Effect of cholesterol or phospholipid incorporation on the chemical stability of the muramyldpeptide derivative B30-MDP in mixed vesicles

Application of the muramyldipeptide derivative B30-MDP to liposomal vaccines will aid in the development of improved high immunogenicity vaccines. To give full play to the effectiveness of B30-MDP as a liposomal vaccine, it is important to evaluate the effect of cholesterol, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) or distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) incorporation on the chemical stability of B30-MDP and physicochemical properties of B30-MDP/lipid mixed vesicles from the view point of pharmaceutics.The observed degradation rate constants of B30-MDP by hydrolysis in B30-MDP/cholesterol mixed vesicles were increased with increasing concentration of cholesterol, however, those in B30-MDP/DMPC and B30-MDP/DSPC mixed vesicles were unchanged with increasing concentration of DMPC and DSPC. The degradation behavior of B30-MDP was then compared with physicochemical properties of B30-MDP/lipid mixed vesicles, such as membrane fluidity and particle size. It was apparent that the degradation of B30-MDP in B30-MDP/cholesterol mixed vesicles was influenced by the particle size, but not by the fluidity of the membranes. In the case of B30-MDP/phospholipid mixed vesicles, MDP/phospholipid mixed vesicles, the degradation of B30-MDP was not influenced by either the membranes' fluidity or the particle size of the mixed vesicles.It is considered that the degradation of B30-MDP in the mixed vesicles is dependent on the membrane state, and the addition of cholesterol to B30-MDP vesicle inhibits the mutual interaction of MDP regions, whereas the addition of phospholipids hardly influences the mutual interaction of MDP regions, possibly owing to phase separation between B30-MDP and phospholipids.     

Physicochemical properties of a muramyldipeptide derivative (B30-MDP) related to membrane formation

We investigated the physicochemical properties of B30-MDP [6-O-(2-tetradecylhexadecanoyl)-N-acetyl-muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine], a muramyldipeptide derivative having immunoadjuvant activity [1], using polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Microscopic observations showed that B30-MDP molecules form myelin figures in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). It was revealed that B30-MDP forms membranous structure because of an increase in the hydrophobicity. In the DSC measurements, the B30-MDP membrane in PBS gave no endothermic peak between 5° to 50°C. Enthalpy change upon the phase transition from the gel to liquid crystalline state or dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membrane and its phase transition temperature decreased by the addition of B30-MDP. ESR measurements using 5 doxyl stearic acid showed that the fluidity of the B30-MDP membrane was almost comparable to that of DPPC membrane at the temperature below the phase transition temperature of DPPC, while it was lower than that of DPPC at the temperature higher than this point. The fluidity of DPPC membrane increased upon the addition of B30-MDP. These results indicate that B30-MDP forms membranous structure and that the bulky hydrophilic region of B30-MDP influences its membrane structures, thermal behavior, and membrane fluidity.     

Relationship between physicochemical properties and chemical stability of muramyldipeptide derivative B30-MDP in liposomal solutions

The muramyldipeptide derivative B30-MDP has immunoadjuvant activity and vesicle-forming ability in aqueous environments. It is therefore important to evaluate the relationship between its physicochemical properties and chemical stability for use as a vaccine adjuvant. We studied the effects of octyl--D-glucoside (O.G.) incorporation on the physicochemical properties and chemical stability in aqueous solution at pH 7.4. The changes in particle size and in the membrane fluidity of B30-MDP liposomes, which were induced by the addition of O.G., were measured to confirm the transition from micelle phase to vesicle phase. The degradation of B30-MDP in both liposomal and mixed micellar solutions was measured by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. This degradation occurred by a pseudo first-order reaction at 313, 323 and 333 K. The shelf-life of the B30-MDP solution supplemented with O.G. was approximately one-seventh of that of B30-MDP alone in the liposomal solution. The changes in thek _obs values of B30-MDP correlated well with those in membrane fluidity induced by O.G. incorporation. These results indicate that an increase in membrane fluidity labilizes B30-MDP in liposomal solution.     

胆固醇对卵磷脂囊泡稳定性的影响

采用透射电子显微镜研究了Gemini表面活性剂诱导卵磷脂囊泡结构改变的机理, 用Langmuir膜天平研究卵磷脂和胆固醇的不溶单分子混合膜在气-液界面的行为和混合膜分子间的相互作用, 并结合动态光散射技术和停留法探讨胆固醇对Gemini表面活性剂诱导卵磷脂囊泡结构改变的影响. 从电镜结果可以推测带正电荷的Gemini表面活性剂分子会嵌入到带负电荷的卵磷脂囊泡双分子层的外层, 囊泡的双分子层之间的相互吸引力使双分子层的厚度减少, 由于嵌入的表面活性剂分子在囊泡的双分子层中分布是不均匀的, 这种分布的不均匀性必然会导致双分子层厚度的不均匀, 从而使囊泡破裂. 混合膜的过剩面积和动力学结果表明, 胆固醇和卵磷脂是相互吸引的, 即胆固醇的加入使卵磷脂囊泡更不容易被表面活性剂破坏.     

