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Biomedical subjects

M C Phillips

Publications and source records attributed to M C Phillips.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Computerized analysis of resting fetal heart rate tracings.

Previous attempts to computerize the analysis of fetal heart rate (FHR) using mainframe or minicomputers were not accepted in routine clinical practice because of their complexity, cost, and lack of validation. We describe the first practical, inexpensive system integrated into a clinical protocol that analyzes and documents FHR baseline, long-term variability, and episodic events using a standard microcomputer. A comparison of computerized and manual analyses of 284 nonstress tests (NSTs) of high-risk patients revealed no significant differences in determining the number of acceleration and deceleration events and mean FHR baseline. Long-term variability and other reported data could not be compared for lack of manual techniques. The combination of standardized analysis and quantified data may improve the predictive value of the computerized NST compared with the visually analyzed NST. Other benefits include computerized archiving, data transmission by telephone, and linkage to a perinatal data base.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗

Cholesterol flux between cells and high density lipoprotein. Lack of relationship to specific binding of the lipoprotein to the cell surface.

The bidirectional flux of unesterified cholesterol between cells and high density lipoprotein (HDL) was studied in relationship to the binding of HDL to cells. At 100 micrograms at HDL protein/ml, the rate constant for cholesterol efflux from rat Fu5AH hepatoma cells is 3 X 10(-3)/min (t1/2 for efflux of 3.9 h), whereas efflux from GM3468 human fibroblasts is 0.075/4 h (equivalent to a t1/2 for efflux of 37 h). The relatively slow efflux of cholesterol from fibroblasts in comparison to rat hepatoma cells was observed previously with micellar and vesicular phospholipid-containing acceptors, which promote efflux by a mechanism involving the diffusion of cholesterol in the aqueous phase between the plasma membrane and the acceptor particles. When plotted against the logarithm of HDL concentration, the isotherms for efflux are centered at 300 and 100 micrograms of HDL protein/ml with the hepatoma cells and fibroblasts, respectively. These concentrations are 8-150 times greater than the corresponding values for Kd of specific HDL binding (2 and 12 micrograms of protein/ml, for hepatoma cells and fibroblasts, respectively). The treatment of HDL with tetranitromethane reduces the lipoprotein's affinity for specific cell-surface binding sites by 80-90%. However, at HDL concentrations of 5-60 micrograms of protein/ml, this treatment does not significantly inhibit cholesterol efflux from hepatoma cells, and inhibits efflux from fibroblasts an average of about 15%. Over the same range of concentrations, nitration alters influx by amounts less than 30% in the two cell types. These effects on flux do not parallel the reduced affinity of nitrated HDL for specific cell-surface binding sites. In summary, the present results do not support the concept that cholesterol transfer is facilitated by the specific cell-surface binding of HDL, but are consistent with the aqueous diffusion model of cholesterol transfer between cells and lipoproteins.

Animals↗

Mechanisms and consequences of cellular cholesterol exchange and transfer.

It is apparent from consideration of the reactions involved in cellular cholesterol homeostasis that passive transfer of unesterified cholesterol molecules plays a role in cholesterol transport in vivo. Studies in model systems have established that free cholesterol molecules can transfer between membranes by diffusion through the intervening aqueous layer. Desorption of free cholesterol molecules from the donor lipid-water interface is rate-limiting for the overall transfer process and the rate of this step is influenced by interactions of free cholesterol molecules with neighboring phospholipid molecules. The influence of phospholipid unsaturation and sphingomyelin content on the rate of free cholesterol exchange are known in pure phospholipid bilayers and similar effects probably occur in cell membranes. The rate of free cholesterol clearance from cells is determined by the structure of the plasma membrane. It follows that the physical state of free cholesterol in the plasma membrane is important for the kinetics of cholesterol clearance and cell cholesterol homeostasis, as well as the structure of the plasma membrane. Bidirectional flux of free cholesterol between cells and lipoproteins occurs and rate constants characteristic of influx and efflux can be measured. The direction of any net transfer of free cholesterol is determined by the relative free cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratios of the donor and acceptor particles. Cholesterol diffuses down its gradient of chemical potential generally partitioning to the phospholipid-rich particle. Such a surface transfer process can lead to delivery of cholesterol to cells. This mechanism operates independently of any lipoprotein internalization by receptor-mediated endocytosis. The influence of enzymes such as lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase and hepatic lipase on the direction of net transfer of free cholesterol between lipoproteins and cells can be understood in terms of their effects on the pool sizes and the rate constants for influx and efflux. Excess accumulation of free cholesterol in cells stimulates the rate of cholesteryl ester formation and induces deposition of cholesteryl ester inclusions in the cytoplasm similar to the situation in the 'foam' cells of atherosclerotic plaque. Clearance of cellular cholesteryl ester requires initial hydrolysis to free cholesterol followed by efflux of this free cholesterol. The rate of clearance of cholesteryl ester from cytoplasmic droplets is influenced by the physical state of the cholesteryl ester; liquid-crystalline cholesteryl ester is removed more slowly than cholesteryl ester in a liquid state.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Effects of cholesterol and lipoproteins on endocytosis by a monocyte-like cell line.

