Membrane Disintegration Caused by the Steroid Saponin Digitonin Is Related to the Presence of Cholesterol.

ABSTRACT: In the present investigation we studied the molecular mechanisms of the monodesmosidic saponin digitonin on natural and artificial membranes. We measured the hemolytic activity of digitonin on red blood cells (RBCs). Also different lipid membrane models (large unilamellar vesicles, LUVs, and giant unilamellar vesicles, GUVs) in the presence and absence of cholesterol were employed. The stability and permeability of the different vesicle systems were studied by using calcein release assay, GUVs membrane permeability assay using confocal microscopy (CM) and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and vesicle size measurement by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results support the essential role of cholesterol in explaining how digitonin can disintegrate biological and artificial membr

SUBMITTER: Sudji IR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6332127 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature