Determination of microviscosity and location of 1,3-Di(1-pyrenyl)propane in brain membranes

We determined the microviscosity of synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMV) isolated from bovine cerebral cortex and liposomes of total lipids (SPMTL) and phospholipids (SPMPL) extracted from SPMV. Changes in the microviscosity induced by the range and rate of lateral diffusion were measured by the intramolecular excimerization of 1,3-di(1-pyrenyl)-propane (Py-3-Py). The microviscosity values of the direct probe environment in SPMV, SPMTL and SPMPL were 38.17, 31.11 and 27.64 cP, respectively, at 37°C and the activation energies (Eₐ) of the excimer formation of Py-3-Py in SPMV, SPMTL and SPMPL were 8.236, 7.448 amd 7.025 kcal/mol, respectively. Probe location was measured by polarity and polarizability parameters of the probe Py-3-Py and probe analogues, pyrene, 1-pyrenenonanol and 1-pyrenemethyl-3β-hydroxy-22,23-bisnor-5-cholenate (PMC), incorporated into membranes or solubilized in reference solvents. There existed a good linear relationship between the first absorption peak of the¹Lₐ band and the polarizability parameter (n ²−1)/(2n ²+1). The calculated refractive index values for SPMV, SPMTL and SPMPL were close to 1.50, which is higher than that of liquid paraffin (n=1.475). The probe location was also determined by using a polarity parameter (f−1/2f¹). Here f=(ε−1)/(2ε+1) is the dielectric constant function and f'=(n ²−1)/(2n ²+1) is the refractive index function. A correlation existed between the monomer fluorescence intensity ratio and the solvent polarity parameter. The probes incorporated in SPMV, SPMTL, and SPMPL report a polarity value close to that of 1-hexanol (ε=13.29). In conclusion, Py-3-Py is located completely inside the membrane, not in the very hydrophobic core, but displaced toward the polar head groups of phospholipid molecules, e.g., central methylene region of aliphatic chains of phospholipid molecules.