The human monocyte/macrophage-like cell line U937 is a cholesterol auxotroph. Incubation of these cells in the growth medium in which delipidated fetal calf serum has been substituted for fetal calf serum depletes cellular cholesterol and inhibits growth. The cholesterol requirement of these cells for growth can be satisfied by human low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), but not by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). U937 cells can bind and degrade LDL via a high-affinity site and this recognition is altered by acetylation of LDL. This indicates that these cells express relatively high LDL receptor activity and low levels of the acetyl-LDL receptor. The cells were used to study the role of cholesterol in lectin-mediated and fluid-phase endocytosis. Growth of the cells in the medium containing delipidated fetal calf serum results in impairment of both concanavalin A-mediated endocytosis of horseradish peroxidase and concanavalin A-independent endocytosis of Lucifer Yellow. Supplementation of the medium with cholesterol prevents cellular cholesterol depletion, supports growth and stimulates Lucifer Yellow endocytosis but fails to restore horseradish peroxidase endocytosis. However, if the cells are incubated in the presence of no less than 40 micrograms LDL protein/ml to maintain normal cell cholesterol levels, concanavalin A-mediated endocytosis of horseradish peroxidase is activated. The effect of LDL is specific since neither VLDL nor HDL3 at the same protein concentration activates horseradish peroxidase uptake by the cells. Furthermore, the activation of endocytosis by LDL is not inhibited by the inclusion of heparin or acetylation of the LDL indicating that binding of LDL to the LDL receptor is not required for these effects. The mediation of activation of horseradish peroxidase endocytosis by the lectin is presumed to involve binding of LDL to concanavalin A associated with the cell surface which in turn stimulates horseradish peroxidase binding and uptake by adsorptive endocytosis. The rate of fluid endocytosis and endosome formation seems to depend on cellular cholesterol content presumably because cholesterol is involved in maintaining the appropriate plasma membrane structure and fluidity.

Cell Division↗

Interaction between the 35 kDa apolipoprotein of pulmonary surfactant and saturated phosphatidylcholines. Effects of temperature.

