrared spectroscopy. Our results reveal a substantial fraction of sphingosine chains in a fluid and dynamic phase state at physiological temperature. These findings prompt revision of our current understanding of the skin lipid barrier, where an extended ceramide [NS] conformation is preferred and a possible domain structure is proposed. Mobile lipid chains may be crucial for skin elasticity and the translocation of physiologically important molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oskar Engberg
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsUniversity of LeipzigHärtelstr. 16–1804275LeipzigGermany
| | - Andrej Kováčik
- Skin Barrier Research GroupFaculty of Pharmacy in Hradec KrálovéCharles UniversityAkademika Heyrovského 120350005Hradec KrálovéCzech Republic
| | - Petra Pullmannová
- Skin Barrier Research GroupFaculty of Pharmacy in Hradec KrálovéCharles UniversityAkademika Heyrovského 120350005Hradec KrálovéCzech Republic
| | - Martin Juhaščik
- Skin Barrier Research GroupFaculty of Pharmacy in Hradec KrálovéCharles UniversityAkademika Heyrovského 120350005Hradec KrálovéCzech Republic
| | - Lukáš Opálka
- Skin Barrier Research GroupFaculty of Pharmacy in Hradec KrálovéCharles UniversityAkademika Heyrovského 120350005Hradec KrálovéCzech Republic
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsUniversity of LeipzigHärtelstr. 16–1804275LeipzigGermany
- Department of Chemical ScienceTata Institute of Fundamental ResearchDr. Homi Bhabha Road, ColabaMumbai400 005India
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Skin Barrier Research GroupFaculty of Pharmacy in Hradec KrálovéCharles UniversityAkademika Heyrovského 120350005Hradec KrálovéCzech Republic
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11
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Engberg O, Kováčik A, Pullmannová P, Juhaščik M, Opálka L, Huster D, Vávrová K. Die unterschiedliche Struktur und Dynamik der Sphingosin‐ und Acylketten von Ceramid [NS] verändern unser Verständnis der Struktur der Hautbarriere. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202003375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oskar Engberg
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik Universität Leipzig Härtelstraße 16–18 04275 Leipzig Deutschland
| | - Andrej Kováčik
- Skin Barrier Research Group Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Charles University Akademika Heyrovského 1203 50005 Hradec Králové Czech Republi
| | - Petra Pullmannová
- Skin Barrier Research Group Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Charles University Akademika Heyrovského 1203 50005 Hradec Králové Czech Republi
| | - Martin Juhaščik
- Skin Barrier Research Group Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Charles University Akademika Heyrovského 1203 50005 Hradec Králové Czech Republi
| | - Lukáš Opálka
- Skin Barrier Research Group Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Charles University Akademika Heyrovského 1203 50005 Hradec Králové Czech Republi
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik Universität Leipzig Härtelstraße 16–18 04275 Leipzig Deutschland
- Department of Chemical Science Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba Mumbai 400 005 Indien
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Skin Barrier Research Group Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Charles University Akademika Heyrovského 1203 50005 Hradec Králové Czech Republi
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12
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Pham QD, Carlström G, Lafon O, Sparr E, Topgaard D. Quantification of the amount of mobile components in intact stratum corneum with natural-abundance 13C solid-state NMR. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:6572-6583. [PMID: 32159206 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp00079e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The outermost layer of the skin is the stratum corneum (SC), which is mainly comprised of solid proteins and lipids. Minor amounts of mobile proteins and lipids are crucial for the macroscopic properties of the SC, including softness, elasticity and barrier function. Still this minor number of mobile components are not well characterized in terms of structure or amount. Conventional quantitative direct polarization (Q-DP) 13C solid-state NMR gives signal amplitudes proportional to concentrations, but fails to quantify the SC mobile components because of spectral overlap with the overwhelming signals from the solids. Spectral editing with the INEPT scheme suppresses the signals from solids, but also modulates the amplitudes of the mobile components depending on their values of the transverse relaxation times T2, scalar couplings JCH, and number of covalently bound hydrogens nH. This study describes a quantitative INEPT (Q-INEPT) method relying on systematic variation of the INEPT timing variables to estimate T2, JCH, nH, and amplitude for each of the resolved resonances from the mobile components. Q-INEPT is validated with a series of model systems containing molecules with different hydrophobicity and dynamics. For selected systems where Q-DP is applicable, the results of Q-INEPT and Q-DP are similar with respect to the linearity and uncertainty of the obtained molar ratios. Utilizing a reference compound with known concentration, we quantify the concentrations of mobile lipids and proteins within the mainly solid SC. By melting all lipids at high temperature, we obtain the total lipid concentration. These Q-INEPT results are the first steps towards a quantitative understanding of the relations between mobile component concentrations and SC macroscopic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quoc Dat Pham
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Lund University, Lund, Sweden and Department of Food Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Göran Carlström
- Centre for Analysis and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Olivier Lafon
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181-UCCS-Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille, France and Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Emma Sparr
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Daniel Topgaard
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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13
