ETHANOL DISORDERING OF G(M1)-ENRICHED SHORT-SLEEP SYNAPTOSOMAL PLASMA-MEMBRANES

The Long-Sleep (LS) and Short-Sleep (SS) mouse synaptosomal plasma mem branes differ in ethanol sensitivity at superficial membrane regions, which corresponds with the behavioral response of the mice to ethanol hypnosis. The only significant difference between these synaptosomal p lasma membranes is the synaptosomal monosialoganglioside (G(M1)) conte nt, LS > SS. Here, G(M1), was examined as a parameter for increasing m embrane sensitivity to ethanol effects in the ethanol-resistant SS mem branes. Synaptosomal plasma membranes from SS mice were allowed to inc orporate exogenous G(M1). Membrane order was then studied at the surfa ce, intermediate, and interior regions of the membranes by delayed Fou rier transform proton NMR in the presence and absence of perdeuterated ethanol. Differences in membrane order were observed in all three mem brane regions with increasing perdeuterated ethanol concentrations dep ending on the synaptosomal G(M1) content.