Binding of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate to lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase studied by fluorescence techniques

The solvatochromic fluorescent probe 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) has been used to study the hydrophobicity and conformational dynamics of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). The ANS to LCAT binding constant was estimated from titrations with ANS, keeping a constant concentration of LCAT (2 microM). Apparent binding constant was found to be dependent on the excitation. For the direct excitation of ANS at 375 nm the binding constant was 4.7 microM(-1) and for UV excitation at 295 nm was 3.2 microM(-1). In the later case, not only ANS but also tryptophan (Trp) residues of LCAT is being excited. Fluorescence spectra and intensity decays show an efficient energy transfer from tryptophan residues to ANS. The apparent distance from Trp donor to ANS acceptor, estimated from the changes in donor lifetime was about 3 nm and depends on the ANS concentration. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence emission and anisotropies have been characterized. The lifetime of ANS bound to LCAT was above 16 ns which is characteristic for it being in a hydrophobic environment. The ANS labeled LCAT fluorescence anisotropy decay revealed the correlation time of 42 ns with a weak residual motion of 2.8 ns. These characteristics of ANS labeled LCAT fluorescence show that ANS is an excellent probe to study conformational changes of LCAT protein and its interactions with other macromolecules.     

Stability and rheology of three types of W/O/W multiple emulsions emulsified with lecithin

Three types of multiple emulsions were prepared with lecithin. The morphology, stability, and rheological properties of the three types of W/O/W multiple emulsions were evaluated. The formulation factors, including salts and aliphatic alcohol, were further examined. The three types of multiple emulsions were formed by different emulsifiers. An excellent multiple emulsion occurred with 2?wt% lecithin concentration, stabilized by 0.05?wt% NaCl. All multiple emulsions showed shear-thinning behavior, i.e., the apparent viscosity decreased with the increase of the shear rate. With the high concentration of lecithin, the multiple emulsions exhibited the highest viscosity at low shear rate and had higher storage modulus (G′) and the loss modulus (G″). This study was conducted to reveal that different types of multiple emulsions can be formed with lecithin, and that the stability and rheological properties were different with different types of multiple emulsions.     

季铵盐型Gemini表面活性剂诱导囊泡结构改变机理研究

用动态光散射技术以及荧光探针方法, 研究了不同连接基长度的季铵盐型Gemini表面活性剂对卵磷脂囊泡结构改变的影响, 并借助理论模型和临界堆积参数理论探索了Gemini表面活性剂诱导囊泡结构改变的机理. 实验结果表明, 表面活性剂诱导囊泡结构改变的主要原因是表面活性剂嵌入到囊泡的双分子层中, 从而改变了囊泡的表面电荷强度以及嵌入后的表面活性剂在囊泡双分子层中分布的不均匀性. 此外, 表面活性剂分子的结构也会对其产生影响, 不同连接基长度的季铵盐型Gemini表面活性剂对囊泡结构改变的影响不完全相同, 但会呈现出一定的规律性.     

Chronoamperometric Determination of Lecithin

Abstract

A rapid, sensitive and reproducible chronoarnperometric method for the determination of lecithin is described. The method is based on the inhibition of the oxygen reduction process by the adsorption of lecithin at the mercury -solution interface. Current-time curves recorded during the growth of single mercury drops at ?0.200 V (vs SCE) in aqueous-ethanolic solutions of lecithin are employed. The adsorption effect may be evaluated by measuring the time necessary for a complete drop surface coverage, “t_o”, interpolating the descending branch of the i-t curves linearly to zero current. The influence of the variables that affect the inhibition process is studied and a linear relationship between t^1/2 _o and lecithin concentration in the 20–80 μg/ml range is found. The relative standard deviation of the proposed method is 1.3%.     

