J. Gabrielska et al., Different effects of di- and triphenyltin compounds on lipid bilayer dithionite permeabilization, Z NATURFO C, 55(9-10), 2000, pp. 758-763
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Biochemistry & Biophysics
Journal title
ZEITSCHRIFT FUR NATURFORSCHUNG C-A JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCES
Phenyltins are chemicals widely used in industry, hence their occurrence in
the human environment is frequent and widespread. Such compounds include h
ydrophobic phenyl rings bonded to positively charged tin. This molecular st
ructure makes them capable of adsorbing onto and penetrating through biolog
ical membranes, hence they are potentially hazardous. Two such compounds, d
iphenyltin and triphenyltin, show different steric constraints when interac
ting with the lipid bilayer. It has been demonstrated that these compounds
are positioned at different locations within model lipid bilayers, causing
dissimilarity in their ability to affect membrane properties. In this paper
we present a study regarding the ability of these two phenyltins to facili
tate the transport of S2O4-2 ions across the lipid bilayer, evaluated by a
fluorescence quenching assay. In concentration range of up-to 60 muM those
compounds do not affect lipid bilayer topology when evaluated by vesicle si
ze distribution. Both phenyltins Facilitate the transfer of S2O4-2 across t
he model Lipid bilayer, but the dependence of dithionite transport on pheny
ltin concentration is different for both. In principle, above 20 muM triphe
nyltin is more efficient in transferring ions across the lipid bilayer than
diphenyltin.