Methylated α-CD (MeACD) loaded with exogenous lipids was used to replace the endogenous phospholipids and sphingolipids from cell plasma membrane outer leaflet of living mammalian cells in a procedure developed by the group of E. London, Stony Brook University (NY, US) [1]. They proved that MeACD binds a variety of phospholipids and sphingolipids and can carry out efficient lipid exchange in model membranes as well as in membranes of A549 lung carcinoma cells.
As MeBCD has become a general tool to remove or replenish cholesterol from/to living cells, MeACD can be a similar tool for manipulation of phospholipids and sphingolipids without interacting with cholesterol. MeACD-mediated lipid exchange can help to study how the lipid composition influences biological functions.
- Li, J.H. Kim, Z. Huang, J.R. St. Clair, D.A. Brown, and E. London
Efficient replacement of plasma membrane outer leaflet phospholipids and sphingolipids in cells with exogenous lipids
PNAS 2016, 113, 14025–14030
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1610705113