Analysis of electron spin resonance spectra of alkyl spin labels in excised guinea pig dorsal skin, its stratum corneum, delipidized skin and stratum corneum model lipid liposomes.

The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of alkyl spin labels were observed in the excised guinea pig dorsal skin, its stratum corneum, delipidized skin and stratum corneum model lipid liposomes. The spectrum of 5-doxylstearic acid (5-NS) in the stratum corneum and order parameter obtained from the spectrum, indicated that the spin label was present in highly ordered lipid lamella. On the other hand, the spectrum of methyl ester of 5-NS (5-NMS) and its apparent rotational correlation time calculated from the spectrum, showed only a weakly immobilized component in the stratum corneum as well as in the whole excised skin. The ester spin label seemed to be scarcely present in the rigid lipid lamella, but mainly in the relatively fluid environment. On the other hand, cationic alkyl spin labels showed quite different spectra depending on their alkyl chain lengths. Long-chain 4-(N,N-dimethyl-N,-pentadecyl)ammonium-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (CAT-15) seemed to be present in the protein region of the stratum corneum as we recently reported, whereas hydrophilic quaternary ammonium spin label 4-trimethylammonium-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (CAT-1) seemed to be present in the bulk water of the skin, even in delipidized skin. These findings indicated that the different interaction and different localization of the alkyl spin labels depended on their electronic charge as well as their alkyl chain lengths.