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Antifungal activity of DNA-lipid complexes and DNA-lipid films against Candida species.

In this study amphiphilic lipids, DNA-lipid complexes, and DNA-lipid films were prepared, and their antifungal activity against Candida species was examined. The amphiphilic lipids were synthesized from a reaction of glycine or L-alanine with n-alkyl alcohol in the presence of p-toluene sulfonic acid. DNA-lipid complexes, which were prepared by the simple mixing of DNA and amphiphilic lipids, were insoluble in water. Self-standing, water-insoluble DNA-lipid films were prepared by casting the DNA-lipid complexes from a chloroform/ethanol solution. The antifungal activities of the lipids and DNA-lipid complexes against the Candida species were evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs); those of DNA-lipid films were evaluated by the disk diffusion method. The seven kinds of lipids, DNA-lipid complexes, and DNA-lipid films showed antifungal activity, and no differences were seen in the antifungal activities between glycine and L-alanine derivatives. The lipids, DNA-lipid complexes, and DNA-lipid films, which have shorter alkyl chain length in lipids, showed antifungal activity against all Candida species. However, the effect of antifungal activity against Candida species decreased with increased alkyl chain length in lipids. In this study, it was found that lipids, DNA-lipid complexes, and films with a decyl or dodecyl group exhibit more favorable antifungal activity.

Animals↗

Immune response of rabbits to lipid A: influence of immunogen preparation and distribution of various lipid A specificities.

Sixty-two rabbit anti-lipid A serum samples were compared with respect to the immunogens used (synthetic lipid A and partial structures, natural lipid A, or acid-treated bacteria). Immunoglobulin (Ig) type-specific differences in rabbit response between liposomal membrane-embedded (LME) and other lipid A immunogens were found: LME lipid A elicited predominantly IgM antibodies. Previous findings of equally good immune responses to synthetic lipid A and acid-treated bacteria (L. Brade, E.T. Rietschel, S. Kusumoto, T. Shiba, and H. Brade, Infect. Immun. 51:110-114, 1986, and L. Brade, E.T. Rietschel, S. Kusumoto, T. Shiba, and H. Brade, Prog. Clin. Biol. Res. 231:75-97, 1987) turned out to be restricted to complement-fixing antibodies; IgG titers of sera against free lipid A (whether synthetic or natural) were significantly lower than those raised with bacteria. The results indicated an increase in IgG content of sera from LME lipid A over other free lipid A immunogens to acid-treated bacteria. These data underline the importance of the physicochemical environment for the immunogenicity of lipid A. As a second objective, the presence of various lipid A antibody specificities was tested with synthetic lipid A antigens. Antibodies to monophosphoryl lipid A were detected only in sera raised with monophosphoryl immunogens. Reactivity with monosaccharide partial structures of lipid A was found both in sera against monophosphoryl lipid A and in 60% of sera against bisphosphoryl lipid A. In the former, monosaccharide reactivity was of a magnitude similar to that of reactivity with lipid A; in sera against bisphosphoryl lipid A, it was lower. No reactivity or only marginal reactivity was found with phosphate-free lipid A, thus emphasizing the role of phosphate substitution for the lipid A epitopes recognized.

Animals↗

Black lipid membranes of tetraether lipids from Thermoplasma acidophilum.

Black lipid membranes were formed of tetraether lipids from Thermoplasma acidophilum and compared to the bilayer forming lipids diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine and diphythanylglucosylglycerol. Bilayer-forming lipids varied in thickness of black lipid membranes due to the organic solvent used. Measurements of the specific membrane capacitance (Cm = 0.744 microF/cm2) showed that the membrane-spanning tetraether lipids from Thermoplasma acidophilum form a monolayer of a constant thickness of 2.5-3.0 nm no matter from which solvent. This finding corresponds to the results of Gliozzi et al. for the lipids of another archaebacterium, Sulfolobus solfataricus. Black lipid membranes were formed at room temperature with a torus from bilayer-forming lipids, however, the torus could also be formed by the tetraether-lipid itself at room temperature and at defined concentration. In these stable black lipid membranes, conductance was measured in the presence of valinomycin, nonactin, and gramicidin. At 10(-7) M concentration, valinomycin mediated higher conductance in membranes from tetraether lipids (200-1200 microS/cm2) than from bilayer-forming lipids (125-480 microS/cm2). Nonactin, at 10(-6) M concentration, mediated a 6-fold higher conductance in a tetraether lipid membrane than in a bilayer, whereas conductance, in the presence of 5 x 10(-11) M gramicidin could reach higher values in bilayers than in tetraether lipid monolayers of comparable thickness. Monensin did not increase the conductance of black lipid membranes from tetraether lipids under all conditions applied in our experiments. Poly(L-lysine) destroyed black lipid membranes. Lipopolysaccharides from Thermoplasma acidophilum were not able to form stable black lipid membranes by themselves. The lipopolysaccharide complexes from Thermoplasma acidophilum and from Escherichia coli decreased the valinomycin-mediated conductance of monolayer and bilayer membranes. This influence was stronger than that of the polysaccharide dextran.

