Evaluation of Fluorescent Phosphatidylserine Substrates for the Aminophospholipid Flippase in Mammalian Cells

A series of fluorescent phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine derivatives were prepared and evaluated by cell microscopy for ability to translocate across mammalian plasma membranes via the putative aminophospholipid flippase. Phosphatidylserine derivatives, with either a neutral 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl (NBD) or a coumarin fluorophore appended to the 2-acyl chain, entered the cytosol of all three cell lines tested and control experiments showed that the translocation was due to flippase activity. In contrast, a phosphatidylserine conjugate containing a charged and polar carboxyfluorescein was not translocated and remained in the cell plasma membrane. The phosphatidylserine-coumarin derivative exhibits bright fluorescence and higher photostability than the NBD analogues, and thus is a promising new fluorescent probe for extended-imaging studies of flippase action in living cells using laser confocal microscopes.     

4-Hydroxycoumarin Derivatives in Micelles: An Approach to Detect a Structural Transition Using Fluorescent Viscosity Probes

The spectroscopic behavior of three coumarin derivatives was investigated in water and in different micellar media. In SDS, the fluorescence intensity of two of the dyes increased upon addition of sodium chloride. This effect was tentatively related to a sphere-to-rod transition occurring in the micelles.     

Micellar effects on the molecular aggregation and fluorescence properties of benzazole-derived push-pull butadienes

The absorption and fluorescence spectral behaviour of 1-(2-benzoxazolyl)-4-(p-dimethylaminophenyl)buta-1,3-diene and its benzothiazolyl analogue (abbreviated as BODB and BTDB, respectively) have been investigated in dioxane-water mixtures and micellar environments using steady-state techniques. In water, water-rich mixtures or premicellar solutions, BODB and BTDB tend to form molecular aggregates labelled as H-aggregates. These aggregates dissociate on adding surfactants forming micellized monomers. In all micellar media the fluorescence quantum yield is greatly enhanced along with a large hypsochromic shift. Also, in TX-100, CTAB and SDS both dienes show dual emission from the locally excited (LE) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) states. For BTDB in TX-100 and DODB in all solutions, the LE fluorescence predominates, while for BTDB in CTAB and SDS, the ICT fluorescence is the predominant. The fluorescence shifts suggest that the fluorescing molecules penetrate the core of the micellar unit in TX-100, whereas in CTAB and SDS they occupy the interfacial region. The binding constants and the micelle properties (such as polarity and CMC) have been determined using both dienes as probes.     

Thioflavin T Displays Enhanced Fluorescence Selectively Inside Anionic Micelles and Mammalian Cells

Thioflavin T (ThT) has been widely employed to detect amyloid fibrils in tissues and recently in presence of SDS micelles. However, the contribution of membranes or micelles to ThT fluorescence has never been investigated. In this paper, we show for the first time that the anionic micellar microenvironment of SDS has a profound impact on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of ThT in sharp contrast to cationic (CTAB) and neutral micelles (Triton X-100 & Tween 20). Unlike CTAB or Triton X-100 or Tween 20 micelles, formation of SDS micelles shifts the λ_max for ThT absorption from 412 nm in buffer to 428 nm inside the micelle, with a 28% increase in the peak molar absorptivity and a ∼13 fold increase in ThT fluorescence (λ_max = 489 nm). Extending these observations to cell plasma membranes, we show that ThT can quickly enter and appear selectively fluorescent inside mammalian cells like BHK21 and HT29, against a dark background owing to negligible fluorescence from free ThT in aqueous medium. The above results suggest that ThT can be a useful probe for live cell imaging and for selectively labeling micelles on the basis of the charge in the polar headgroup. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

2-NBDG Fluorescence Imaging of Hypermetabolic Circulating Tumor Cells in Mouse Xenograft model of Breast Cancer

Objectives

To determine use of 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-NBDG) as a tracer for detection of hypermetabolic circulating tumor cells (CTC) by fluorescence imaging.

