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Shamaprasad P, Nădăban A, Iacovella CR, Gooris GS, Bunge AL, Bouwstra JA, McCabe C. The phase behavior of skin-barrier lipids: A combined approach of experiments and simulations. Biophys J 2024; 123:3188-3204. [PMID: 39030908 PMCID: PMC11447553 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Skin barrier function is localized in its outermost layer, the stratum corneum (SC), which is comprised of corneocyte cells embedded in an extracellular lipid matrix containing ceramides (CERs), cholesterol (CHOL), and free fatty acids (FFAs). The unique structure and composition of this lipid matrix are important for skin barrier function. In this study, experiments and molecular dynamics simulation were combined to investigate the structural properties and phase behavior of mixtures containing nonhydroxy sphingosine CER (CER NS), CHOL, and FFA. X-ray scattering for mixtures with varying CHOL levels revealed the presence of the 5.4 nm short periodicity phase in the presence of CHOL. Bilayers in coarse-grained multilayer simulations of the same compositions contained domains with thicknesses of approximately 5.3 and 5.8 nm that are associated with elevated levels, respectively, of CER sphingosine chains with CHOL, and CER acyl chains with FFA chains. The prevalence of the thicker domain increased with decreasing CHOL content. This might correspond to a phase with ∼5.8 nm spacing observed by x-rays (other details unknown) in mixtures with lower CHOL content. Scissoring and stretching frequencies from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) also indicate interaction between FFA and CER acyl chains and little interaction between CER acyl and CER sphingosine chains, which requires CER molecules to adopt a predominantly extended conformation. In the simulated systems, neighbor preferences of extended CER chains align more closely with the FTIR observations than those of CERs with hairpin ceramide chains. Both FTIR and atomistic simulations of reverse mapped multilayer membranes detect a hexagonal to fluid phase transition between 65 and 80°C. These results demonstrate the utility of a collaborative experimental and simulation effort in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of SC lipid membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parashara Shamaprasad
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Andreea Nădăban
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Christopher R Iacovella
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Gerrit S Gooris
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Annette L Bunge
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado
| | - Joke A Bouwstra
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Clare McCabe
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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Nădăban A, Frame CO, El Yachioui D, Gooris GS, Dalgliesh RM, Malfois M, Iacovella CR, Bunge AL, McCabe C, Bouwstra JA. The Sphingosine and Phytosphingosine Ceramide Ratio in Lipid Models Forming the Short Periodicity Phase: An Experimental and Molecular Simulation Study. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:13794-13809. [PMID: 38917358 PMCID: PMC11238587 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
The lipids located in the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum (SC), play a crucial role in maintaining the skin barrier function. The primary components of the SC lipid matrix are ceramides (CERs), cholesterol (CHOL), and free fatty acids (FFAs). They form two crystalline lamellar phases: the long periodicity phase (LPP) and the short periodicity phase (SPP). In inflammatory skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, there are changes in the SC CER composition, such as an increased concentration of a sphingosine-based CER (CER NS) and a reduced concentration of a phytosphingosine-based CER (CER NP). In the present study, a lipid model was created exclusively forming the SPP, to examine whether alterations in the CER NS:CER NP molar ratio would affect the lipid organization. Experimental data were combined with molecular dynamics simulations of lipid models containing CER NS:CER NP at ratios of 1:2 (mimicking a healthy SC ratio) and 2:1 (observed in inflammatory skin diseases), mixed with CHOL and lignoceric acid as the FFA. The experimental findings show that the acyl chains of CER NS and CER NP and the FFA are in close proximity within the SPP unit cell, indicating that CER NS and CER NP adopt a linear conformation, similarly as observed for the LPP. Both the experiments and simulations indicate that the lamellar organization is the same for the two CER NS:CER NP ratios while the SPP NS:NP 1:2 model had a slightly denser hydrogen bonding network than the SPP NS:NP 2:1 model. The simulations show that this might be attributed to intermolecular hydrogen bonding with the additional hydroxide group on the headgroup of CER NP compared with CER NS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea Nădăban
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden 2333CC, The Netherlands
| | - Chloe O Frame
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1604, United States of America
| | - Dounia El Yachioui
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden 2333CC, The Netherlands
| | - Gerrit S Gooris
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden 2333CC, The Netherlands
| | - Robert M Dalgliesh
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Marc Malfois
- ALBA Synchrotron, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08290 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christopher R Iacovella
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1604, United States of America
| | - Annette L Bunge
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States of America
| | - Clare McCabe
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1604, United States of America
- School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, United Kingdom
| | - Joke A Bouwstra
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden 2333CC, The Netherlands
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Nădăban A, Gooris GS, Beddoes CM, Dalgliesh RM, Malfois M, Demé B, Bouwstra JA. The molecular arrangement of ceramides in the unit cell of the long periodicity phase of stratum corneum models shows a high adaptability to different ceramide head group structures. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2024; 1866:184324. [PMID: 38688405 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2024.184324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The stratum corneum (SC) lipid matrix, composed primarily of ceramides (CERs), cholesterol and free fatty acids (FFA), has an important role for the skin barrier function. The presence of the long periodicity phase (LPP), a unique lamellar phase, is characteristic for the SC. Insight into the lipid molecular arrangement within the LPP unit cell is imperative for understanding the relationship between the lipid subclasses and the skin barrier function. In this study, the impact of the CER head group structure on the lipid arrangement and barrier functionality was investigated using lipid models forming the LPP. The results demonstrate that the positions of CER N-(tetracosanoyl)-sphingosine (CER NS) and CER N-(tetracosanoyl)-phytosphingosine (CER NP), two essentials CER subclasses, are not influenced by the addition of another CER subclass (N-(tetracosanoyl)-dihydrosphingosine (CER NdS), N-(2R-hydroxy-tetracosanoyl)-sphingosine (CER AS) or D-(2R-hydroxy-tetracosanoyl)-phytosphingosine (CER AP)). However, differences are observed in the lipid organization and the hydrogen bonding network of the three different models. A similar localization of CER NP and CER NS is also observed in a more complex lipid model, with the CER subclass composition mimicking that of human SC. These studies show the adaptability and insensitivity of the LPP unit cell structure to changes in the lipid head group structures of the CER subclasses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea Nădăban
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden 2333CC, the Netherlands
| | - Gerrit S Gooris
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden 2333CC, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte M Beddoes
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden 2333CC, the Netherlands
| | - Robert M Dalgliesh
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Marc Malfois
- ALBA Synchrotron, Carrer de la Llum 2-6, Cerdanyola del Vallès 08290, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bruno Demé
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Joke A Bouwstra
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden 2333CC, the Netherlands.
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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: 1.0] [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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