We studied the interaction between the 35 kDa apolipoprotein of canine pulmonary surfactant (SP 35) and five saturated phosphatidylcholines: distearoyl (DSPC), diheptadecanoyl (DHPC), dipalmitoyl (DPPC), dimyristoyl (DMPC), and dilauroyl (DLPC); and two monoenoic unsaturated phosphatidylcholines: dioleoyl (DOPC) and dielaidyl (DEPC), using temperatures at which all of the phospholipids except DOPC were in both the gel and liquid-crystalline states. The experiments were carried out in a buffer without Ca2+. The amount of apolipoprotein which was bound by both small unilamellar and multilayered vesicles of these lipids decreased as the temperature was increased. Moreover, near the temperatures of the phase transitions of all lipids except DLPC, there was an abrupt and marked reduction in binding of protein, in that over a 3-4 degree change in temperature there was an abrupt decrease in bound apolipoprotein. A similar change in binding occurred using DLPC, although the relatively large changes in bound protein occurred at about 10 and 20 degrees C, temperatures which are above the phase transition temperature of this lipid. Experiments using DOPC were limited to temperatures above the phase transition, and apolipoprotein binding was low. Experiments monitoring the intrinsic fluorescence of the protein, and the fluorescence of bis-1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonic acid bound to the protein, revealed a possible conformational change at about 40 degrees C. Measurement of intrinsic fluorescence provided the same result whether or not the protein was associated with lipid. DSC of the apolipoprotein indicated that this change was not associated with a measurable thermogenic process. We found that the interaction with DPPC was reversible at 42 degrees C, and we measured the thermodynamic parameters of the interaction at this temperature. These were: delta G0 = -8.0 kcal/mol apolipoprotein; delta H0 = -88 kcal/mol; delta S0 = -254 cal/Cdeg per mol. We conclude that the interaction between SP 35 and saturated phosphatidylcholines is temperature sensitive, and this probably reflects differences in the ability of gel and liquid-crystalline phospholipids to bind this protein. Both the delta H0 and delta S0 of the interaction are negative, and may reflect an immobilization of phospholipid around the apolipoprotein to form a boundary layer. This hypothesis is consistent with the findings obtained by DSC, in which the enthalpy of the phase transition of DMPC in lipid-apolipoprotein recombinants was found to be about 60% of that expected for a pure and unperturbed multilamellar dispersion.

Animals↗

The bidirectional flux of cholesterol between cells and lipoproteins. Effects of phospholipid depletion of high density lipoprotein.

The bidirectional surface transfer of free cholesterol (FC) between Fu5AH rat hepatoma cells and human high density lipoprotein (HDL) was studied. Cells and HDL were prelabeled with [4-14C]FC and [7-3H]FC, respectively. Influx and efflux of FC were measured simultaneously from the appearance of 3H counts in cells and 14C counts in medium. Results were analyzed by a computerized procedure which fitted sets of kinetic data to a model assuming that cell and HDL FC populations each formed a single homogeneous pool and that together the pools formed a closed system. This analysis yielded values for the first-order rate constants of FC influx and efflux (ki and ke), from which influx and efflux of FC mass (Fi and Fe) could be calculated. With normal HDL, the uptake and release of FC tracers conformed well to the above-described model; Fi and Fe were approximately equal, suggesting an exchange of FC between cells and HDL. HDL was depleted of phospholipid (PL) by treatment with either phospholipase A2 or heparin-releasable rat hepatic lipase, followed by incubation with bovine serum albumin. PL depletion of HDL had little or no effect on ki, but reduced ke, indicating that PL-deficient HDL is a relatively poor acceptor of cell cholesterol. The reduction in ke resulted in initial Fi greater than Fe and, thus, in net uptake of FC by the cells. This result explained previous results demonstrating net uptake of FC from PL-depleted HDL. In the presence of an inhibitor of acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase, the steady state distribution of FC mass between cells and HDL was accurately predicted by the ratio of rate constants for FC flux. This result provided additional validation for describing FC flux in terms of first-order rate constants and homogeneous cell and HDL FC pools.

Animals↗

Hydrolysis of lipid monolayers and the substrate specificity of hepatic lipase.

The substrate specificities of the phospholipase and triglyceridase activities of purified rat liver hepatic lipase were compared using lipid monolayers so that the substrates were presented to the enzyme in a controlled physical state. The rate of hydrolysis of 14C-labeled lipid at constant surface pressure in the presence of hepatic lipase and fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin at 33 degrees C was determined by monitoring the decrease of surface radioactivity. In monolayers of sphingomyelin/cholesterol (2:1, mol/mol) containing either 1 mol% triacylglycerol, 1 mol% phosphatidylethanolamine, or 10 and 20 mol% phosphatidylcholine, hepatic lipase clearly showed a preference for unsaturated over saturated lipids. In addition, with a sphingomyelin/cholesterol (2:1) monolayer containing 1 mol% of lipid substrate, hepatic lipase showed the following preference: triolein = dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine much greater than dioleoylphosphatidylcholine; the respective rates of hydrolysis were 15.3 +/- 1.2, 14.9 +/- 0.8, and 0.5 +/- 0.1 mumol fatty acid produced/h per mg hepatic lipase. Overall, it appears that when comparing rates of hydrolysis of molecules within a given lipid class, hydrocarbon chain interactions are important. However, when comparing different lipid classes such as phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines, it is apparent that the polar group has a significant influence on the rate of hydrolysis. The rate of [14C]triolein hydrolysis, when mixed at surface concentrations of up to 2 mol% in a sphingomyelin/cholesterol (2:1) monolayer, was significantly faster than when triolein was present in a 1-oleyl-2-palmitylphosphatidylcholine monolayer; the rates of hydrolysis were 47.7 +/- 5.4 and 8.9 +/- 0.8 mumol fatty acid produced/h per mg hepatic lipase, respectively. The monolayer physical state and the miscibility of the substrate in the inert matrix influence the presentation of the substrate to the enzyme, thereby affecting the hydrolysis rate.

