The use of dendrimers as nanovectors for nucleic acids or drugs requires the understanding of their interaction with biological membranes. This study investigates the impact of 1st generation polyphenolic carbosilane dendrimers on biological and model lipid membranes using several biophysical methods. While the increase in the z-average size of DMPC/DPPG liposomes correlated with the number of caffeic acid residues included in the dendrimer structure, dendrimers that contained polyethylene glycol chains generated lower zeta potential when interacting with a liposomal membrane. The increase in the fluorescence anisotropy of DPH and TMA-DPH probes incorporated into erythrocyte membranes predicted the ability of dendrimers to affect membrane fluidity in the hydrophobic interior and hydrophilic/polar region of a lipid bilayer. The presence of caffeic acid and polyethylene glycol chains in the dendrimer structure affected the thermodynamical properties of the membrane lipid matrix.
The stratum corneum (SC) presents certain limitations for topical administration of medication, which can be overcome using penetration enhancers (PEs) such as terpene (TP). The SC is also crucial for maintaining the skin barrier and consists of two lamellar structures: the short periodicity phase (SPP) and long periodicity phase (LPP). In this study, we monitored changes in the X-ray diffraction peaks of the human SC, 30 min after TP application (neroridol, 1,8-cineol, and d-limonene). With the application of nerolidol, no significant changes were observed in the small-angle diffraction peak positions for the lamellar structure of SPP, but the integrated intensity decreased. On the contrary, when applying 1,8-cineole and d-limonene, a lower angle peak shift with broadening of the peak width of SPP diffraction peaks was observed for d-limonene than for 1,8-cineole, and the degree of peak shift and width broadening was greater for d-limonene than for 1,8-cineole. The diffraction peaks of LPP disappeared when 1,8-cineole and d-limonene were applied. These results indicate that the degree of interaction between the SC and TP differs depending on the molecular species, and d-limonene and 1,8-cineole exhibit penetration-enhancing via lamellar structure disruption of both SPP and LPP, immediately after application.
Melting of brain sphingomyelin (bSM) manifests as a broad feature in the DSC curve that encompasses the temperature range of 25 – 45 °C, with two distinguished maxima originating from the phase transitions of two the most abundant components: C24:1 (Tm,1) and C18:0 (Tm,2). While C24:1/C18:0 sphingomyelin transforms from the gel/ripple phase to the fluid/fluid phase, the dynamics of water molecules in the interfacial layer remain completely unknown. Therefore, we carried out a calorimetric (DSC), spectroscopic (temperature-dependent UV-Vis and fluorescence) and MD simulation study of bSM in the absence/presence of Laurdan® (bSM ± L) suspended in Britton-Robinson buffer with three different pH values, 4 (BRB4), 7 (BRB7) and 9 (BRB9), and of comparable ionic strength (I = 100 mM). According to DSC, m, 1 (≈ 34.5 °C/≈ 32.1 °C) and m, 2 (≈ 38.0 °C/≈ 37.2 °C) of bSM suspended in BRB4, BRB7, and BRB9 in the absence/presence of Laurdan® are found to be practically pH-independent. Turbidity-based data (UV-Vis) detected both qualitative and quantitative differences in the response of bSM suspended in BRB4/BRB7/BRB9 (m: ∼ 35 °C/32.0 ± 0.2 °C/36.4 ± 0.4), suggesting an intricate interplay of weakening of van der Waals forces between their hydrocarbon chains and of increased hydration in the polar headgroups region during melting. The temperature-dependent response of Laurdan® reported a discontinuous, pH-dependent change in the reorientation of interfacial water molecules that coincides with the melting of C24:1 lipids (on average, m (LTC/HTC): ≈ 31.8 °C/30.6 °C/30.5 °C). MD simulations elucidated the impact of Laurdan® on a change in the physicochemical properties of bSM lipids and characterized the hydrogen bond network at the interface at 20 °C and 50 °C.