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Kováčik A, Pullmannová P, Pavlíková L, Maixner J, Vávrová K. Behavior of 1-Deoxy-, 3-Deoxy- and N-Methyl-Ceramides in Skin Barrier Lipid Models. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3832. [PMID: 32123227 PMCID: PMC7051948 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60754-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ceramides (Cer) are essential components of the skin permeability barrier. To probe the role of Cer polar head groups involved in the interfacial hydrogen bonding, the N-lignoceroyl sphingosine polar head was modified by removing the hydroxyls in C-1 (1-deoxy-Cer) or C-3 positions (3-deoxy-Cer) and by N-methylation of amide group (N-Me-Cer). Multilamellar skin lipid models were prepared as equimolar mixtures of Cer, lignoceric acid and cholesterol, with 5 wt% cholesteryl sulfate. In the 1-deoxy-Cer-based models, the lipid species were separated into highly ordered domains (as found by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy) resulting in similar water loss but 4–5-fold higher permeability to model substances compared to control with natural Cer. In contrast, 3-deoxy-Cer did not change lipid chain order but promoted the formation of a well-organized structure with a 10.8 nm repeat period. Yet both lipid models comprising deoxy-Cer had similar permeabilities to all markers. N-Methylation of Cer decreased lipid chain order, led to phase separation, and improved cholesterol miscibility in the lipid membranes, resulting in 3-fold increased water loss and 10-fold increased permeability to model compounds compared to control. Thus, the C-1 and C-3 hydroxyls and amide group, which are common to all Cer subclasses, considerably affect lipid miscibility and chain order, formation of periodical nanostructures, and permeability of the skin barrier lipid models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Kováčik
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Pullmannová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Ludmila Pavlíková
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Maixner
- University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
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14
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Bosse M, Sibold J, Scheidt HA, Patalag LJ, Kettelhoit K, Ries A, Werz DB, Steinem C, Huster D. Shiga toxin binding alters lipid packing and the domain structure of Gb 3-containing membranes: a solid-state NMR study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:15630-15638. [PMID: 31268447 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp02501d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
We studied the influence of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) lipid molecules on the properties of phospholipid membranes composed of a liquid ordered (lo)/liquid disordered (ld) phase separated 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)/N-palmitoyl-d-erythro-sphingosylphosphorylcholine (PSM)/cholesterol mixture (40/35/20, mol/mol/mol) supplemented with 5 mol% of either short acyl chain palmitoyl-Gb3 or long acyl chain lignoceryl-Gb3 using 2H solid-state NMR spectroscopy. To this end, both globotriaosylceramides were chemically synthesized featuring a perdeuterated lipid acyl chain. The solid-state 2H NMR spectra support the phase separation into a POPC-rich ld phase and a PSM/cholesterol-rich lo phase. The long chain lignoceryl-Gb3 showed a rather unusual order parameter profile of the acyl chain, which flattens out for the last ∼6 methylene segments. Such an odd chain conformation can be explained by partial chain interdigitation and/or a very fluid midplane region of the membrane. Possibly, the Gb3 molecules may thus preferentially be localized at the lo/ld phase boundary. In contrast, the short chain palmitoyl-Gb3 was well associated with the PSM/cholesterol-rich lo phase. Gb3 molecules act as membrane receptors for the Shiga toxin (STx) produced by Shigella dysenteriae and by enterohemorrhagic strains of Escherichia coli (EHEC). The B-subunits of STx (STxB) forming a pentameric structure were produced recombinantly and incubated with the membrane mixtures leading to alterations in the lipid packing properties and lateral organization of the membranes. Typically, STxB binding led to a decrease in lipid chain order in agreement with partial immersion of protein segments into the lipid-water interface of the membrane. In the presence of STxB, Gb3 preferentially partitioned into the lo membrane phase. In particular the short acyl chain palmitoyl-Gb3 showed very similar chain order parameters to PSM. In the presence of STxB, all lipid species showed isotropic contributions to the 2H NMR powder spectra; this was most pronounced for the Gb3 molecules. Such isotropic contributions are caused by highly curved membrane structures, which have previously been detected as membrane invaginations in fluorescence microscopy. Our analysis estimated that STxB induced highly curved membrane structures with a curvature radius of less than ∼10 nm likely related to the insertion of STxB segments into the lipid-water interface of the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Bosse
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Jeremias Sibold
- Institute for Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstr. 2, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Holger A Scheidt
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Lukas J Patalag
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Katharina Kettelhoit
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Annika Ries
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Daniel B Werz
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hagenring 30, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Claudia Steinem
- Institute for Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstr. 2, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany and Max-Planck-Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
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15
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Structural and barrier properties of the skin ceramide lipid bilayer: a molecular dynamics simulation study. J Mol Model 2019; 25:140. [PMID: 31041534 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-019-4008-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Skin provides excellent protection against the harsh external environment and foreign substances. The lipid matrix of the stratum corneum, which contains various kinds of ceramides, plays a major role in the barrier function of the skin. Here we report a study of the effects of ceramide type on the structural and transport properties of ceramide bilayers using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Specifically, the effects of headgroup chemistry (number and positions of hydroxyl groups) and tail structure (unsaturation of the sphingoid moiety) on the structural and transport properties of various ceramide bilayers at 310 K were analyzed. Theoretical results for structural properties such as area per lipid, bilayer thickness, lateral arrangement, order parameter, and hydrogen bonding are reported here and compared with corresponding experimental data. Our study revealed that the presence of a double bond disrupts the bilayer packing, which leads to a low area compressibility modulus, a large area per lipid, and low bilayer thickness. Furthermore, the effect of structural changes on water permeation was studied using steered MD simulations. Water permeation was found to be influenced by headgroup polarity, chain packing, and the ability of the water to hydrogen bond with the ceramides. The molecular-level information obtained from the current study should aid the design of mixed bilayer systems with desired properties and provide the basis for the development of higher order coarse-grained models.
