Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of Skin Lipids: Effects of the Molar Ratio of Individual Components over a Wide Temperature Range.

Atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to systematically investigate the effects of the molar ratio of the individual components cholesterol (CHOL), free fatty acid (FFA), and ceramides (CER) on the properties of the skin lipid bilayer over a wide temperature range (300-400 K). Several independent simulations were performed for bilayers comprised of only CER, CHOL, or FFA molecules as well as those made up of a mixture of CER:CHOL:FFA molecules in different molar ratios. It was found that CHOL increases the stability of the bilayer, since the mixed (CER:CHOL:FFA) 1:1:0, 1:1:1, and 2:2:1 bilayers remained stable until 400 K while the pure ceramide bilayer disintegrated around ∼390 K. It was also observed that CHOL reduces the volume spanned by ceramide molecules, thereby leading to a higher area per CER and FFA molecule in the mixed bilayer system. The CHOL molecule provided more rigidity to the mixed bilayer and led to a more ordered phase at elevated temperatures. The CHOL molecule provided fluidity to the bilayer below the phase transition temperature of CER and kept the bilayer rigid above the phase transition temperature. The FFA interdigitizes with CER molecules and increases the thickness of the bilayer, while rigid CHOL decreases the bilayer thickness. The presence of CHOL increases the compressibility of the bilayer which is responsible for the high barrier function of skin. The CER molecule forms inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonds, while CHOL only forms intermolecular hydrogen bonds.