Interactions of glycerol monooleate and dimethylsulphoxide with phospholipids. A differential scanning calorimetry and 31P-NMR study.

1. A comparative study has been made of the effects of the fusogens glycerol monooleate and dimethyl-sulphoxide on the polymorphic phase behaviour of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine by differential scanning calorimetry and 31P-NMR techniques. 2. Glycerol monooleate induces a reduction in the temperature, cooperativity and enthalpy of the gel to liquid-crystal transitions of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine, whereas dimethylsulphoxide induces an increase in the temperature and enthalpy and a reduction in the cooperativity of the gel to liquid-crystal transitions for those same phospholipids. 3. Glycerol monooleate induces the formation of isotropic and hexagonal (HII) phases when mixed with either dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine or dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine. By contrast, in the presence of dimethylsulphoxide, those same phospholipids retain the lamellar configuration observed in the absence of fusogen. 4. These results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms of chemically induced cell fusion.