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16
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Bender BJ, Vortmeier G, Ernicke S, Bosse M, Kaiser A, Els-Heindl S, Krug U, Beck-Sickinger A, Meiler J, Huster D. Structural Model of Ghrelin Bound to its G Protein-Coupled Receptor. Structure 2019; 27:537-544.e4. [PMID: 30686667 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The peptide ghrelin targets the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR) to signal changes in cell metabolism and is a sought-after therapeutic target, although no structure is known to date. To investigate the structural basis of ghrelin binding to GHSR, we used solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, site-directed mutagenesis, and Rosetta modeling. The use of saturation transfer difference NMR identified key residues in the peptide for receptor binding beyond the known motif. This information combined with assignment of the secondary structure of ghrelin in its receptor-bound state was incorporated into Rosetta using an approach that accounts for flexible binding partners. The NMR data and models revealed an extended binding surface that was confirmed via mutagenesis. Our results agree with a growing evidence of peptides interacting via two sites at G protein-coupled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Joseph Bender
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Gerrit Vortmeier
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Medical Department, Leipzig University, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Ernicke
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Brüderstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mathias Bosse
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Medical Department, Leipzig University, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anette Kaiser
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Brüderstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sylvia Els-Heindl
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Brüderstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Krug
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Medical Department, Leipzig University, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Annette Beck-Sickinger
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Brüderstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jens Meiler
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Medical Department, Leipzig University, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
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17
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Wang E, Klauda JB. Models for the Stratum Corneum Lipid Matrix: Effects of Ceramide Concentration, Ceramide Hydroxylation, and Free Fatty Acid Protonation. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:11996-12008. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b06188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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18
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Podewitz M, Wang Y, Gkeka P, von Grafenstein S, Liedl KR, Cournia Z. Phase Diagram of a Stratum Corneum Lipid Mixture. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:10505-10521. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b07200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maren Podewitz
- Institute of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Yin Wang
- Institute of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Paraskevi Gkeka
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Susanne von Grafenstein
- Institute of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Klaus R. Liedl
- Institute of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Zoe Cournia
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou, 11527 Athens, Greece
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19
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Adler J, Scheidt HA, Lemmnitzer K, Krueger M, Huster D. N-terminal lipid conjugation of amyloid β(1-40) leads to the formation of highly ordered N-terminally extended fibrils. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 19:1839-1846. [PMID: 28000812 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp05982a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Fibril formation of amyloid β(1-40) (Aβ(1-40)) peptides N-terminally lipid modified with saturated octanoyl or palmitoyl lipid chains was investigated. Lipid modification of Aβ(1-40) significantly accelerates the fibrillation kinetics of the Aβ peptides as revealed by ThT fluorescence. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction results indicate a heterogeneous cross-β structure of the fibrils formed by the lipid-conjugated peptides. Solid-state NMR was used to investigate structural features of these fibrils. The lipid moieties form dynamic and loosely structured heterogeneous lipid assemblies as inferred from 2H NMR of the deuterated lipid chains. 13C NMR studies of selected isotopic labels reveals that in addition to Phe19 and Val39, which are part of the canonical cross-β structure, also N-terminal residues (Ala2, Phe4, Val12) are found in β-strand conformation. This suggests that the increased hydrophobicity induced by the lipid modification, alters the energy landscape rendering an N-terminal extension of the β-sheet structure favorable. Furthermore, the fibrils formed by the Aβ-lipid hybrids are much more rigid than wildtype Aβ fibrils as inferred from NMR order parameter measurements. Taken together, increasing the local hydrophobicity of the Aβ N-terminus results in highly ordered but heterogeneous amyloid fibrils with extended N-terminal β-sheet structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Adler
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Holger A Scheidt
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Katharina Lemmnitzer
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Martin Krueger
- Institute for Anatomy, Leipzig University, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
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20
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Abstract
AbstractThe outer layer of the skin, stratum corneum (SC) is an efficient transport barrier and it tolerates mechanical deformation. At physiological conditions, the majority of SC lipids are solid, while the presence of a small amount of fluid lipids is considered crucial for SC barrier and material properties. Here we use solid-state and diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance to characterize the composition and molecular dynamics of the fluid lipid fraction in SC model lipids, focusing on the role of the essential SC lipid CER EOS, which is a ceramide esterified omega-hydroxy sphingosine linoleate with very long chain. We show that both rigid and mobile structures are present within the same CER EOS molecule, and that the linoleate segments undergo fast isotropic reorientation while exhibiting extraordinarily slow self-diffusion. The characterization of this unusual self-assembly in SC lipids provides deepened insight into the molecular arrangement in the SC extracellular lipid matrix and the role of CER EOS linoleate in the healthy and diseased skin.