Animals↗

Packing of cholesterol molecules in human low-density lipoprotein.

High-resolution, proton-decoupled 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (90.55 MHz) of human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) have been employed to investigate the physical state of unesterified cholesterol molecules in this particle. Approximately half of the cholesterol molecules in LDL were replaced with [4-13C]cholesterol by exchange from Celite. About two-thirds of the cholesterol molecules contribute to a resonance at delta 41.8 from the C-4 atom. This signal is assigned to cholesterol molecules located at the surface of the LDL particle in a mixed monolayer with phospholipid molecules; the spin-lattice relaxation of the C-4 nucleus of such cholesterol molecules is enhanced by the presence of Mn2+ ions in the aqueous phase. The remaining one-third of the cholesterol molecules are apparently neither associated with phospholipid nor exposed to the aqueous phase; these cholesterol molecules are presumed to be located in the core of the particle. Cholesterol molecules in the two microenvironments are in slow exchange on the NMR time scale but in fast exchange on a biological time scale, so that the cholesterol molecules in LDL behave physiologically as one pool. There is a loss of about 20% of the intensity of the N(CH3)3 resonance from phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin molecules in the LDL spectrum; this is attributed to the presence of apolipoprotein B in the surface of LDL particles, which may immobilize some of the phospholipid polar groups. Spin-lattice relaxation time measurements suggest that the fast axial motions of cholesterol molecules in the surface of LDL are the same as in high-density lipoprotein (HDL).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

Role of apolipoproteins in cellular cholesterol efflux.

The effects of serum apolipoproteins, particle size and concentration on the effectiveness of phosphatidylcholine (PC)-containing acceptor particles in causing release of cholesterol from cells growing in culture have been investigated. The acceptor particles were prepared by detergent-dialysis procedures and were either egg PC small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) or discoidal complexes of egg PC with apoproteins from human high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Gel filtration chromatography was employed to isolate particles of defined composition and size. The half-times (t 1/2) for the unidirectional efflux of cholesterol from cells prelabeled with [3H]cholesterol were measured as a function of acceptor PC concentration in the extracellular medium. HDL apolipoprotein-egg PC discoidal complexes at 100 micrograms PC/ml gave the following t 1/2 values when incubated with rat Fu5AH hepatoma, human HepG2 hepatoma, human GM3468 skin fibroblast, L-cell and mouse J774 macrophage-tumor cells: 11 +/- 2, 22 +/- 5, 84 +/- 18, 17 +/- 2 and 32 +/- 6 h, respectively. Equivalent experiments using purified apolipoprotein A-I or the total apolipoprotein C fraction to form the egg PC complexes showed that the t 1/2 values for the hepatoma cells were unaltered. However, with the fibroblasts, L-cells and J774 macrophages, the apolipoprotein C complexes gave significantly longer t 1/2 than complexes of egg PC with either apolipoprotein A-I or HDL apolipoprotein which gave the same t 1/2. An analysis based on the theory of fast coagulation of colloid particles to describe collisions between desorbed cholesterol molecules and acceptor particles predicts that the dependence of t 1/2 for cholesterol efflux from a given cell to different acceptors should be normalized when the extracellular level of acceptors is expressed in terms of the product of the radius of the particle times the number concentration of acceptor particles. The decrease in t 1/2 for cholesterol efflux from fibroblasts when the egg PC acceptor was changed from an SUV to an apolipoprotein HDL discoidal complex is consistent with the above concepts. The primary effect of the apolipoproteins in promoting cellular cholesterol efflux seems to be the solubilization of PC so that the PC is present in the extracellular medium as many small particles.

