| Title: | Atomistic study of lipid membranes containing chloroform: looking for a lipid-mediated mechanism of anesthesia |
| Address: | "Departament de Quimica Fisica and Institut de Quimica Teorica i Computacional, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. reigada@ub.edu" |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0052631 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The molecular mechanism of general anesthesia is still a controversial issue. Direct effect by linking of anesthetics to proteins and indirect action on the lipid membrane properties are the two hypotheses in conflict. Atomistic simulations of different lipid membranes subjected to the effect of small volatile organohalogen compounds are used to explore plausible lipid-mediated mechanisms. Simulations of homogeneous membranes reveal that electrostatic potential and lateral pressure transversal profiles are affected differently by chloroform (anesthetic) and carbon tetrachloride (non-anesthetic). Simulations of structured membranes that combine ordered and disordered regions show that chloroform molecules accumulate preferentially in highly disordered lipid domains, suggesting that the combination of both lateral and transversal partitioning of chloroform in the cell membrane could be responsible of its anesthetic action" |
| Keywords: | Anesthesia/*methods Carbon Tetrachloride/pharmacology Chloroform/*chemistry/pharmacology Computer Simulation Electrochemistry/methods Halogens/chemistry Lipid Bilayers/*chemistry Membrane Lipids/chemistry Membranes/*metabolism Organic Chemicals/chemistry; |
| Notes: | "MedlineReigada, Ramon eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2013/01/10 PLoS One. 2013; 8(1):e52631. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052631. Epub 2013 Jan 2" |