Electric Conductivity↗

Lipid bodies and lipid body formation in an oleaginous fungus, Mortierella ramanniana var. angulispora.

Mortierella ramanniana var. angulispora accumulates triacylglycerol (TG) in lipid bodies. Studies on lipid transport into lipid bodies are essential for elucidating mechanisms of lipid body formation. We used fluorescent dyes and fluorescent lipid analogs to visualize lipid body formation with a confocal laser scanning microscope. Different sizes of lipid bodies were stained by Nile red, a lipid body marker - one with a diameter of about 1 micrometer and the other with a diameter of about 2-3 micrometers. Lipid bodies matured into larger ones with culture. To metabolically monitor lipid bodies, we used 1-palmitoyl, 2-[5-(5,7-dimethyl boron dipyrromethene difluoride)-1-pentanoyl]-phosphatidic acid (C5-DMB-PA), and C5-DMB-phosphatidylcholine (C5-DMB-PC). These were taken up into fungal cells and incorporated into intracellular organelles at 30 degrees C. C5-DMB-PA was quickly incorporated into lipid bodies while C5-DMB-PC was initially incorporated into internal membranes, presumably endoplasmic reticulum membranes, and fluorescence was then gradually transported into lipid bodies. The transport of fluorescent lipids accompanied their metabolism into diacylglycerol (DG) and TG, which, taken together with the fluorescence distribution, suggested that conversion to TG was not necessary for transport into lipid bodies. It is likely that the synthesized DG was mainly located in lipid bodies and the conversion to TG took place in lipid bodies. C5-DMB-PA and C5-DMB-PC were converted to DG and TG in the membrane and lipid body fractions of this fungus, which agreed with in vivo metabolism of these fluorescent lipids and in vitro enzyme activity related to PA and PC metabolism. These results indicate that transport and metabolism of C5-DMB-PA and C5-DMB-PC represent two different routes for lipid body formation in this fungus.

Animals↗

Sterol carrier protein-2 expression modulates protein and lipid composition of lipid droplets.

Despite the critical role lipid droplets play in maintaining energy reserves and lipid stores for the cell, little is known about the regulation of the lipid or protein components within the lipid droplet. Although immunofluorescence of intact cells as well as Western analysis of isolated lipid droplets revealed that sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2) was not associated with lipid droplets, SCP-2 expression significantly altered the structure of the lipid droplet. First, the targeting of fatty acid and cholesterol to the lipid droplets was significantly decreased. Second, the content of several proteins important for lipid droplet function was differentially increased (perilipin A), reduced severalfold (adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP), vimentin), or almost completely eliminated (hormone-sensitive lipase and proteins >93 kDa) in the isolated lipid droplet. Third, the distribution of lipids within the lipid droplets was significantly altered. Double labeling of cells with 12-(N-methyl)-N-[(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-octadecanoic acid (NBD-stearic acid) and antisera to ADRP showed that 70, 24, and 13% of lipid droplets contained ADRP, NBD-stearic acid, or both, respectively. SCP-2 expression decreased the level of ADRP in the lipid droplet but increased the proportion wherein ADRP and NBD-stearic acid colocalized by 3-fold. SCP-2 expression also decreased the lipid droplet fatty acid and cholesterol mass (nmol/mg protein) by 5.2- and 6.6-fold, respectively. Finally, SCP-2 expression selectively altered the pattern of esterified fatty acids in favor of polyunsaturated fatty acids within the lipid droplet. Displacement studies showed differential binding affinity of ADRP for cholesterol and fatty acids. These data suggested that SCP-2 and ADRP play a significant role in regulating fatty acid and cholesterol targeting to lipid droplets as well as in determining their lipid and protein components.

4-Chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan↗

Influence of baseline values on lipids, lipoproteins and fibrinolytic parameters during amlodipine treatment of hypertension in Japanese patients.

