Sphingomyelin stereoisomers reveal that homophilic interactions cause nanodomain formation

Sphingomyelin is an abundant lipid in some cellular membrane domains, such as lipid rafts. Hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions of the lipid with surrounding components such as neighboring sphingomyelin and cholesterol (Cho) are widely considered to stabilize the raft-like liquid ordered (Lo) domains in membrane bilayers. However, details of their interactions responsible for the formation of Lo domains remain largely unknown. In this study, the enantiomer of stearoyl sphingomyelin (ent-SSM) was prepared, and its physicochemical properties were compared with the natural SSM and the diastereomer of SSM (threo-SSM) to examine possible stereoselective lipid–lipid interactions.

https://ift.tt/2QbozJy