Interaction of a pyrene derivative with cationic [60]fullerene in phospholipid membranes and its effects on photodynamic actions.

We have reported that upon visible light irradiation, ferrocene-porphyrin-[60]fullerene triad molecules yield long-lived charge-separated states, enabling the control of the plasma membrane potential (V _m) in living cells. These previous studies indicated that the localization of the triad molecules in a specific intra-membrane orientation and the suppression of the photodynamic actions of the [60]fullerene (C₆₀) moiety are likely important to achieve fast and safe control of V _m, respectively. In this study, by mimicking our previous system of triad molecules and living cells, we report a simplified model system with a cationic C₆₀ derivative (catC₆₀) and a liposome with embedded 1-pyrenebutyric acid (PyBA) to demonstrate that the addition of PyBA was important to achieve fast and safer control of V _m.