X. Pannecoucke et al., INTERACTIONS OF OXYSTEROLS WITH A LIPID-MEMBRANE MODEL - SOLID-STATE H-2-NMR STUDIES, Bulletin de la Societe chimique de France, 131(6), 1994, pp. 693-698
The effect of oxysterols on model membranes has been studied by deuter
ium nuclear magnetic resonance (H-2 NMR) spectroscopy. Oriented bilaye
rs were prepared from 1-myristoyl-2-[H-2(27)] myristoyl-sn-glycero-3-p
hosphocholine (DMPC-d(27)) and cholesterol + oxysterols. Order paramet
er profiles were determined and showed that, contrary to intuitive pre
dictions, when 7 alpha-, 7 beta-, 22S-hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydrox
ycholesterol were used at 15 mol% with 15 mol% cholesterol, they had a
very strong ordering effect on the acyl chains of DMPC. The H-2 NMR s
pectrum bf oriented bilayers and the H-2 NMR spectrum of aqueous dispe
rsions of DMPC-d(27) + 30 mol% 25-hydroxycholesterol at 40 degrees C s
how two different patterns, probably corresponding to two populations
of DMPC which differ by their 25-hydroxycholesterol/DMPC ratio. This h
ypothesis was confirmed by P-31 NMR spectroscopy and differential scan
ning calorimetry (DSC). Liposomes of DMPC containing 25-hydroxycholest
erol form microdomains with 25-hydroxycholesterol-rich and -poor regio
ns. This is probably due to the tendency of the 25-hydroxycholesterol
to form clusters with itself.