Lipid composition determines interaction of liposome membranes with Pluronic L61

Triblock copolymers of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) of EOn/2POmEOn/2 type (Pluronics) demonstrate a variety of biological effects that are mainly due to their interaction with cell membranes. Previously, we have shown that Pluronics can bind to artificial lipid membranes and enhance accumulation of the anti-tumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) inside the pH-gradient liposomes and transmembrane migration (flip-flop) of NBD-labeled phosphatidylethanolamine in the liposomes composed from one component-lecithin. Here, we describe the effects caused by insertion of other natural lipids in lecithin liposomes and the significance of the lipid composition for interaction of Pluronic L61 with the membrane. We used binary liposomes consisting of lecithin and one of the following lipids: cholesterol, phosphatidylethanolamine, ganglioside GM1, sphingomyelin, cardiolipin or phosphatidic acid. The influence of the additives on (1) membrane microviscosity; (2) binding of Pluronic L61; (3) the copolymer effect on lipid flip-flop and membrane permeability towards DOX was studied. The results showed that insertion of sphingomyelin and cardiolipin did not influence membrane microviscosity and effects of Pluronic on the membrane permeability. Addition of phosphatidic acid led to a decrease in microviscosity of the bilayer and provoked its destabilization by the copolymer. On the contrary, cholesterol increased microviscosity of the membrane and decreased binding of Pluronic and its capacity to enhance flip-flop and DOX accumulation. Analogous tendencies were revealed upon incorporation of egg phosphatidylethanolamine or bovine brain ganglioside GM1. Thus, a reverse dependence between the microviscosity of membranes and their sensitivity to Pluronic effects was demonstrated. The described data may be relevant to mechanisms of Pluronic L61 interaction with normal and tumor cells.