Calorimetric studies of the effect of -carotenoids on the thermotropic phase behavior of phosphatidylcholine bilayers

Justyna Widomska , Anna Kostecka-Gugała , Dariusz Latowski , Wiesław I. Gruszecki , Kazimierz Strzałka

Carotenoid geometry is a factor that determines their solubility and orientation in the lipid memebrane as well as antioxidant capacities and bioavailability. The effects of the -isomers of carotenoids (zeaxanthin and β-carotene) on the thermotropic properties of lipid membranes formed with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry. The results were compared with the effects caused by the all--isomer. Both the and isomers of zeaxanthin shifted the main phase transition temperature to lower values and decreased the cooperativity of the phase transition. The effect of all- zeaxanthin on the physical properties of the lipid bilayers has been shown to strongly depend on the hydrocarbon chain length of the membrane. In the case of -zeaxanthin this relationship is weaker.

Mots clés: -isomers; carotenoids; zeaxanthin; β-carotene; lipid bilayer

Justyna Widomska, Anna Kostecka-Gugała, Dariusz Latowski, Wiesław I. Gruszecki, Kazimierz Strzałka. Calorimetric studies of the effect of -carotenoids on the thermotropic phase behavior of phosphatidylcholine bilayers. Biophysical Chemistry, 2009, 140 (1-3), pp.108. ⟨10.1016/j.bpc.2008.12.002⟩. ⟨hal-00505537⟩