Twenty-four Japanese hypertensive patients of both sexes, grouped as having 'medium' and 'high' baseline total lipid values, had their serum lipids, lipoproteins and plasma fibrinolytic parameters, renin and noradrenaline levels determined after 3 months of amlodipine treatment. For the patients with 'medium baseline values', total plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and t-PA-PAI-1 complex levels decreased, while the changes in lipids and lipoproteins were not significant after amlodipine treatment. For the patients with 'high baseline values', the mean triglyceride and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDLC) levels were reduced while the reductions in total and free PAI-1 and the increase in tissue plasminogen (t-PA) levels were not significant after amlodipine treatment. Negative correlations were observed between t-PA and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and HDLC/total cholesterol (TC) ratio in the patients with 'medium baseline values' while t-PA positively correlated with HDLC/TC ratio in patients with 'high baseline values'. The mean levels of renin and noradrenaline remained unchanged before and after amlodipine treatment in the two baseline groups. These findings show that baseline lipid levels of the hypertensive patients could influence lipids and fibrinolytic parameters differently during amlodipine treatment. The baseline lipid levels also influenced the metabolic association between lipids and fibrinolytic function in hypertensive patients during amlodipine treatment. The baseline total lipid values could therefore provide explanations for the complex metabolic interaction between lipids and fibrinolytic function as well as for the antiatherogenic actions of amlodipine treatment in hypertensive patients.

Aged↗

Influence of baseline values on lipids, lipoproteins and fibrinolytic parameters during treatment of hypertension with cilnidipine.

Sixteen adult hypertensive patients of both sexes, classified as having 'medium' (total lipid profile 240-300 mg dl(-1)), and 'high' (total lipid profile >300 mg dl(-1)) baseline values, underwent serum lipids, lipoproteins and plasma fibrinolytic parameters evaluations after 3 months of cilnidipine treatment. Patients with 'medium baseline values' did not have any change in lipids, lipoproteins and fibrinolytic parameters while patients with 'high baseline values' had beneficial lipid and lipoprotein changes [decreases in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDLC) and increases in high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLC), and HDLC/TC ratio] after cilnidipine treatment. Changes in lipids were negatively associated with fibrinolysis for the patients with 'medium baseline values' and positively associated in patients with 'high baseline values' after cilnidipine treatment. Reduction in blood pressure was related to fibrinolysis and reduced risk of coronary heart disease in the patients with 'high baseline values' after cilnidipine therapy. These results show that during cilnidipine treatment, the baseline lipid profile levels of the patients may influence the lipid altering actions as well as the interaction between lipids and fibrinolysis.

Aged↗

Mechanisms of platelet-activating factor-induced lipid body formation: requisite roles for 5-lipoxygenase and de novo protein synthesis in the compartmentalization of neutrophil lipids.

Lipid bodies, lipid rich cytoplasmic inclusions, are characteristically abundant in vivo in leukocytes associated with inflammation. Because lipid bodies are potential reservoirs of esterified arachidonate and sites at which eicosanoid-forming enzymes may localize, we evaluated mechanisms of lipid body formation in neutrophils (PMN). Among receptor-mediated agonists, platelet activating factor (PAF), but not C5a, formyl-methyl-phenylalanine, interleukin 8, or leukotriene (LT) B4, induced the rapid formation of lipid bodies in PMN. This action of PAF was receptor mediated, as it was dose dependently inhibited by the PAF receptor antagonist WEB 2086 and blocked by pertussis toxin. Lipid body induction by PAF required 5-lipoxygenase (LO) activity and was inhibited by the 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein antagonist MK 886 and the 5-LO inhibitor zileuton, but not by cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Corroborating the dependency of PAF-induced lipid body formation on 5-LO, PMN and macrophages from wild-type mice, but not from 5-LO genetically deficient mice, formed lipid bodies on exposure to PAF both in vitro and in vivo within the pleural cavity. The 5-LO product inducing lipid body formation was not LTB4 but was 5(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid [5(S)-HETE], which was active at 10-fold lower concentrations than PAF and was also inhibited by pertussis toxin but not by zileuton or WEB 2086. Furthermore, 5-HETE was equally effective in inducing lipid body formation in both wild-type and 5-LO genetically deficient mice. Both PAF- and 5(S)-HETE-induced lipid body formation were inhibited by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors staurosporine and chelerythrine, the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors D609 and U-73122, and by actinomycin D and cycloheximide. Prior stimulation of human PMN with PAF to form lipid bodies enhanced eicosanoid production in response to submaximal stimulation with the calcium ionophore A23187; and the levels of both prostaglandin (PG) E2 and LTB4 correlated with the number of lipid bodies. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with actinomycin D or cycloheximide inhibited not only the induction of lipid body formation by PAF, but also the PAF-induced "priming" for enhanced PGE2 and LTB4 in PMN. Thus, the compartmentalization of lipids to form lipid bodies in PMN is dependent on specific cellular responses that can be PAF receptor mediated, involves signaling through 5-LO to form 5-HETE and then through PKC and PLC, and requires new protein synthesis. Since increases in lipid body numbers correlated with priming for enhanced PGE2 and LTB4 production in PMN, the induction of lipid bodies may have a role in the formation of eicosanoid mediators by leukocytes involved in inflammation.