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21
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Kováčik A, Vogel A, Adler J, Pullmannová P, Vávrová K, Huster D. Probing the role of ceramide hydroxylation in skin barrier lipid models by 2H solid-state NMR spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1860:1162-1170. [PMID: 29408487 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
In this work, we studied model stratum corneum lipid mixtures composed of the hydroxylated skin ceramides N-lignoceroyl 6-hydroxysphingosine (Cer[NH]) and α-hydroxylignoceroyl phytosphingosine (Cer[AP]). Two model skin lipid mixtures of the composition Cer[NH] or Cer[AP], N-lignoceroyl sphingosine (Cer[NS]), lignoceric acid (C24:0) and cholesterol in a 0.5:0.5:1:1 molar ratio were compared. Model membranes were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and 2H solid-state NMR spectroscopy at temperatures from 25 °C to 80 °C. Each component of the model mixture was specifically deuterated for selective detection by 2H NMR. Thus, the exact phase composition of the mixture at varying temperatures could be quantified. Moreover, using X-ray powder diffraction we investigated the lamellar phase formation. From the solid-state NMR and DSC studies, we found that both hydroxylated Cer[NH] and Cer[AP] exhibit a similar phase behavior. At physiological skin temperature of 32 °C, the lipids form a crystalline (orthorhombic) phase. With increasing temperature, most of the lipids become fluid and form a liquid-crystalline phase, which converts to the isotropic phase at higher temperatures (65-80 °C). Interestingly, lignoceric acid in the Cer[NH]-containing mixture has a tendency to form two types of fluid phases at 65 °C. This tendency was also observed in Cer[AP]-containing membranes at 80 °C. While Cer[AP]-containing lipid models formed a short periodicity phase featuring a repeat spacing of d = 5.4 nm, in the Cer[NH]-based model skin lipid membranes, the formation of unusual long periodicity phase with a repeat spacing of d = 10.7 nm was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Kováčik
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Alexander Vogel
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Juliane Adler
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Petra Pullmannová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
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22
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Wang E, Klauda JB. Simulations of Pure Ceramide and Ternary Lipid Mixtures as Simple Interior Stratum Corneum Models. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:2757-2768. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b00348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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23
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Olsztyńska-Janus S, Pietruszka A, Kiełbowicz Z, Czarnecki MA. ATR-IR study of skin components: Lipids, proteins and water. Part I: Temperature effect. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2018; 188:37-49. [PMID: 28689077 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In this work we report the studies of the effect of temperature on skin components, such as lipids, proteins and water. Modifications of lipids structure induced by increasing temperature (from 20 to 90°C) have been studied using ATR-IR (Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared) spectroscopy, which is a powerful tool for characterization of the molecular structure and properties of tissues, such as skin. Due to the small depth of penetration (0.6-5.6μm), ATR-IR spectroscopy probes only the outermost layer of the skin, i.e. the stratum corneum (SC). The assignment of main spectral features of skin components allows for the determination of phase transitions from the temperature dependencies of band intensities [e.g. νas(CH2) and νs(CH2)]. The phase transitions were determined by using two methods: the first one was based on the first derivative of the Boltzmann function and the second one employed tangent lines of sigmoidal, aforementioned dependencies. The phase transitions in lipids were correlated with modifications of the structure of water and proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Olsztyńska-Janus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, pl. Grunwaldzki 13, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - A Pietruszka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, pl. Grunwaldzki 13, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Z Kiełbowicz
- Department of Surgery the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, pl. Grunwaldzki 51, 50-366 Wrocław, Poland
| | - M A Czarnecki
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
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24
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Abstract
Abstract
The skin barrier, which is essential for human survival on dry land, is located in the uppermost skin layer, the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum consists of corneocytes surrounded by multilamellar lipid membranes that prevent excessive water loss from the body and entrance of undesired substances from the environment. To ensure this protective function, the composition and organization of the lipid membranes is highly specialized. The major skin barrier lipids are ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol in an approximately equimolar ratio. With hundreds of molecular species of ceramide, skin barrier lipids are a highly complex mixture that complicate the investigation of its behaviour. In this minireview, the structures of the major skin barrier lipids, formation of the stratum corneum lipid membranes and their molecular organization are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Vávrová
- Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Skin Barrier Research Group, Hradec Králové , Czech Republic
| | - A. Kováčik
- Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Skin Barrier Research Group, Hradec Králové , Czech Republic
| | - L. Opálka
- Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Skin Barrier Research Group, Hradec Králové , Czech Republic
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25
