Interactions of polychlorinated cyclodiene pesticides with model fungal membranes – Langmuir monolayer and liposome studies

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects Vol. 702; p. 134970
• Main Authors: Broniatowski, Marcin, Wójcik, Aneta, Stephan, Mareike S., Georgiev, Vasil N., Dimova, Rumiana, Mach, Marzena, Wydro, Paweł
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 05.12.2024
• Subjects: Cyclodiene pesticides; Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction; Langmuir monolayers; Liposomes; Model fungal membranes; Phospholipids; Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction; Phospholipids; Liposomes; Model fungal membranes; Langmuir monolayers; Cyclodiene pesticides
• ISSN: 0927-7757
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.134970

Polychlorinated cyclodiene pesticides (CP) are persistent organic pollutants causing widespread soil contamination. CPs-contaminated soils could be purified by mycoremediation, i.e. the introduction of CP-degrading fungal strains into the soils. However, not all mycoremediation attempts are effective, and the microbial cells introduced into the soil die. CP molecules are highly hydrophobic, therefore, their toxicity may largely result from membrane activity, i.e. from the incorporation of CP molecules into membranes disturbing their functions. To test this hypothesis and shed light on the interactions of CPs with plasma membranes, we used lipid Langmuir monolayers and unilamellar liposomes as models of fungal membranes. In our research, we included the four most common CPs polluting soils: aldrin, endrin, endosulfan, and chlordecone. Our studies have shown that CPs can be incorporated into the membranes up to the molar ratio of approximately 0.15. In the case of Langmuir monolayers, greater effects were observed for the model composed of saturated lipids. For this model, however, X-ray diffraction studies have shown that CPs are incorporated into the ergosterol-enriched amorphous phase without disturbing the formation of crystalline phospholipid nanodomains. Langmuir monolayer studies showed that chlordecone disturbs the physical properties of the model membrane to the greatest extent. However, liposome studies have shown that the effect of all CPs is similar – their presence increases the fluidity of the bilayer. Our studies confirmed CPs’ membrane activity, however, also showed that the presence of CP molecules in lipid membranes does not cause drastic changes in their physical properties. [Display omitted] •Cyclodiene pesticides are incorporated into model fungal membranes•Cyclodiene pesticides do not disturb the formation of phospholipid crystalline nanodomains•Chlordecone has the greatest impact on the physical properties of Langmuir monolayers•All studied cyclodiene pesticides fluidize the lipid bilayer in liposomes