Animals↗

Mechanism of the hepatic lipase induced accumulation of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol by cells in culture.

Hepatic lipase can enhance the delivery of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol to cells by a process which does not involve apoprotein catabolism. The incorporation of HDL-free (unesterified) cholesterol, phospholipid, and cholesteryl ester by cells has been compared to establish the mechanism of this delivery process. Human HDL was reconstituted with 3H-free cholesterol and [14C]sphingomyelin, treated with hepatic lipase in the presence of albumin to remove the products of lipolysis, reisolated, and then incubated with cultured rat hepatoma cells. Relative to control HDL, modification of HDL with hepatic lipase stimulated both the amount of HDL-free cholesterol taken up by the cell and the esterification of HDL-free cholesterol but did not affect the delivery of sphingomyelin. Experiments utilizing HDL reconstituted with 14C-free cholesterol and [3H]cholesteryl oleoyl ether suggest that hepatic lipase enhances the incorporation of HDL-esterified cholesterol. However, the amount of free cholesterol delivered as a result of treatment with hepatic lipase was 4-fold that of esterified cholesterol. On the basis of HDL composition, the cellular incorporation of free cholesterol was about 10 times that which would occur by the uptake and degradation of intact particles. The preferential incorporation of HDL-free cholesterol did not require the presence of lysophosphatidylcholine. To correlate the events observed at the cellular level with alterations in lipoprotein structure, high-resolution, proton-decoupled 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (90.55 MHz) was performed on HDL3 in which the cholesterol molecules were replaced with [4-13C]cholesterol by particle reconstitution.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Electrocardiographic detection of left ventricular hypertrophy: development and prospective validation of improved criteria.

To develop improved electrocardiographic criteria of left ventricular hypertrophy, individual electrocardiographic voltage measurements were compared with echocardiographic left ventricular mass in a "learning series" of 414 subjects. The strongest independent relations with left ventricular mass were exhibited by the S wave in lead V3, the R wave in lead a VL and the T wave in lead V1 (each p less than 0.001), and by age and sex. Better electrocardiographic detection of left ventricular hypertrophy was achieved by new criteria that stratified QRS voltage and repolarization findings in sex and age subsets. For men, at all ages, left ventricular hypertrophy is suggested by QRS voltage alone when the R wave in lead aVL and the S wave in lead V3 total more than 35 mm. When this voltage exceeds 22 mm, left ventricular hypertrophy is suggested in men under age 40 years when the T wave in lead V1 is positive (greater than or equal to 0 mm), and in men 40 years or older when the T wave in lead V1 is at least 2 mm. For women, at all ages, left ventricular hypertrophy is suggested when the R wave in lead a VL and the S wave in lead V3 total more than 25 mm. When this voltage exceeds 12 mm, left ventricular hypertrophy is suggested in women under 40 when the T wave in lead V1 is positive (greater than or equal to 0 mm), and in women over 40 when the T wave in lead V1 is 2 mm or greater.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Lipid composition and physical state effects on cellular cholesteryl ester clearance.

The influence of lipid composition and physical state on the rate of cholesteryl ester clearance from cytoplasmic inclusions has been investigated. Our findings demonstrate that the increased rate of clearance correlates with an increased cellular triglyceride content and a more fluid cholesteryl ester physical state. Cultured rat hepatoma cells were induced to accumulate esterified cholesterol in a smectic liquid-crystalline state by exposure to free cholesterol-rich phospholipid dispersions. Addition of cis-unsaturated fatty acids to this loading medium (either oleate, linoleate, linolenate, or eicosadienoate) resulted in a substantial increase in cellular triglyceride content (greater than 7 times non-fatty acid-treated), cellular cholesteryl esters in a liquid state, and a rate of cholesteryl ester clearance twice that of control (approximately 34% versus 17% in 12 h). In studies with oleic acid, storage of cellular cholesteryl esters in a liquid state was found to be dependent on the presence of triglycerides, and the rate at which these cells hydrolyzed cholesteryl esters was proportional to triglyceride levels. Cells exposed to either linoleic or linolenic acid hydrolyzed cholesteryl esters at the faster rate, but in contrast to findings with oleate and eicosadienoate, the storage of cholesteryl esters in a liquid state may also be a consequence of the modified fatty acyl composition of the cholesteryl esters themselves. Addition of a saturated fatty acid (palmitate) or a fatty acid with a trans-double bond (elaidate) to the cholesterol loading media had little effect on cellular triglyceride content, cholesteryl ester physical state, or the rate of cholesteryl ester clearance.