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Paz Ramos A, Gooris G, Bouwstra J, Lafleur M. Evidence of hydrocarbon nanodrops in highly ordered stratum corneum model membranes. J Lipid Res 2017; 59:137-143. [PMID: 29092959 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m080432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The stratum corneum (SC), the top layer of skin, dictates the rate of both water loss through the skin and absorption of exogenous molecules into the body. The crystalline organization of the lipids in the SC is believed to be a key feature associated with the very limited permeability of the skin. In this work, we characterized the organization of SC lipid models that include, as in native SC, cholesterol, a series of FFAs (saturated with C16-C24 chains), as well as a ceramide bearing an oleate chain-linked to a very long saturated acyl chain [N-melissoyl-oleoyloxy hexacosanoyl-D-erythro-sphingosine (Cer EOS)]. The latter is reported to be essential for the native SC lipid organization. Our 2H-NMR, infrared, and Raman spectroscopy data reveal that Cer EOS leads to the formation of highly disordered liquid domains in a solid/crystalline matrix. The lipid organization imposes steric constraint on Cer EOS oleate chains in such a way that these hydrocarbon nanodroplets remain in the liquid state down to -30°C. These findings modify the structural description of the SC substantially and propose a novel role of Cer EOS, as this lipid is a strong modulator of SC solid/liquid balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Paz Ramos
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Gert Gooris
- Department of Drug Delivery Technology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joke Bouwstra
- Department of Drug Delivery Technology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Lafleur
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
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Stahlberg S, Eichner A, Sonnenberger S, Kováčik A, Lange S, Schmitt T, Demé B, Hauß T, Dobner B, Neubert RHH, Huster D. Influence of a Novel Dimeric Ceramide Molecule on the Nanostructure and Thermotropic Phase Behavior of a Stratum Corneum Model Mixture. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:9211-9221. [PMID: 28819979 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b01227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The stratum corneum (SC) is the outermost layer of the skin and is composed of a multilayered assembly of mostly ceramids (Cer), free fatty acids, cholesterol (Chol), and cholesterol sulfate (Chol-S). Because of the tight packing of these lipids, the SC features unique barrier properties defending the skin from environmental influences. Under pathological conditions, where the skin barrier function is compromised, topical application of molecules that rigidify the SC may lead to a restored barrier function. To this end, molecules are required that incorporate into the SC and bring back the original rigidity of the skin barrier. Here, we investigated the influence of a novel dimeric ceramide (dim-Cer) molecule designed to feature a long, rigid hydrocarbon chain ideally suited to forming an orthorhombic lipid phase. The influence of this molecules on the thermotropic phase behavior of a SC mixture consisting of Cer[AP18] (55 wt %), cholesterol (Chol, 25 wt %), steric acid (SA, 15 wt %), and cholesterol sulfate (Chol-S, 5 wt %) was studied using a combination of neutron diffraction and 2H NMR spectroscopy. These methods provide detailed insights into the packing properties of the lipids in the SC model mixture. Dim-Cer remains in an all-trans state of the membrane-spanning lipid chain at all investigated temperatures, but the influence on the phase behavior of the other lipids in the mixture is marginal. Biophysical experiments are complemented by permeability measurements in model membranes and human skin. The latter, however, indicates that dim-Cer only partially provides the desired effect on membrane permeability, necessitating further optimization of its structure for medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sören Stahlberg
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University , Leipzig, Germany
| | - Adina Eichner
- Institute of Pharmacy and #Institute of Applied Dermatopharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Stefan Sonnenberger
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University , Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy and #Institute of Applied Dermatopharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Andrej Kováčik
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University , Leipzig, Germany
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University , Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Stefan Lange
- Institute of Pharmacy and #Institute of Applied Dermatopharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Institute of Pharmacy and #Institute of Applied Dermatopharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , Halle (Saale), Germany
- Institute of Soft Matter and Functional Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie , Berlin, Germany
| | - Bruno Demé
- Institute Laue-Langevin (ILL) , Grenoble, France
| | - Thomas Hauß
- Institute of Soft Matter and Functional Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie , Berlin, Germany
| | - Bodo Dobner
- Institute of Pharmacy and #Institute of Applied Dermatopharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Reinhard H H Neubert
- Institute of Pharmacy and #Institute of Applied Dermatopharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University , Leipzig, Germany
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Permeability and microstructure of model stratum corneum lipid membranes containing ceramides with long (C16) and very long (C24) acyl chains. Biophys Chem 2017; 224:20-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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28
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Influence of the penetration enhancer isopropyl myristate on stratum corneum lipid model membranes revealed by neutron diffraction and 2 H NMR experiments. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1859:745-755. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 01/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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29
