Effect of phenyltin compounds on lipid bilayer organization

Phenyltin compounds are known to be biologically active. Their chemical structure suggests that they are likely to interact with the lipid fraction of cell membranes. Using fluorescence and NMR techniques, the effect of phenyltin compounds on selected regions of model lipid bilayers formed from phosphatidylcholine was studied. The polarization of N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) dipalmitoyl-L -phosphatidylethanolamine and desorption of praseodymium ions was used to probe the polar region, whereas the polarization of 1 - (4 - trimethylammoniumphenyl) - 6 - phenyl - 1,3,5-hexatriene p-toluenesulfonate measured the hydrophobic core of the membrane. In addition, changes in the N-(5-fluoresceinthiocarbanoly)dipalmitoyl - L - α - phosphatidyl - ethanolamine fluorescence intensity indicated the amount of charge introduced by organotin compounds to the membrane surface. There were no relevant changes of measured parameters when tetraphenyltin was introduced to the vesicle suspension. Diphenyltin chloride causes changes of the hydrophobic region, whereas the triphenyltin chloride seems to adsorb in the headgroup region of the lipid bilayer. When the hemolytic activity of phenyltin compounds was measured, triphenyltin chloride was the most effective whereas diphenyltin chloride was much less effective. Tetraphenyltin causes little damage. Based on the presented data, a correlation between activity of those compounds to hemolysis (and toxicity) and the location of the compound within the lipid bilayer could be proposed. In order to inflict damage on the plasma membrane, the compound has to penetrate the lipid bilayer. Tetraphenyltin does not partition into the lipid fraction; therefore its destructive effect is negligible. The partition of the compound into the lipid phase is not sufficient enough, by itself, to change the structure of the lipid bilayer to a biologically relevant degree. The hemolytic potency seems to be dependent on the location of the compound within the lipid bilayer. Triphenyltin chloride which adsorbs on the surface of the membrane, causes a high level of hemolysis, whereas diphenyltin chloride, which penetrates much deeper, seems to have only limited potency. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.