Summary
α-Tocopherol significantly perturbs the phase transition of fully saturated phospholipids and its effect is considerably bigger than that of α-tocopheryl acetate as observed by differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. This observation remarks the importance of its phenolic hydroxy1 group in determining the interaction of α-tocopherol with phospholipids. However, this hydroxyl group is not hydrogen bonded to neither the carbonyl group nor the phosphate group of phosphatidylcholine, although it seems able of forming a hydrogen bonding with the carbonyl group of phosphatidylethanolamine. By studying the intrinsic fluorescence of α-tocopherol, it was found that its chromanol group is located near the water-lipid interface, although it is not accesible from the water phase. On the other hand, α-tocopherol was found to partition with preference for the most fluid domains in the membrane, as seen by differential scanning calorimetry.
The dynamics of α-tocopherol in membranes was examined through the quenching of its intrinsic fluorescence was examined found to have a diffusion coefficient similar to that of phospholipids.
α-tocopherol was also found to promote the Hii phase of phosphatidylethanolamine, having a stronger effect than α-tocopherol acetate.
Finally, α-tocopherol was shown to have a stabilizing effect on liposomes, when they were stored for periods of time longer than one year.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Aranda, F.J., Coutinho, A., Berberan-Santos, M.N., Prieto, M.J.E. and Gómez-Fernández, J.C. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 985, 26–32
Baig, M.M.A. and Laidman, D.L. (1983) Biochem. Soc. Trans. 11, 600–602
Blume, A., Hübner, W. and Messner, G. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 8239–8249
Casal, H.L. and Mantsch, H.H. (1984) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 779, 381–401
Cortijo, M., Alonso, A., Gómez-Fernández, J.C. and Chapman, D. (1980) J. Mol. Biol. 157, 597–618
Cullis, P.R. and De Kruijff, B. (1978) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 507, 207–218
Cullis, P.R., Hope, M.J., De Kruijff, B., Verkleij, A.J. and Tilcock, C.P.S. (1985) in Phospholipid and Cellular Regulation (Kuo, J.F., ed.), vol. I, pp. 1–60, CRC Press, Boca Ratón, CA.
DeDuve, C. and Hayaishi, 0., eds. (1978), Tocopherol, Oxygen and Biomembranes, Elsevier/North-Holland Medical Press, Amsterdam.
Fato, R., Battino, M., Degli-Esposti, M., Parenti-Castelli, G. and Lenaz, G. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 3376–3390
Hernández-Caselles, T., Villalain, J. and Gómez-Fernández. J.C. (1990) J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 42, 397–400
De Kruijff, B., Cullis, P.R., Verkleij, A.J., Hope, M.J., Van Echteld, C.J.A. and Taraschi, T.F. (1985) in The Enzymes of Biological Fluids (2nd edn.), (Martonosi, A.N., ed.), vol. I, pp. 131–204, Plenum Press, NY.
Gómez-Fernández, J.C., Villalain, J., Aranda, F.J., Ortiz, A., Micol, V., Coutinho, A., Berberan-Santos, M.N. and Prieto, M.J.E. (1989) Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., USA 570, 109–120
Micol, V., Aranda, F.J., Villalain, J. and Gómez-Fernández, J.C. (1990) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1022, 194–202
Ortiz, A., Aranda, F.J. and Gómez-Fernández, J.C. (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 898, 214–222
Perly, B., Smith, I.C.P., Hughes, L., Burton, G.W. and Ingold, K.W. (1985) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 819, 131–135
Scott, M.L. (1978) in The Fat-Soluble Vitamins (DeLuca, H.F.,ed.), pp. 133–230, Plenum Press, New York.
Srivastava, S., Phadka, R.S., Goril, G. and Rao, C.N.R. (1983) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 734, 353–362
Tappel, A.L. (1978) Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 205, 12–28.
Villalain, J., Aranda, F.J. and Gómez-Fernández, J.C. (1986) Eur. J. Biochem. 158, 141–147
Wong, P.T.T. and Mantsch, H.H. (1988) Chem. Phys. Lipids 46, 213–224
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel/Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gómez-Fernández, J.C., Aranda, F.J., Villalain, J. (1991). Location and Dynamics of α-Tocopherol in Membranes. In: Gomez-Fernandez, J.C., Chapman, D., Packer, L. (eds) Progress in Membrane Biotechnology. ALS Advances in Life Sciences. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7454-0_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7454-0_8
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel
Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-7456-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-7454-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive