Publication
Title
Effect of head group and lipid tail oxidation in the cell membrane revealed through integrated simulations and experiments
Author
Abstract
We report on multi-level atomistic simulations for the interaction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the head groups of the phospholipid bilayer, and the subsequent effect of head group and lipid tail oxidation on the structural and dynamic properties of the cell membrane. Our simulations are validated by experiments using a cold atmospheric plasma as external ROS source. We found that plasma treatment leads to a slight initial rise in membrane rigidity, followed by a strong and persistent increase in fluidity, indicating a drop in lipid order. The latter is also revealed by our simulations. This study is important for cancer treatment by therapies producing (extracellular) ROS, such as plasma treatment. These ROS will interact with the cell membrane, first oxidizing the head groups, followed by the lipid tails. A drop in lipid order might allow them to penetrate into the cell interior (e.g., through pores created due to oxidation of the lipid tails) and cause intracellular oxidative damage, eventually leading to cell death. This work in general elucidates the underlying mechanisms of ROS interaction with the cell membrane at the atomic level.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Scientific reports. - London, 2011, currens
Publication
London : Nature Publishing Group , 2017
ISSN
2045-2322
DOI
10.1038/S41598-017-06412-8
Volume/pages
7 (2017) , 14 p.
Article Reference
5761
ISI
000405746500072
Pubmed ID
28720839
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Atomic scale modeling for plasma cancer treatment.
CalcUA as central calculation facility: supporting core facilities.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 16.08.2017
Last edited 22.01.2024
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