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Sonnenberger S, Eichner A, Hauß T, Schroeter A, Neubert RH, Dobner B. Synthesis of specifically deuterated ceramide [AP]-C18 and its biophysical characterization using neutron diffraction. Chem Phys Lipids 2017; 204:15-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Revised: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Kováčik A, Šilarová M, Pullmannová P, Maixner J, Vávrová K. Effects of 6-Hydroxyceramides on the Thermotropic Phase Behavior and Permeability of Model Skin Lipid Membranes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:2890-2899. [PMID: 28230380 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ceramides (Cer) based on 6-hydroxysphingosine are important components of the human skin barrier, the stratum corneum. Although diminished concentrations of 6-hydroxyCer have been detected in skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, our knowledge on these unusual sphingolipids, which have only been found in the skin, is limited. In this work, we investigate the biophysical behavior of N-lignoceroyl-6-hydroxysphingosine (Cer NH) in multilamellar lipid membranes composed of Cer/free fatty acids (FFAs) (C16-C24)/cholesterol/cholesteryl sulfate. To probe the Cer structure-activity relationships, we compared Cer NH membranes with membranes containing Cer with sphingosine (Cer NS), dihydrosphingosine, and phytosphingosine (Cer NP), all with the same acyl chain length (C24). Compared with Cer NS, 6-hydroxylation of Cer not only increased membrane water loss and permeability in a lipophilic model compound but also dramatically increased the membrane opposition to electrical current, which is proportional to the flux of ions. Infrared spectroscopy revealed that Cer hydroxylation (in either Cer NH or Cer NP) increased the main transition temperature of the membrane but prevented good Cer mixing with FFAs. X-ray powder diffraction showed not only lamellar phases with shorter periodicity upon Cer hydroxylation but also the formation of an unusually long periodicity phase (d = 10.6 nm) in Cer NH-containing membranes. Thus, 6-hydroxyCer behaves differently from sphingosine- and phytosphingosine-based Cer. In particular, the ability to form a long-periodicity lamellar phase and highly limited permeability to ions indicate the manner in which 6-hydroxylated Cer contribute to the skin barrier function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Kováčik
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University , 500 05 Prague, Hradec Kralove
| | - Michaela Šilarová
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University , 500 05 Prague, Hradec Kralove
| | - Petra Pullmannová
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University , 500 05 Prague, Hradec Kralove
| | - Jaroslav Maixner
- University of Chemistry and Technology , 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University , 500 05 Prague, Hradec Kralove
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Schroeter A, Stahlberg S, Školová B, Sonnenberger S, Eichner A, Huster D, Vávrová K, Hauß T, Dobner B, Neubert RHH, Vogel A. Phase separation in ceramide[NP] containing lipid model membranes: neutron diffraction and solid-state NMR. SOFT MATTER 2017; 13:2107-2119. [PMID: 28225091 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm02356h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin and protects the organism against external influences as well as water loss. It consists of corneocytes embedded in a mixture of ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol in a molar ratio of roughly 1 : 1 : 1. The unique structural and compositional arrangement of these stratum corneum lipids is responsible for the skin barrier properties. Many studies investigated the organization of these barrier lipids and, in particular, the exact conformation of ceramides. However, so far no consensus has been reached. In this study, we investigate a model system comprised of N-(non-hydroxy-tetracosanoyl)-phytosphingosine/cholesterol/tetracosanoic acid (CER[NP]-C24/CHOL/TA) at a 1 : 1 : 1 molar ratio using neutron diffraction and 2H solid-state NMR spectroscopy at temperatures from 25 °C to 80 °C. Deuterated variants of all three lipid components of the model system were used to enable their separate investigation in the NMR spectra and quantification of the amount of molecules in each phase. Neutron scattering experiments show the coexistence of two lipid phases at low temperatures with repeat spacings of 54.2 Å and 43.0 Å at a physiological skin temperature of 32 °C. They appear to be indistinguishable in the 2H NMR spectra as both phases are crystalline and ceramide molecules do not rotate around their long axis on a microsecond timescale. The evolution of these phases upon heating is followed and with increasing temperature fluid and even isotropically mobile molecules are observed. A model of the organization of the lamellar phases is proposed in which the thicker phase consists of CER[NP]-C24 in a hairpin conformation mixed with CHOL and TA, while the phase with a repeat spacing of 43.0 Å contains CER[NP]-C24 in a V-shape conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annett Schroeter
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Sören Stahlberg
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Barbora Školová
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany. and Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Stefan Sonnenberger
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Adina Eichner
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Thomas Hauß
- Institute of Soft Matter and Functional Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bodo Dobner
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Reinhard H H Neubert
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany and Institute of Applied Dermatopharmacy at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Alexander Vogel
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