Animals↗

Role of the plasma membrane in the mechanism of cholesterol efflux from cells.

In order to investigate the role of the plasma membrane in determining the kinetics of removal of cholesterol from cells, the efflux of [3H]cholesterol from intact cells and plasma membrane vesicles has been compared. The release of cholesterol from cultures of Fu5AH rat hepatoma and WIRL-3C rat liver cells to complexes of egg phosphatidylcholine (1 mg/ml) and human high-density apolipoprotein is first order with respect to concentration of cholesterol in the cells, with half-times (t 1/2) for at least one-third of the cell cholesterol of 3.2 +/- 0.6 and 14.3 +/- 1.5 h, respectively. Plasma membrane vesicles (0.5-5.0 micron diameter) were produced from both cell lines by incubating the cells with 50 mM formaldehyde and 2 mM dithiothreitol for 90 min. The efflux of cholesterol from the isolated vesicles follows the same kinetics as the intact, parent cells: the t 1/2 values for plasma membrane vesicles of Fu5AH and WIRL cells are 3.9 +/- 0.5 and 11.2 +/- 0.7 h, respectively. These t 1/2 values reflect the rate-limiting step in the cholesterol efflux process, which is the desorption of cholesterol molecules from the plasma membrane into the extracellular aqueous phase. The fact that intact cells and isolated plasma membranes release cholesterol at the same rates indicates that variations in the plasma membrane structure account for differences in the kinetics of cholesterol release from different cell types. In order to investigate the role of plasma membrane lipids, the kinetics of cholesterol desorption from small unilamellar vesicles prepared from the total lipid isolated from plasma membrane vesicles of Fu5AH and WIRL cells were measured. Half-times of cholesterol release from plasma membrane lipid vesicles of Fu5AH and WIRL cells were the same, with values of 3.1 +/- 0.1 and 2.9 +/- 0.2 h, respectively. Since bilayers formed from isolated plasma membrane lipids do not reproduce the kinetics of cholesterol efflux observed with the intact plasma membranes, it is likely that the local domain structure, as influenced by membrane proteins, is responsible for the differences in t 1/2 values for cholesterol efflux from these cell lines.

Animals↗

On-site physician staffing in a community hospital intensive care unit. Impact on test and procedure use and on patient outcome.

To determine whether on-site physician staffing changed test and procedure use and improved patient outcome in a community hospital intensive care unit (ICU), we studied all ICU admissions for matched periods before and after the staffing change. Compared with the 463 year-1 patients, the 491 year-2 patients were no more likely to receive life-support interventions (respirators, dialysis, or pacemakers), but had substantially more monitoring interventions, such as pulmonary artery catheters (22% v 2%, P less than .0001) and arterial catheters (9% v 0%, P less than .0001). After controlling for factors that predicted death (age, mental status at time of admission, reason for ICU admission), year-2 patients were significantly more likely to survive the ICU and subsequent hospital stay (P = .01). Nearly all of the improvement of survival rate took place among patients with intermediate likelihoods of death; this improved survival rate persisted at the 12-month follow-up (P = .01).

Female↗

The contribution of alpha-helices to the surface activities of proteins.

The amphilicity of an alpha-helical segment in a protein may be quantitated by calculating its mean helical hydrophobic moment (mu H). For proteins whose hydrophobic interactions with interfaces are mediated by alpha-helices, the surface pressures exerted at the air-water interface correlate with the product (mu H X F) where mu H is the mean helical hydrophobic moment averaged over all helices in the entire molecule, and F is the fraction of alpha-helix in the protein. Knowledge of mu H permits a description of the contribution of amphipathic alpha-helices to the surface activities at the air-water interface of serum apolipoproteins, surface-seeking peptides, and globular water-soluble proteins.

Animals↗