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. 2024 Dec 3;14(12):256.
doi: 10.3390/membranes14120256.

Role of DHA in a Physicochemical Study of a Model Membrane of Grey Matter

Victor E Cuenca  1 , Viviana I Pedroni  1   2 , Marcela A Morini  1   2
Affiliations

Role of DHA in a Physicochemical Study of a Model Membrane of Grey Matter

Victor E Cuenca et al. Membranes (Basel). .

Abstract

The present study investigates a multicomponent lipid system that simulates the neuronal grey matter membrane, employing molecular acoustics as a precise, straightforward, and cost-effective methodology. Given the significance of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the functionality of cellular membranes, this research examines the effects of reducing 1-palmitoyl-2-docosahexaenoylphosphatylcholine (PDPC) content on the compressibility and elasticity of the proposed membrane under physiological conditions. Our results align with bibliographic data obtained through other techniques, showing that as the proportion of PDPC increases in the grey matter membrane model, the system's compressibility decreases, and the membrane's elasticity increases, as evidenced by the reduction in the bulk modulus. These results could be interpreted in light of the emerging model of lipid rafts, in which esterified DHA infiltrates and remodels their architecture. We contend that the results obtained may serve as a bridge between biophysics and cellular biology.

Keywords: docosahexaenoic acid; grey matter; lipid raft; model membrane; molecular acoustic; zeta potential.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structure and 3D representation of lipid used in this work.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relative concentration increment of sound velocity [u] (■) POPC + Chol (●) POPC + POPE + Chol (▲) POPC + POPE + SM + Chol (▼) POPC + POPE + SM + POPS + Chol in water. Error bars not shown to avoid cluttering.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Adiabatic compressibility, φk/β0, of the liposomes (■) POPC + Chol (●) POPC + POPE + Chol (▲) POPC + POPE + SM + Chol (▼) POPC + POPE + SM + POPS + Chol in water. Error bars not shown to avoid cluttering.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Adiabatic compressibility, φk/β0, of the liposomes (▲) PDPC 0% (●) PDPC 50% (■) PDPC 100% in HEPES solution.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Elastic modulus, Klipid, of the liposomes (▲) PDPC 0% (●) PDPC 50% (■) PDPC 100% in HEPES solution.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Qualitative diagram of the proposed results obtained through molecular acoustics.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Zeta potential of (▲) PDPC 0% (●) PDPC 50% (■) PDPC 100% in HEPES solution. Insert: Zeta Potential of (■) POPC + Chol (■) POPC + POPE + Chol (■) POPC + POPE + SM + Chol (■) POPC + POPE + SM + POPS + Chol in water.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Apparent hydrodynamic diameter distribution for (■) 0% PDPC (●) 50% PDPC (▲) 100% PDPC.
Figure 9
Figure 9
TEM image of vesicles with (a) 0% PDPC, (b) 50% PDPC (c) 100% PDPC.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Diameter distribution of vesicles with (a) 0% PDPC, (b) 50% PDPC (c) 100% PDPC.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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