A surface active benzodiazepine receptor ligand for potential probing membrane order of GABAA-receptor surroundings

A conjugable analogue of the benzodiazepine 5-(2-hydroxiphenyl)-7-nitro-benzo[ e][1,4]diazepin-2(3 H)-one N 1-substituted with an aliphatic chain (CNZ acyl derivative, CAd) was synthesized. CAd inhibited FNZ binding to GABA A-R with an inhibition binding constant K i = 176 nM and expanded a model membrane packed up to 13 mN/m when penetrating from the aqueous phase. CAd exhibited surface activity with a collapse pressure pi = 18.8 mN/m and minimal molecular area A min = 49 A (2)/molecule at the closest molecular packing, resulting in full and nonideal mixing with a phospholipid in a monolayer up to a molar fraction x congruent with 0.1, decreasing its surface potential and contributing with a dipole that pointed its positive end toward the air and reoriented at the interface upon compression. These findings suggested that CAd could be stabilized at the membrane-water interface with its CNZ moiety stacked at the GABA A-R while its acyl chain can be inserted into the membrane depth.