Haematoporphyrin changes the mechanical properties of lipid bilayer membranes

The interactions between haematoporphyrin (HP) and bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) were studied. A weak effect of HP on BLM conductivity was observed at HP concentrations ranging between 10(-6) and 3 x 10(-5) mol/l. Modulus of elasticity in the direction normal to the membrane plane (E perpendicular) and dynamic viscosity coefficient (eta) were measured, both exhibiting HP-induced decrease by 22-31% in the dark. In this case, membrane potential Vm became negative and reached a value close to -50 mV. Under illumination by low-intensity (1 mW) He-Ne laser (lambda = 632 nm) the values of parameters E perpendicular and eta of the HP-modified membranes increased by 41-66%, and Vm decreased to -20 mV. Upon removing HP from the solution by perfusion, irreversible changes in mechanical properties of the HP-modified membranes induced by the laser light were observed. The reason could be the formation of stable complexes of HP with the lipid molecules. HP binds to membrane noncooperatively, with a binding constant K approximately 10(5) l/mol.