Procedures

Human breast cancer cells were implanted in the mammary gland fat pad of athymic mice to establish orthotopic human breast cancer xenografts as a mouse model of circulating breast cancer cells. Near-infrared fluorescence imaging of the tumor-bearing mice injected with 2-DeoxyGlucosone 750 (2-DG 750) was conducted to assess glucose metabolism of xenograft tumors. Following incubation with fluorescent 2-NBDG, circulating breast cancer cells in the blood samples collected from the tumor-bearing mice were collected by magnetic separation, followed by fluorescence imaging for 2-NBDG uptake by circulating breast cancer cells, and correlation of the number of hypermetabolic circulating breast cancer cells with tumor size at the time when the blood samples were collected.

Results

Human breast cancer xenograft tumors derived from MDA-MB-231, BT474, or SKBR-3 cells were visualized on near-infrared fluorescence imaging of the tumor-bearing mice injected with 2-DG 750. Hypermetabolic circulating breast cancer cells with increased uptake of fluorescent 2-NBDG were detected in the blood samples from tumor-bearing mice and visualized by fluorescence imaging, but not in the blood samples from normal control mice. The number of hypermetabolic circulating breast cancer cells increased along with growth of xenograft tumors, with the number of hypermetabolic circulating breast cancer cells detected in the mice bearing MDA-MB231 xenografts larger than those in the mice bearing BT474 or SKBR-3 xenograft tumors.

Conclusions

Circulating breast cancer cells with increased uptake of fluorescent 2-NBDG were detected in mice bearing human breast cancer xenograft tumors by fluorescence imaging, suggesting clinical use of 2-NBDG as a tracer for fluorescence imaging of hypermetabolic circulating breast cancer cells.     

Magnetic field effect on electron transfer reactions of flavin derivatives associated with micelles

The magnetic field effects (MFEs) on the electron transfer reactions from indole derivatives to flavin derivatives in micellar solutions are studied. The MFEs on the free radical yields observed by transient absorption (TA) reflect effectively the association of the donor and acceptor molecules with the micelles. In the system of riboflavin and indole, the MFE increases rapidly with increasing concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) higher than the critical micellar concentration. In contrast, in the system of flavin mononucleotide and indole, the increase of MFE is very slow even at higher concentrations of SDS. This result shows that riboflavin is well associated with the SDS micelle and the diffusion process of the radical pair is restricted by the micellar cages. The MFE in the system of riboflavin and indole is twice as large as that of riboflavin and tryptophan. This result shows the difference of the dynamics of radicals in micelles. The escape rate of the cation radical generated from tryptophan is much faster than that generated from indole. The dependence of the MFEs on the type of surfactant is studied. The effect of the Coulomb force between the ionic reactant molecules and the charged head group of the surfactant and the effect of the molecular size are discussed by comparison of the MFE intensities.     

NOE Effect of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate in Monomeric and Micellar Systems by NMR Spectroscopy

This paper describes the particular nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in monomeric and micellar systems. Two-dimensional NOE spectroscopy nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of SDS in solution with concentration lower and higher than critical micellar concentration were recorded. In the first case diagonal and cross-peaks have different signs, and the opposite one was in the second case. This paper discusses theoretical background of this effect and we supposed that particular NOE can be used for inspection of SDS micelle formation during NMR researches. As a rough estimate of micelles formation an approach based on the difference between the chemical shifts in the monomer and micellar form of SDS was used.     