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Školová B, Kováčik A, Tesař O, Opálka L, Vávrová K. Phytosphingosine, sphingosine and dihydrosphingosine ceramides in model skin lipid membranes: permeability and biophysics. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1859:824-834. [PMID: 28109750 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Ceramides based on phytosphingosine, sphingosine and dihydrosphingosine are essential constituents of the skin lipid barrier that protects the body from excessive water loss. The roles of the individual ceramide subclasses in regulating skin permeability and the reasons for C4-hydroxylation of these sphingolipids are not completely understood. We investigated the chain length-dependent effects of dihydroceramides, sphingosine ceramides (with C4-unsaturation) and phytoceramides (with C4-hydroxyl) on the permeability, lipid organization and thermotropic behavior of model stratum corneum lipid membranes composed of ceramide/lignoceric acid/cholesterol/cholesteryl sulfate. Phytoceramides with very long C24 acyl chains increased the permeability of the model lipid membranes compared to dihydroceramides or sphingosine ceramides with the same chain lengths. Either unsaturation or C4-hydroxylation of dihydroceramides induced chain length-dependent increases in membrane permeability. Infrared spectroscopy showed that C4-hydroxylation of the sphingoid base decreased the relative ratio of orthorhombic chain packing in the membrane and lowered the miscibility of C24 phytoceramide with lignoceric acid. The phase separation in phytoceramide membranes was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. In contrast, phytoceramides formed strong hydrogen bonds and highly thermostable domains. Thus, the large heterogeneity in ceramide structures and in their aggregation mechanisms may confer resistance towards the heterogeneous external stressors that are constantly faced by the skin barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Školová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Andrej Kováčik
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Tesař
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Opálka
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Vávrová
- Skin Barrier Research Group, Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Akademika Heyrovského 1203, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
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33
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Lai MKP, Chew WS, Torta F, Rao A, Harris GL, Chun J, Herr DR. Biological Effects of Naturally Occurring Sphingolipids, Uncommon Variants, and Their Analogs. Neuromolecular Med 2016; 18:396-414. [DOI: 10.1007/s12017-016-8424-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Mueller J, Schroeter A, Steitz R, Trapp M, Neubert RHH. Preparation of a New Oligolamellar Stratum Corneum Lipid Model. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:4673-4680. [PMID: 27058649 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b00655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we present a preparation method for a new stratum corneum (SC) model system, which is closer to natural SC than the commonly used multilayer models. The complex setup of the native SC lipid matrix was mimicked by a ternary lipid mixture of ceramide [AP], cholesterol, and stearic acid. A spin coating procedure was applied to realize oligo-layered samples. The influence of lipid concentration, rotation speed, polyethylenimine, methanol content, cholesterol fraction, and annealing on the molecular arrangement of the new SC model was investigated by X-ray reflectivity measurements. The new oligo-SC model is closer to native SC in the total number of lipid membranes found between corneocytes. The reduction in thickness provides the opportunity to study the effects of drugs and/or hydrophilic penetration enhancers on the structure of SC in full detail by X-ray or neutron reflectivity. In addition, the oligo-lamellar systems allows one to infer not only the lamellar spacing, but also the total thickness of the oligo-SC model and changes thereof can be monitored. This improvement is most helpful for the understanding of transdermal drug administration on the nanoscale. The results are compared to the commonly used multilamellar lipid model systems and advantages and disadvantages of both models are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Mueller
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University , Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Annett Schroeter
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University , Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Roland Steitz
- Institute of Soft Matter and Functional Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH , Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus Trapp
- Institute of Soft Matter and Functional Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH , Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Reinhard H H Neubert
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University , Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle, Germany
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Chemical penetration enhancers in stratum corneum - Relation between molecular effects and barrier function. J Control Release 2016; 232:175-87. [PMID: 27108613 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Skin is attractive for drug therapy because it offers an easily accessible route without first-pass metabolism. Transdermal drug delivery is also associated with high patient compliance and through the site of application, the drug delivery can be locally directed. However, to succeed with transdermal drug delivery it is often required to overcome the low permeability of the upper layer of the skin, the stratum corneum (SC). One common strategy is to employ so-called penetration enhancers that supposedly act to increase the drug passage across SC. Still, there is a lack of understanding of the molecular effects of so-called penetration enhancers on the skin barrier membrane, the SC. In this study, we provide a molecular characterization of how different classes of compounds, suggested as penetration enhancers, influence lipid and protein components in SC. The compounds investigated include monoterpenes, fatty acids, osmolytes, surfactant, and Azone. We employ natural abundance (13)C polarization transfer solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) on intact porcine SC. With this method it is possible to detect small changes in the mobility of the minor fluid lipid and protein SC components, and simultaneously obtain information on the major fraction of solid SC components. The balance between fluid and solid components in the SC is essential to determine macroscopic material properties of the SC, including barrier and mechanical properties. We study SC at different hydration levels corresponding to SC in ambient air and under occlusion. The NMR studies are complemented with diffusion cell experiments that provide quantitative data on skin permeability when treated with different compounds. By correlating the effects on SC molecular components and SC barrier function, we aim at deepened understanding of diffusional transport in SC, and how this can be controlled, which can be utilized for optimal design of transdermal drug delivery formulations.
