Dresden 2020 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 4: Membranes and Vesicles (joint session BP/CPP)

BP 4.2: Talk

Monday, March 16, 2020, 09:45–10:00, ZEU 250

Effect of reactive oxygen species on phospholipid monolayers — •Florian Gellert, Heiko Ahrens, and Christiane A. Helm — Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald

Oxidative degeneration of lipids can lead to severe damages of the biological cell membrane. The phenomenon is initiated by reactive radicals, such as certain reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/ RNS). To investigate this behaviour, we use monolayers at the air/ water interface of unsaturated lipids as model membranes and measure isotherms. ROS induce an oxidation of the double bond. The double bond turns hydrophilic, thus increases the molecular area per lipid at the same surface pressure. This is demonstrated by using phosphocholines with the same head group, but either one or two double bonds in one alkyl chain and no double bond in the other alkyl chain. In another series of experiments, both alkyl chains contained a double bond. We conclude that the ROS/ RNS attacks mostly the unsaturated alkyl chains and has little effect on the head group of the lipid.