Effect of falciparum malaria infection on blood cholesterol and platelets

The current study is a hospital based investigation, in which attempts were being made to establish the effect of falciparum malarial infection on cholesterol level and platelet counts. The level of parasitaemia and its correlation with cholesterol level and platelet count in malaria patients was investigated. Two hundred clinically diagnosed malaria patients and 200 age matched healthy blood donors were included in the current study. In each case, blood sample was analyzed for serum cholesterol level and platelet count to establish a correlation between such parameters with paraesitemia. Based on the results obtained, it was evident that there was a highly significant reduction in the serum cholesterol level and the platelet count in malaria patients having high levels of parasitaemia. The low levels of cholesterol and platelets in malaria patients provided basis for the possible use of such clinical data in the diagnosis of malaria in the absence of a positive blood film.     

Beneficial Effect of Melatonin Alone or in Combination with Glatiramer Acetate and Interferon β-1b on Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a relevant animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation play a major role in the pathogenesis of MS and EAE. Melatonin, a neurohormone, has potent anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of our study was to assess the therapeutic properties of melatonin alone or in combination with interferon β-1b (IFNβ-1b) or glatiramer acetate (GA) on EAE. EAE was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats with an intraperitoneal injection of a homogenate of spinal cord and pig brain. At day 10 post immunization, rats were euthanized, and their brains were immediately excised and processed to measure oxidative stress markers and membrane fluidity. In addition, proinflammatory cytokines were quantified in plasma. Melatonin alone or in combination with GA and IFNβ-1b inhibited the disease process of EAE and the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines, caused a significant decrement in oxidative stress markers, and preserved the membrane fluidity in the motor cortex, midbrain, and spinal cord. The cumulative index score was significantly reduced in EAE rats treated with melatonin alone or in combination with GA and IFNβ-1b. In conclusion, our findings provide preclinical evidence for the use of melatonin as an adjuvant therapeutic treatment for MS.     

Effect of oligonucleotide conformation on its facilitation efficiency on negatively charged micelle‐to‐vesicle transition

In our previous article, we reported for the first time that the oligonucleotides composed of one nucleotide species, for example, oligo d(A)_n, oligo d(C)_n, and oligo d(T)_n, could facilitate negatively charged sodium dodecyl sulfate/dodecyl triethyl ammonium bromide mixed micelles to transform to vesicles. In this study, we will report the facilitation ability of self‐complementary hairpin‐structured oligonucleotides, oligo d(A_nCT_n) and oligo d(AT)_nACT(AT)_n (or oligo d(AT)_nC(AT)_n), on micelle‐to‐vesicle transition. It is found that the facilitation behavior of hairpin‐structured oligonucleotide is different from that of the oligonucleotide comprising one base species, and the facilitation efficiency of hairpin‐structured oligonucleotide is closely dependent on the sequence of bases A and T; oligo d(A_nCT_n) is more efficient than oligo d(AT)_nACT(AT)_n (or oligo d(AT)_nC(AT)_n). Moreover, oligo d(A_nCT_n) is more efficient than oligo d(A)_n, oligo d(C)_n, and oligo d(T)_n. Since so far, there is very limited report about the facilitation effect of oligonucleotide and DNA on vesicle formation as well as the role of their conformation in their interaction with surfactant, this study should be expected to provide some helpful information for the application of DNA/amphiphile system. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 852–860, 2010     

Facilitated Transport of Ions and Glucose by Amphotericin B Across Lipid Bilayers in the Presence or Absence of Cholesterol

The transport of ions and glucose across bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) facilitated by amphotericin B (AmB) is studied by use of planar BLMs and liposomal membranes. The transport characteristics change with time in the presence of cholesterol, while it is independent of time in the absence of cholesterol. The carrier‐type transport is observed immediately after the addition of AmB. In the presence of cholesterol, AmB forms a 1 : 1 complex with cholesterol and the channel is formed by aggregation of AmB‐cholesterol complexes. It is concluded that the number of the channels increases with time and that the carrier‐type transport decreases instead.     