Animals↗

Polyunsaturated eicosapentaenoic acid changes lipid composition in lipid rafts.

BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) modulate immune responses particularly by affecting T cell function and are applied clinically as adjuvant immunosuppressants in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of PUFA-induced immunosuppressive effects are not yet elucidated. Membrane lipid rafts are functional plasma membrane microdomains characterized by a unique lipid environment. Since lipid interactions are crucial for the formation of lipid rafts, the immunomodulatory effects of PUFAs may be due to changes of fatty acid composition in lipid rafts. AIM OF THE STUDY: We investigated the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n - 3) supplementation on modulating lipid composition and fatty acyl substitution in their cytoplasmic and exoplasmic lipid leaflet in lipid rafts. METHODS: The human Jurkat E6-1 T cells were cultured in EPA-supplemented medium and the cells treated with stearic acid served as a control. Lipid rafts were isolated by discontinuous sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. The lipids in raft and soluble fractions from EPA-treated and control T cells were extracted and separated by gas chromatography. Raft phospholipids were analyzed by mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Our results showed that EPA treatment could alter lipid composition resulting in a considerable increase of unsaturated fatty acyl chains in lipid rafts from EPA-treated T cells compared with control cells. Effective incorporation of EPA to rafts was not only in the exoplasmic but also in the cytoplasmic membrane lipid leaflet. EPA treatment altered the lipid environment in lipid rafts. EPA presented an inhibiting effect on Jurkat T cells proliferation and inhibited IL-2Ralpha expression on the surface of T cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provided evidence for an important modification in lipid composition of membrane lipid rafts and T cell function by EPA supplementation.

Cell Division↗

Interactions between cholesterol and lipids in bilayer membranes. Role of lipid headgroup and hydrocarbon chain-backbone linkage.

We have employed four lipids in the present study, of which two are cationic and two bear phosphatidylcholine (PC) headgroups. Unlike dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, the other lipids employed herein do not have any ester linkage between the hydrocarbon chains and the respective lipid backbones. Small unilamellar vesicles formed from each of the PC and cationic lipids with or without varying amounts of cholesterol have been examined using the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy method as a function of temperature. The anisotropy data clearly indicate that the order in the lipid bilayer packing is strongly affected upon inclusion of cholesterol. This effect is similar irrespective of the electrostatic character of the lipid employed. The influence of cholesterol inclusion on multi-lamellar lipid dispersions has also been examined by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy above the phase transition temperatures. With all the lipids, the line widths of (CH2)n protons of hydrocarbon chains in the NMR spectra respond to the addition of cholesterol to membranes. The influence on the bilayer widths of various lipids upon inclusion of cholesterol was determined from X-ray diffraction studies of the cast films of the lipid-cholesterol coaggregates in water. The effect of cholesterol on the efflux rates of entrapped carboxyfluorescein (CF) from the phospholipid vesicles was determined. Upon incremental incorporation of cholesterol into the phospholipid vesicles, the CF leakage rates were progressively reduced. Independent experiments measuring transmembrane OH- ion permeation rates from cholesterol-doped cationic lipid vesicles using entrapped dye riboflavin also demonstrated that the addition of cholesterol into the cationic lipid vesicles reduced the leakage rates irrespective of lipid molecular structure. It was found that the cholesterol induced changes on the membrane properties such as lipid order, linewidth broadening, efflux rates, bilayer widths, etc., did not depend on the ability of the lipids to participate in the hydrogen bonding interactions with the 3beta-OH of cholesterol. These findings emphasize the importance of hydrophobic interaction between lipid and cholesterol and demonstrate that it is not necessary to explain the observed cholesterol induced effects on the basis of the presence of hydrogen bonding between the 3beta-OH of cholesterol and the lipid chain-backbone linkage region or headgroup region.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗

Immunoprecipitation of lipid transfer protein activity by an antibody against human plasma lipid transfer protein-I.