Acetylcholine Sensor Based on Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor and Acetylcholine Receptor

Abstract

A new type of acetylcholine sensor was made with an Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET) and acetylcholine receptor. The acetylcholine receptor was fixed on a polyvinylbutyral membrane which covered the ISFET gate. When acetylcholine was injected into this system, the differential gate output voltage gradually Shifted to the positive side and reached a constant value. This response was due to the positive charge of acetylcholine. A linear relationship was obtained between the initial rate of the differential gate output voltage change and the logarithmic value of the acetylcholine concentration. Acetylcholine was fixed in the range 0.1-10μM. When the acetylcholine receptor was immobilized with the lipid membrane, the response was amplified with both the positive charge of acetylcholine and sodium ion flux through the acetylcholine receptor's channel. Therefore, the difference in the differential voltage between the acetylcholine receptor-ISFET systems with and without the lipid membrane was caused by sodium ion flux through the acetylcholine receptor's channel.     

Isclation of Lecithin and Sphingomyelin from Lipid Mixtures for Quantitation by Infrared Spectroscopy

Abstract

A new procedure for the determination of lecithin and sphingomyelin in amniotic fluid is described. rapid column chromatography in the sample preparation steps with computer-assisted infrared spectroscopy in the final determination. Lipids are extracted from amniotic fluid with a chloroform/methanol solvent. The organic layer is separated and evaporated to dryness. The residue is The new method couples the use of simple, redissolved i n chloroforn and Fassed through a hydroxyapatite column to remove interfering constituents. The complete isolation cflecithin and sphingomyelin fror other li Fidsis confimec by both infrared spectroscopy and thin layer chronatcgrayhy.     

Facile preparation of water dispersible red fluorescent organic nanoparticles and their cell imaging applications

Red fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) based on a cyano-substituted diarylethylene and tetraphenylethene derivative conjugated molecule (R-TPE) were facilely prepared via surfactant modification with lecithin for the first time. The obtained R-TPE-LEC FONs were characterized by a series of techniques including fluorescence and UV spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behavior of R-TPE-LEC FONs were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical application. We demonstrated that such red FONs exhibit anti-aggregation-caused quenching property, broad excitation wavelength, high water dispersibility, uniform morphology (40–60 nm), and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for cell imaging application.     

大豆磷脂的HLB值测定和乳化力的研究

建立了测定大豆混合磷脂的HLB值的方法。并做出了不同温度下HLB值的标准曲线。利用此曲线测定了不同PC含量的磷脂的HLB值，PC含量为25．6％～69．9％，其HLB值在7～10之间。研究了不同PC含量的大豆混合磷脂的乳化能力。     

Hydrophilic lecithins protect milk proteins against heat-induced aggregation

In the present study, the heat-induced interaction between whey proteins and casein micelles was studied. To that end, the particle size distribution of 5.5% (w/w) casein micellar dispersions was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy as a function of both the whey protein concentration and heating time at 80 °C. The results clearly indicated that heat-induced aggregation of the casein micelles only occurred in the presence of whey proteins.

In an effort to overcome the heat-induced interactions between whey proteins and casein micelles, the influence of different soybean lecithins was investigated. Comparing native to hydrolysed, as well as hydroxylated soybean lecithin, it was observed that the heat-stabilising effect of the lecithins was directly related to their hydrophilicity: whereas native soybean lecithin had hardly any beneficial effect, highly hydrolysed as well as hydroxylated soybean lecithin largely prevented heat-induced casein micelle aggregation in the presence of whey proteins.

From experimental observations on the heat-induced decrease of whey protein solubility both in the absence and presence of hydrolysed lecithin, it was deduced that the latter may stabilise the exposed hydrophobic surface sites of heat-denatured whey proteins. Dynamic surface tension measurements indicated that the heat-stabilising properties of lecithins were mainly determined by their critical aggregation concentration.     

四环素-铕与卵磷脂的相互作用及卵磷脂的测定

以四环素(TC)-Eu3 作为荧光探针,提出了新的荧光光度法测量卵磷脂(PC)。在pH 5.7的酸度条件下,扫描不同浓度的PC与TC-Eu3 的荧光光谱。通过优化实验条件,得到了测定PC的最佳条件。卵磷脂能使TC-Eu3 位于612 nm处的特征荧光显著增强且增强的荧光强度与PC的量成正比。测量的线性范围为4.0×10-7~1.4×10-5mol/L,检出限为3.9×10-8mol/L。该方法已用于实际样品的测定。