电化学法研究多粘菌素B与磷脂酰丝氨酸的相互作用及与其他磷脂的比较

采用头基修饰的磷脂在金电极表面构建了稳定的磷脂双层膜,并使用该膜模拟生物膜对多肽类抗生素多粘菌素B(PMB)和磷脂酰丝氨酸的相互作用进行了研究.PMB可与磷脂酰丝氨酸发生相互作用,破坏双层膜结构,从而使膜的通透性升高.PMB的浓度、作用时间以及膜中胆固醇的存在均影响二者的作用程度.被PMB破坏的双层膜电极在一定程度上可在KC1溶液中重新自组装,且自修复的程度与修复时间和PMB的浓度有关.此外,比较了PMB和多种磷脂之间的作用程度,磷脂的头基、烃链的长度以及不饱和度均会影响二者间的相互作用.     

Effect of cocrystallization due to bile acid on molecular-ion sensitivity of biological phospholipids in Bi cluster time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements

Bi cluster time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is a useful method for evaluating organic surfaces. However, its ability to detect large molecules is limited. One of the problems is that the sensitivities of macromolecules are lower than those of small molecules because larger molecules tend to exhibit lower ionization efficiencies and/or higher probabilities of fragmentation. Matrix-enhanced (ME)-SIMS is a sensitivity enhancement technique for intact molecular ions. The crystal structure of a mixed substance composed of an analyte and a matrix is known to affect the sensitivity of the analysis target. In this study, the effect of cocrystallization, which occurs due to the presence of bile acid, on the molecular-ion sensitivity was investigated using Bi cluster TOF-SIMS. Biological phospholipids and bile acids, which exhibit surfactant behaviors, were selected as the evaluated molecules and additives, respectively. The mass spectra indicated that the secondary-ion yields of phospholipids with bile acid were substantially greater than those of the pristine lipid. Specifically, samples with an analyte/bile acid ratio of 1:100 achieved approximately 60–100-fold sensitivity enhancement of [M + H]⁺ and [2M + H]⁺ molecular ions than the sensitivity achieved with the pristine samples. In the evaluation of molecular distribution, higher signal counts of intact ions were obtained from the cocrystallization area, although less-fragmented ions were emitted from these regions. Consequently, the results indicate that the cocrystallization due to the presence of bile acid provides an effective crystal structure for facilitating emission of larger molecules.     

Effect of a bioactive curcumin derivative on DPPC membrane: A DSC and Raman spectroscopy study

Interactions of dimethoxycurcumin (1) a lipophilic bioactive curcumin derivative with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) were investigated. The thermodynamic changes caused by (1) and its location into DPPC lipid bilayers were monitored by differential scanning calorimetry and Raman spectroscopy. The results reveal that (1) influences the thermotropic properties of DPPC lipid membrane causing abolition of the pretransition and broadening of the phase-transition profile and slightly decreases the T_m at increasing concentrations. The Raman height intensity ratios of the peaks I_2935/2880, I_2844/2880 and I_1090/1130 are representative of the interaction of (1) with the alkyl chains and furnish information about the ratio between disorder and order that exists in the conformation of the alkyl chain. The intensity changes of the peak at 715 cm⁻¹ indicates interaction between the choline head group and (1). The Raman spectroscopy results are in agreement with the thermal analysis results. Biologically active lipophilic molecules such as (1) should be studied in terms of their interaction with lipid bilayers prior to the development of advanced lipid carrier systems such as liposomes. The results of these studies provide information on the membrane integrity and physicochemical properties that are essential for the rational design lipidic drug delivery systems.     

Effect of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction on the formation of supramolecular hydrogels formed by L-phenylalanine derivative hydrogelator

A new hydrogelator,pyridinium bromide salt of N-6-bromohexanoyl-L-phenylamino octadecane,was synthesized.Supramo- lecular hydrogels can be formed through the self-assembly of this hydrogelator in water.In this work,D_2O was used instead of H_2O as solvent for FT-IR measurement due to the fact that it is impossible to obtain useful FT-IR information on the hydrogen bonding in water.The investigation of FT-IR and steady-state fluorescence indicated that the driving forces for the self-assembly were mainly hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction.Based on the data of XRD and molecular modeling,the possible mechanism of the formation of hydrogelator aggregates was proposed.     

