The effect of transmembrane potential on the dynamic behavior of cell membranes.

The relationship between transmembrane potential and lipid dynamics in the cytoplasmic membrane of mouse thymus cells has been investigated. Changes of transmembrane potential was followed by measuring the fluorescence emission of the anionic dye, bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbiturate)trimethine oxonol (diBa-C4-(3)). Assessment of lipid fluidity was carried out applying three fluorescent lipid probes, 1-[4-(trimethylammonium)phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH), 12-(9-anthroyloxy)stearic acid (12-AS) and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) used to monitor different structural regions of the bilayer. The fluorescence anisotropy of these probes was measured as a function of temperature at two values of transmembrane potential. In the case of DPH it proved to depend on the membrane potential in the higher temperature range (above 28 degrees C), while no such a dependence could be observed for DPH below this temperature range and for TMA-DPH and 12-AS in between 20 and 37 degrees C. These data suggest that changes in transmembrane potential are accompanied with some local alteration in membrane lipid dynamics and/or structure.