Light scattering and fluorescence probe studies on micellar properties of Triton X-100 in KCl solutions

The effect of KCl on micelle formation and structure of Triton X-100 (TX-100) was investigated by using combined static and dynamic light scattering measurements, together with the fluorescence probe technique. An analysis of the light scattering data, including hydrodynamic radius and micellar aggregation number, accounted for both micelle growth and hydration. Fluorescence studies using pyrene as a probe were carried out to determine the critical micelle concentration (CMC) as a function of solution composition. In addition, with the aim of gaining information on the possible changes in the micro-environmental properties of TX-100 micelles, fluorescence probe studies, including intermolecular pyrene excimer formation and fluorescence polarization of coumarin 6 associated with micelles, were carried out. It was found that the addition of electrolyte induces a decrease in the CMC and an increase in both aggregation number and hydration. However, complementary data of partial specific volume and cloud point of the surfactant suggested that the main contribution to micellar hydration is due to water mechanically trapped in the micelle. Fluorescence measurements do not indicate changes in the micellar micropolarity, probably due to modifications of the solubilization site of the probe caused by the micellar growth. Both pyrene excimer formation and fluorescence polarization of coumarin 6 revealed an increase in microviscosity with electrolyte addition, which is consistent with increased micellar hydration.     

Modulation of Intramolecular Charge Transfer Emission Inside Micelles: A Fluorescence Probe for Studying Microenvironment of Micellar Assemblies

Modulation of intramolecular charge transfer reaction of ethyl ester of N,N-Dimethylaminonaphthyl-(acrylic)-acid (EDMANA) in anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and non-ionic p-tert-octylphenoxy polyoxyethanol (Triton-X 100, TX-100) micelles has been addressed using steady state and time resolved spectroscopy. The interaction of the CT probe EDMANA with micelles and its location inside the micelles have been investigated by the study of fluorescence spectral band position of EDMANA in micelle, the effective polarity of micelle-water interface and cetyl pyridinium chloride induced fluorescence quenching measurement. The effects of urea on the properties of the micelles such as Critical Micelle Concentration and the interaction between EDMANA and micelles have been explored using EDMANA as emission probe.     

Small angle neutron scattering study of mixed micelles of oppositely charged surfactants

Structures of mixed micelles of oppositely charged surfactants dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) have been studied using small angle neutron scattering. The concentration of one of the components was kept fixed (0.3 M) and that of another varied in the range 0 to 0.1 M. The aggregation number and micellar size increase and fractional charge decreases dramatically with the addition of small amount of oppositely charged surfactant. The effect of addition of SDS on DTAB is significantly different from that of the addition of DTAB on SDS. The contrast variation SANS experiments using deuterated surfactant suggests the homogeneous mixing of two components in mixed micellar system.      

Sphere-to-rod transition of triblock copolymer micelles at room temperature

A room temperature sphere-to-rod transition of the polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide-based triblock copolymer, (PEO)₂₀(PPO)₇₀ (PEO)₂₀ micelles have been observed in aqueous medium under the influence of ethanol and sodium chloride. Addition of 5–10% ethanol induces a high temperature sphere-to-rod transition of the micelles, which is brought to room temperature upon addition of NaCl. The inference about the change in the shape of the micelles has been drawn from small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and viscosity studies.     

Spectrofluorimetric Determination of Second Critical Micellar Concentration of SDS and SDS/Brij 30 Systems

Potentially useful stead-state fluorimetric technique was used to determine the critical micellar concentrations (CMC(1) and CMC(2)) for two micellar media, one formed by SDS and the other by SDS/Brij 30. A comparative study based on conductimetric and surfacial tension measurements suggests that the CMC(1) estimated by the fluorimetric method is lower than the value estimated by these other techniques. Equivalent values were observed for SDS micelles without Brij 30 neutral co-surfactant. The use of acridine orange as fluorescent probe permitted to determine both CMC(1) and CMC(2). Based on it an explanation on aspects of micelle formation mechanism is presented, particularly based on a spherical and a rod like structures.     