Two lipid transfer proteins, designated lipid transfer protein-I (Mr 69 000) and lipid transfer protein-II (Mr 55 000), each of which facilitates the transfer of radiolabelled cholesteryl ester, triacylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine between plasma lipoproteins, were purified from human plasma. Immunoglobulin G was prepared from goat antiserum to human lipid transfer protein-I (i.e., anti-human LTP-I IgG). The progressive addition of anti-human LTP-I IgG to buffered solutions containing either a highly purified mixture of human lipid transfer protein-I and lipid transfer protein-II, or highly purified rabbit lipid transfer protein (Abbey, M., Calvert, G.D. and Barter, P.J. (1984) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 793, 471-480) resulted in specific immunoprecipitation and the removal of increasing amounts, up to 100%, of cholesteryl ester, triacylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine transfer activities. However, similar precipitation studies on human and rabbit lipoprotein-free plasma resulted in the progressive removal of all cholesteryl ester and triacylglycerol transfer activities but only 30% (human) or 20% (rabbit) of phosphatidylcholine transfer activity. In all cases more anti-human LTP-I IgG was required to precipitate rabbit lipid transfer activity than human lipid transfer activity. These results suggest that lipid transfer protein-I and lipid transfer protein-II have antigenic sites in common, allowing precipitation of both proteins by specific antibody to lipid transfer protein-I. Most plasma phosphatidylcholine transfer activity is mediated by a protein (or proteins) other than lipid transfer protein-I and lipid transfer protein-II. In lipoprotein-free plasma all cholesteryl ester and triacylglycerol transfer activity, and some phosphatidylcholine transfer activity, is mediated by lipid transfer protein-I (or lipid transfer protein-I and an antigenically similar protein, lipid transfer protein-II.

Animals↗

Free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation in cells: oxidizability is a function of cell lipid bis-allylic hydrogen content.

Oxidizability of lipids in homogeneous solution varies linearly with the extent of their unsaturation. In vitro cellular, as well as in vivo, studies of oxidizability have generally relied upon chemical indicators of peroxidation such as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. To examine the oxidizability of lipids in cells, we have measured oxygen uptake and, using electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping with alpha-(1-oxo-4-pyridyl)-N-tert-butylnitrone (POBN), the real time generation of lipid-derived free radicals. We have used our experimental in vitro cellular lipid modification model to examine the rate and extent of lipid peroxidation versus the degree of lipid unsaturation in L1210 murine leukemia cells. Lipid peroxidation was stimulated using the prooxidants iron, ascorbate, and the ether lipid compound 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine. We did a total cellular lipid analysis to determine the number of lipid carbon-carbon double bonds contained in L1210 cells enriched with eight fatty acids of different degrees of unsaturation. We found in cellular lipids that (i) lipid chain length had no apparent effect on the rate or extent of radical formation; (ii) the maximum amount of lipid radical generated increases with the total number of bis-allylic positions in the cellular lipids; and, most importantly, (iii) the rate of cellular lipid peroxidation increases exponentially with the number of bis-allylic positions. Our quantitative results clearly demonstrate, for the first time, that the number of bis-allylic positions contained in the cellular lipids of intact cells determines their susceptibility, i.e., oxidizability, to free radical-mediated peroxidative events.

Animals↗

Use of poly(ethylene glycol)-lipid conjugates to regulate the surface attributes and transfection activity of lipid-DNA particles.

