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Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Realistic Membrane Modeling Using Complex Lipid Mixtures in Simulation Studies
Published on: September 1, 2023
Porphyrin-phospholipid interaction and ring metallation depending on the phospholipid polar head type
Ana P Ramos1, Christiane Pavani, Yassuko Iamamoto
1Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14040-901, Brazil. anapr@usp.br
Abstract:
The interaction between a hydrophobically modified 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-N-tetradecyl-pyridyl) porphyrin and three phospholipids: two negatively charged, DMPA (the sodium salt of dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-phosphatidyl acid) and DMPG (the sodium salt of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)]) and a zwitterionic DMPC (dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-phosphatidylcholine), were studied by means of surface pressure isotherms and spectroscopic methods. The interaction results in partial or total metallation of the porphyrin with zinc ions in the presence of negatively charged phospholipids, as attested by UV-vis and luminescence spectroscopy of the transferred films. In the presence of the zwitterionic phospholipid no insertion of zinc ion in the porphyrin ring is detected. These results are relevant for the understanding of photosensitizer-lipid-carrier binding for use in photodynamic therapy.
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