Role of the head group on the mixed micellization process in binary systems containing a sugar-based surfactant: decanoyl- N -methylglucamide

The mixed micelles of nonionic decanoyl-N-methylglucamide (MEGA-10) with the anionic sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), the cationic dodecyltrimetylammonium bromide (DTAB), and the nonionic octaoxyethylene monododecyl ether (C₁₂E₈) have been studied using the fluorescence probe technique. The critical micelle concentration of the three mixed systems in the whole composition range were determined by the pyrene 1:3 ratio method, and the experimental results were analysed in the context of the pseudophase separation model, by using the regular solution theory. It was found that the mixed micelles containing the anionic surfactant are more stable than the pure micelles. This fact was attributed to the occurrence of ion–dipole interactions between the head groups of the component surfactants in the mixed micelle. The static quenching method was used to determine the mean aggregation number of pure and mixed micelles. It was found that whereas mixed micelles containing SDS show a positive deviation from the ideal behaviour, those constituted by DTAB deviate negatively. This different tendency was interpreted on the basis of both steric and electrostatic interactions. The evolution of the microstructure of the mixed micelles upon the participation of the co-surfactant was followed through the micropolarity and microviscosity of the mixed systems. Although the micropolarity studies do not allow definite conclusions, the microviscosity assays indicate that the participation of the co-surfactant induces the formation of less ordered micelles, this effect being more pronounced in the case of mixtures with the anionic surfactant.     

Effect of surfactants on the spectrofluorimetric properties of zearalenone

The chemiluminescent properties of the estrogenic mycotoxin zearalenone in the presence of aqueous micellar media were investigated using steady state fluorescence techniques. Micelles of surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and non-ionic Triton X-100 enhanced the fluorescence intensity of zearalenone in aqueous solutions. The binding constants have been determined and indicate zearalenone has the highest affinity for Triton X-100, followed by CTAB, and then by SDS. The encapsulation of zearalenone by the micelles studied is spontaneous and exothermic. The selective microenvironments provided by organized micellar systems offer an attractive medium to modulate fluorescence detection of zearalenone.     

EPR Spin Probe Study of New Micellar Systems

Molecular dynamics, structure, and phase state of two new micellar systems were investigated using spin-probe electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. While the local mobility of the new cationic long-chain detergents varies in micelles in a minor way when the length of a chain increases from 16 to 22 carbon atoms, the order parameter increases noticeably. The latter is caused by gain of hydrophobic interactions. It is worthwhile to note that the incorporation of the two hydroxyl groups into the polar head group of the C22 detergent influences particularly on the molecular dynamics and phase state of an aqueous solution of the detergent. Furthermore, not only the local mobility decreases and ordering factor increases, but also the phase state of the system changes, being transited from the solid to the micellar (liquid) state. Addition of the KCl salt in an aqueous solution of the long-chain detergents results in a decrease of local mobility and increase of ordering factor. The phase transitions are found to be caused by the addition of the salt. The cationic monomer [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium methyl sulfate was shown to decrease the critical concentration of micelle formation of the anionic detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Most likely this is because, being the counterion, the cationic monomer forms a dense layer around the SDS micelle. Binding of SDS micelle with the monomer strongly reduces the local mobility of the detergent.     

Towards a structural characterization of charge-driven polymer micelles

Light scattering and small-angle neutron scattering experiments were performed on comicelles of several combinations of oppositely charged (block co)polymers in aqueous solutions. Fundamental differences between the internal structure of this novel type of micelle --termed complex coacervate core micelle (C3Ms), polyion complex (PIC) micelle, block ionomer complex (BIC), or interpolyelectrolyte complex (IPEC)-- and its traditional counterpart, i.e., a micelle formed via self-assembly of polymeric amphiphiles, give rise to differences in scaling behaviour. Indeed, the observed dependencies of micellar size and aggregation number on corona block length, N _corona , are inconsistent with scaling predictions developed for polymeric micelles in the star-like and crew-cut regime. Generic C3M characteristics, such as the relatively high core solvent fraction, the low core-corona interfacial tension, and the high solubility of the coronal chains, are causing the deviations. A recently proposed scaling theory for the cross-over regime, as well as a primitive first-order self-consistent field (SCF) theory for obligatory co-assembly, follow our data more closely.     

