Abstract

The influence of a fat-free diet on the lipid dynamics of rat liver microsomes and liposomes of microsomal lipids was studied by using different fluorescence methods. Lifetime distribution and rotational diffusion of probes with different localization in the lipid bilayer were measured using multifrequency fluorometry. Lateral mobility was studied by measuring excimer formation of pyrenedodecanoic acid. Dipolar relaxation in the interfacial region was studied using 2-dimethylamino-6-lauroylnaphthalene (Laurdan). In spite of large changes in the fatty acid composition of microsomal lipids, polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency showed no effect on the lifetime distribution and rotational mobility of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), 1-(4-(trimethylamino)phenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH), 2-, 7- and 12-(9-anthroyloxy)stearic acids. The treatment did not change the lateral diffusion of pyrenedodecanoic acid, either. However, generalized polarization of Laurdan fluorescence was higher in polyunsaturated fatty acid deficient microsomes as compared to the polyunsaturated fatty acid sufficient ones. This effect was also observed in liposomes of the total microsomal lipids, indicating that the changes in fatty acid composition resulting from polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency produced a small but significant decrease in the rate of dipolar relaxation in the region of the lipid polar groups of the bilayer. The absence of lipid gel phase domains in rat liver microsomes was also indicated by Laurdan fluorescence features.