Effect of asymmetric distribution of phospholipids in ghost membrane from rat blood on peroxidation induced by ferrous ion

This study used rat erythrocyte ghost membrane to investigate the effect of aminophospholipid distribution in biological membranes on oxidative susceptibility. Aminophospholipids, lipid peroxidation, and carbonyl compounds were quantified; plasma membrane structure was examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and SDS–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). Inside-out vesicles (IOVs) had significantly more aminophospholipids and greater lipid peroxidation than right-side-out vesicles (ROVs). Spectrin bands in IOVs disappeared obviously than in ROVs as shown in SDS–PAGE. In both systems vesicle protein size increased significantly with oxidation. Proteins aggregated much more in IOVs than ROVs at 48 h. These observations suggest that IOVs were more susceptible to ferrous ion-induced peroxidation than ROVs and that asymmetric phospholipid distribution affects biomembranes’ oxidative susceptibility.