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36
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Stahlberg S, Lange S, Dobner B, Huster D. Probing the Role of Ceramide Headgroup Polarity in Short-Chain Model Skin Barrier Lipid Mixtures by ²H Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:2023-2031. [PMID: 26828109 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b04173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The thermoptropic phase behaviors of two stratum corneum model lipid mixtures composed of equimolar contributions of either Cer[NS18] or Cer[NP18] with stearic acid and cholesterol were compared. Each component of the mixture was specifically deuterated such that the temperature-dependent (2)H NMR spectra allowed disentanglement of the complicated phase polymorphism of these lipid mixtures. While Cer[NS] is based on the sphingosine backbone, Cer[NP] features a phytosphingosine, which introduces an additional hydroxyl group into the headgroup of the ceramide and abolishes the double bond. From the NMR spectra, the individual contributions of all lipids to the respective phases could be determined. The comparison of the two lipid mixtures reveals that Cer[NP] containing mixtures have a tendency to form more fluid phases. It is concluded that the additional hydroxyl group of the phytosphingosine-containing ceramide Cer[NP18] in mixture with chain-matched stearic acid and cholesterol creates a packing defect that destabilizes the orthorhombic phase state of canonical SC mixtures. This steric clash favors the gel phase and promotes formation of fluid phases of Cer[NP] containing lipid mixtures at lower temperature compared to those containing Cer[NS18].
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Affiliation(s)
- Sören Stahlberg
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig , Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Lange
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Bodo Dobner
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig , Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
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37
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Losensky L, Goldenbogen B, Holland G, Laue M, Petran A, Liebscher J, Scheidt HA, Vogel A, Huster D, Klipp E, Arbuzova A. Micro- and nano-tubules built from loosely and tightly rolled up thin sheets. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:1292-301. [PMID: 26659839 DOI: 10.1039/c5cp06084b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Tubular structures built from amphiphilic molecules are of interest for nano-sensing, drug delivery, and structuring of oils. In this study, we characterized the tubules built in aqueous suspensions of a cholesteryl nucleoside conjugate, cholesterylaminouridine (CholAU) and phosphatidylcholines (PCs). In mixtures with unsaturated PCs having chain lengths comparable to the length of CholAU, two different types of tubular structures were observed; nano- and micro-tubules had average diameters in the ranges 50-300 nm and 2-3 μm, respectively. Using cryo scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) we found that nano- and micro-tubules differed in their morphology: the nano-tubules were densely packed, whereas micro-tubules consisted of loosely rolled undulated lamellas. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the nano-tubules were built from 4 to 5 nm thick CholAU-rich bilayers, which were in the crystalline state. Solid-state (2)H NMR spectroscopy also confirmed that about 25% of the total CholAU, being about the fraction of CholAU composing the tubules, formed the rigid crystalline phase. We found that CholAU/PC tubules can be functionalized by molecules inserted into lipid bilayers and fluorescently labeled PCs and lipophilic nucleic acids inserted spontaneously into the outer layer of the tubules. The tubular structures could be loaded and cross-linked, e.g. by DNA hybrids, and, therefore, are of interest for further development, e.g. as a depot scaffold for tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Losensky
- Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Björn Goldenbogen
- Theoretical Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gudrun Holland
- Robert Koch Institute, ZBS 4, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Laue
- Robert Koch Institute, ZBS 4, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anca Petran
- National Institute of Research and Development for Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, Donat 67-103, RO-400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Jürgen Liebscher
- National Institute of Research and Development for Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, Donat 67-103, RO-400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Holger A Scheidt
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexander Vogel
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Edda Klipp
- Theoretical Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna Arbuzova
- Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
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38
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Ramos AP, Lafleur M. Chain Length of Free Fatty Acids Influences the Phase Behavior of Stratum Corneum Model Membranes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2015; 31:11621-11629. [PMID: 26442576 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b03271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The skin, the largest organ of the human body, forms a flexible interface between our internal and external environment that protects our organism from exogenous compounds as well as excessive water loss. The stratum corneum (SC), the outermost layer of mammal epidermis, is mainly responsible for the skin impermeability. The SC is formed by corneocytes embedded in a lipid matrix, which is mostly constituted of ceramides (Cer), free fatty acids (FFA), and cholesterol (Chol), organized in two coexisting crystalline lamellar phases. This arrangement of lipids is crucial to skin barrier function. The aim of this paper is to determine the impact of FFA chain length on the phase behavior of SC model lipid membranes using solid-state deuterium NMR and IR spectroscopy. We studied ternary mixtures of N-lignoceroyl-d-erythro-sphingosine (Cer24), cholesterol, and palmitic (FFA16) or lignoceric (FFA24) acid in an equimolar ratio. This proportion replicates the lipid composition found in the SC lipid matrix. Our studies revealed that the phase behavior of Cer24/FFA/Chol ternary mixtures is strongly affected by the length of the FFA. We found the formation of phase-separated crystalline lipid domains when using palmitic acid whereas the use of lignoceric acid results in a more homogeneous mixture. In addition, it was observed that mixtures with lignoceric acid form a gel phase, a very unusual feature for SC model mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Paz Ramos
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Self-Assembled Chemical Structures (CSACS), Université de Montréal , C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC Canada H3C 3J7
| | - Michel Lafleur
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Self-Assembled Chemical Structures (CSACS), Université de Montréal , C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC Canada H3C 3J7
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