We evaluated the use of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified lipids to control the surface properties of a lipid-based gene transfer system. The lipid-DNA particles (LDPs) used form spontaneously when plasmid DNA is added to mixed detergent lipid micelles consisting of the non-ionic detergent n-octyl-D-glucopyranoside, the cationic lipid dioleyldimethylammonium chloride (DODAC), the zwitterionic lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE), and selected PEG-modified phosphatidylethanolamines. The inclusion of DODAC is required to form the hydrophobic lipid-DNA complex. DOPE is included to facilitate dissociation of DNA from the cationic lipid and the PEG-modified lipids are added in an effort to stabilize the surface attributes of the resulting lipid-DNA particles. We used PEG-lipids that varied in acyl chain composition because of recent results demonstrating acyl chain dependent transfer of PEG-lipids from lipid vesicles, providing the potential to allow a transformation of the surface properties due to loss of surface grafted PEG. The addition of PEG-modified lipids does not interfere in LDP formation and its presence favors formation of smaller particles (75 nm in contrast to 130 nm in the absence of the PEG-modified lipid). PEG-lipid incorporation causes a concentration dependent reduction in LDP-mediated transfection of B16/BL6 melanoma cells, a result that can be partially attributed to a reduction in particle binding to cells. However, significant LDP binding to B16/BL6 cells was still observed under conditions where LDP transfection activity was reduced by more than 85%. The potential for PEG to interfere with LDP processing following cell binding is discussed.

Animals↗

Dietary lipid level influences fatty acid profiles, tissue composition, and lipid peroxidation of soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis.

Dietary lipids containing equal portions of soybean oil and fish oil were fed to juvenile Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, at supplementation level of 0 to 15% for 8 weeks. Tissue fat contents of turtles increased when dietary lipid concentration increased. Fatty acid profiles for turtles fed diets supplemented with 6% or higher levels of lipids were similar to those in dietary lipids. On absolute value basis, fatty acids of 14-, 16-, and 18-carbons in muscle of turtles fed diet without lipid supplementation were higher than those in the initial turtle muscle. Among them, C16:1 and C18:1 was approximately 4 and 2 fold higher, respectively, than that of the initial turtles. By contrast, absolute amounts of C20:5 and C22:6 in muscle of turtles fed diet without lipid supplementation were slightly less than those in the initial turtles. For turtles fed lipid supplemented diets, tissue C20:5 and C22:6, however, increased when dietary lipid level increased. These results suggest that soft-shelled turtles are capable of synthesizing fatty acids up to 18 carbons from other nutrients and that they may have limited or no ability to synthesize highly unsaturated fatty acids. Lipid peroxidation measured by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in tissues of turtles fed 12% and 15% lipids was greater (p<0.05) than that in turtles fed 3% to 9% lipids. This could be due to high lipid and unsaturated fatty acid content in these tissues. On lipid basis, lipid peroxidation in turtles fed diet without lipid supplementation was the highest among all groups suggesting the existence of antioxidant factors in the dietary lipids.

Adipose Tissue↗

Effects of lipids on acetylcholine receptor. Essential need of cholesterol for maintenance of agonist-induced state transitions in lipid vesicles.

The effects of lipids on the maintenance of characteristic functional properties of the acetylcholine receptor during the course of reconstitution into lipid vesicles were studied by following the kinetics of agonist-induced state transitions. The requirements for successful preservation of these properties could be dissected into two components: (a) adequate nature and concentration of lipids during detergent solubilization; (b) correct lipid environment during reincorporation into lipid vesicles by the cholate dialysis procedure. Optimal bulk lipid concentrations and lipid:cholate ratios for preserving state transitions during solubilization were studied by using both crude soybean lipids and pure synthetic phospholipids. The latter class of lipids was found to be unsuitable substitutes for the crude soybean lipids, irrespective of their polar head group and/or fatty acyl chain, even when detergent:lipid ratios as high as 1:1 (w/w) were employed. Addition of cholesteryl hemisuccinate was able to make up this deficiency, attaining preservation of acetylcholine receptor state transitions at cholate:steroid ratios of about 6:1 (w/w). The presence of steroid decreased the amount of protein solubilized. The correct choice of lipid type was also essential to the reincorporation step, and higher concentrations of lipid were required--about 20 mg/mL for soybean lipids. Pure phospholipids at similar concentrations, however, were unable to maintain the state transitions. Again, steroid (40-46% cholesteryl hemisuccinate/mol of total lipid) provided the adequate conditions at the reincorporation stage and enhanced the amount of protein reincorporated into the vesicles. A large (70-90%) percentage of the receptor was reincorporated with the correct vectorial sidedness. No specificity could be detected for the phospholipid polar head or alkyl chain in relation to any of these findings. The effect of the protein on the physical state of the lipids in the reconstituted vesicles was studied by diphenylhexatriene fluorescence depolarization. The results may be interpreted as a disordering of the acyl chains in the gel state and an ordering in the liquid-crystalline state in the presence of protein, accompanied by shifts in the transition temperatures of the pure phospholipids to lower values.

Animals↗