Effect of natural weather on the structure and properties of polylactide/Cloisite 30B nanocomposites

The degradation of polylactide (PLA)/Cloisite 30B nanocomposites under natural weathering was investigated as a function of clay loadings (1, 3 and 5 wt.%) for up to 130 days using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), nanoindentation measurements, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For comparative purposes, the neat PLA was also considered. The FT-IR results showed that the photo-oxidation mechanism of PLA was not modified in the presence of Cloisite 30B, but only the degradation rates were accelerated. Moreover, the photo-oxidative degradation of PLA nanocomposite samples led to the formation of vinyl unsaturation, carbonyls, anhydrides and hydroperoxides groups as a result of the occurrence of several chemical mechanisms simultaneously. The decrease of the weight-average molecular weight, and the number-average molecular weight associated with an enhanced polydispersity of the nanocomposite samples indicated that chain scission was the most prominent phenomenon in natural weathering. The thermal degradation of the PLA was faster in the presence of clay. Modulus and hardness measured by nanoindentation increased slightly with exposure time for both neat PLA and PLA nanocomposite samples; the increase is also a function of the clay content. Finally, the weathering effect on the morphology of exposed samples observed by SEM revealed that the fractured surfaces exhibited many voids and cracks. These defects were much more pronounced for the PLA nanocomposites.     

Effect of the polymer matrix on the formation of silver nanoparticles in polymer–silver salt complex membranes

When polymer–silver salt complex membranes were exposed to UV irradiation, the separation performances of both the permeance and selectivity for propylene–propane decreased, which was primarily attributed to the reduction of the silver ions in the membranes to silver nanoparticles. Here, the effect of the polymer matrix on the formation of silver nanoparticles in the polymer–silver salt complex membranes was investigated. This effect was assessed for the complexes of two kinds of silver salts (AgBF₄ and AgCF₃SO₃) with several polymeric ligands containing three different carbonyl groups, including poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) with an amide group, poly(vinyl methyl ketone) (PVMK) with a ketone group, and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with an ester group. UV–vis spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images clearly indicated that the reduction rate of the silver ions has the following order in the various polymer matrices: PVP > PVMK > PMMA, whereas the size and the distribution of the nanoparticles exhibited the reverse order. The tendency to form silver nanoparticles was explained in terms of the differences between the comparative strengths of the interactions of the silver ions with the different carbonyl oxygens in the matrices, as well as that of the silver ions with counteranions, which was characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and FT‐Raman spectroscopy. It was concluded that when the concentration of free silver ions was low due to weak polymer–silver ion and strong silver ion–anion interactions, as found with PMMA, the reduction rate of silver ions to silver nanoparticles was slow. Therefore, the PMMA–silver complex membranes were less sensitive to decreases in separation performance upon UV irradiation than compared to the PVP membranes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 1168–1178, 2006     

Effect of concentrate solution pH and mineral composition of a whey protein diluate solution on membrane fouling formation during conventional electrodialysis

The aim of this work was to study the effect of the concentrate solution pH and the composition in calcium, carbonate and protein of the diluate solution to be treated by conventional electrodialysis on the fouling of ion-exchange membranes. Conductivity, system resistance, pH of the diluate and cation migration were monitored to follow the evolution of the demineralization. Total cation migration was similar for all conditions although different forms of fouling were identified after three consecutive 100 min electrodialysis treatments. The nature of fouling and the membrane surface fouled depended on the concentrate pH value, the diluate mineral composition and the intrinsic composition of the whey isolate. Once conditions leading to membrane fouling were identified, an alternative configuration for our electrodialysis stack is proposed to prevent fouling onset.     

Effect of the preparation conditions on the formation of asymmetric poly(vinylidene fluoride) hollow fibre membranes with a dense skin

Integrally skinned asymmetric poly(vinylidene fluoride) hollow fibre membranes were prepared and characterized. The effects of phase inversion methods (dry-wet or wet) and spinning conditions, such as the type of solvent (NMP, DMAc), the concentration of polymer in dope solution, temperature of the external coagulation bath and the composition of the inner coagulant on the morphology and on the formation of a dense skin layer were investigated. The structure of the membranes was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and the gas permeation properties with six different gases (He, H₂, N₂, O₂, CH₄ and CO₂) were measured at 25 °C to confirm the integrity of the selective skin layer. Under the proper conditions highly selective and permeable PVDF hollow fibre membranes were thus obtained by dry-wet spinning of a 30 wt.% PVDF solution in DMAc, using hot water (50 °C) as the external coagulant and a bore fluid of pure water as the internal coagulant. The best membrane had a selective outer skin with an effective thickness of approximately 0.2 μm. The ideal selectivity of the hollow fibres approached or even exceeded the intrinsic ideal selectivity of a dense PVDF film, for instance the selectivity for He over N₂ was 86.2 for the hollow fibre, whereas it was 83.5 for a dense PVDF reference film. DSC and FT-IR/ATR analysis indicated a higher fraction of the β-crystal phase in the selective skin and a high overall crystallinity than in the melt-processed film. The latter explains the relatively high selectivity and low permeability of the membranes. Intrinsic polymer properties make the membranes also suitable for vapour transport than for gas separation.