Effect of hydrophobicity of cationic carbocyanine dyes DiOC<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript> on their binding to anionic surfactant micelles

The interaction of a series of cationic dialkyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate (DiOC _n ) dyes of different degrees of hydrophobicity with micelles of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), has been studied spectrophotometrically in aqueous solutions. The Benesi–Hildebrand equation was used to calculate binding constants (K _b ) of the dyes to surfactant micelles, the fraction of dye bound to the micelles (f _mic ), and the standard free-energy change (ΔG ⁰) for the transfer of dye from the aqueous to micellar phase. It has been shown that the interaction of oppositely charged dye molecules and surfactant micelles is controlled by both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. A small increase in dye hydrophobicity due to lengthening of the hydrocarbon radical has been shown to cause an abrupt nonlinear increase of the fmic value. This points to a key role of hydrophobic interactions in the binding of dye molecules with the micelles.     

SDS胶束溶液在石油类污染物荧光光谱测量中的应用

提出了一种以十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)胶束溶液为溶剂增溶、增敏、增稳石油类物质的新方法。研究了石油类物质的荧光强度随SDS胶束溶液浓度的变化规律,确定了其溶剂SDS胶束溶液的最佳浓度为0.1 mol·L-1。使用FLS920荧光光谱仪测量得到不同稀释浓度的汽油、柴油、煤油SDS胶束溶液的三维荧光光谱矩阵(EEMs),分析了瑞利(Rayleigh)散射、拉曼(Raman)散射以及仪器光谱特性对测量光谱的影响,经过光谱校正,建立了三种油的SDS胶束溶液在激发波长为250～400 nm、发射波长为260～500 nm范围内的三维荧光光谱图,并确定了在一定浓度范围内荧光强度与浓度具有良好的线性关系。在相同条件下,用同样的方法配制各种浓度汽油、柴油、煤油水溶液作对比,验证了SDS胶束溶液作为石油类物质的溶剂可以使水中石油类物质的溶解度增加、荧光强度增大、稳定性更好,实现了石油类物质可以不依赖于某些有毒溶剂萃取,又解决了其水中溶解度低不宜定量的问题。     

Multicanonical Monte Carlo simulations on intramolecular micelle formation in copolymers

The formation of intramolecular micelles in copolymers with periodic sequence, where hydrophobic units (stickers) are periodically placed along the chain, is studied by using multicanonical Monte Carlo computer simulations for an off-lattice bead-rod model in three dimensions. With decreasing the temperature, a transition from random-coil conformations to micelles occurs and flower-type micelles are formed via the transition. The number of stickers forming a micelle core is limited by the excluded-volume effect of loop chains around micelle cores. By this effect, two intramolecular micelles are formed for long polymer chains with 60 bonds via the coil-to-micelle transition. By further decreasing the temperature, we find that another transition, i.e., a micelle-to-micelle transition, takes place. At this transition point, the two intramolecular micelles merge into one micelle. Furthermore, we extend the multicanonical MC method to study elastic properties of single polymer chains with strong attractive interactions under external force fields, and study how the intramolecular micellization affects the elastic property of single polymer chains.     

A thermodynamic and photophysical study of the effects of thiourea on the micellar properties of aqueous sodium dodecyl sulphate solution

The micellar properties of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) in aqueous thiourea solutions were investigated with the aim of studying the effect of thiourea on these properties. The critical micelle concentrations (cmc) and the degree of dissociation of the micelle were determined by the conductometric method over the temperature range 298–323 K for different concentrations of thiourea. The cmc values of the surfactant in the presence of thiourea were obtained by following the change in the relative intensities of vibrational fine structure of the pyrene fluorescence spectra. The aggregation numbers were determined by employing the static quenching fluorescence method. The cmc values in the presence of varying electrolyte concentrations (NaCl) were obtained with 8-anilinonaphthalene 1-sulphonate (ANS) as a fluorescence probe, and from these values the degree of dissociation was calculated. The mass action model was applied in the present study to obtain various thermodynamic parameters of micellization. All these properties were compared with the micellar properties of an aqueous urea/SDS system, and it was found that thiourea is a better demicellization agent.