0000000000497618
AUTHOR
Alexander Lehr
Nitrated Fatty Acids Modulate the Physical Properties of Model Membranes and the Structure of Transmembrane Proteins
Nitrated fatty acids (NO2 -FAs) act as anti-inflammatory signal mediators, albeit the molecular mechanisms behind NO2 -FAs' influence on diverse metabolic and signaling pathways in inflamed tissues are essentially elusive. Here, we combine fluorescence measurements with surface-specific sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy and coarse-grained computer simulations to demonstrate that NO2 -FAs alter lipid organization by accumulation at the membrane-water interface. As the function of membrane proteins strongly depends on both, protein structure as well as membrane properties, we consecutively follow the structural dynamics of an integral membrane protein in presence of NO2 -FAs. …
Synthesis of 1-Palmitoyl-2-((E)-9- and (E)-10-nitrooleoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholines
Extensive investigation of nitrated phospholipids in connection with various biologically important processes requires reliable access to suitable material. A selective chemical synthesis introducing a defined nitrofatty acid at the sn-2 position of a 2-lyso sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine was developed. Given that the nitroalkene moiety of both reactant nitrofatty acid derivative and the product esters is characterised by particular sensitivity to nucleophile addition and, depending on the intermediate, subsequent olefin isomerisation and retro-Henry-type reaction, a reliable two-step ester formation was introduced. The activation of the nitrofatty acid succeeded after reaction with trich…