Hydration and removal of supported phospholipid films in aqueous surfactant solutions

Dynamic studies of the hydration and removal of phospholipid films attached to solid substrates were performed. The phospholipids used were 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE), and a modification of DPPE containing a fluorescent molecular probe: n-(5-fluoresceinthicarbamoyl)-1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphatidylethanolamine, triethylammonium salt (FITC-DPPE). The phospholipid films were exposed to water and aqueous solutions of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The film mass was determined as a function of time by means of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The crystalline structure of the film during the hydration process was analyzed by means of wide-angle X-ray diffraction. At low surfactant concentrations (below 20% of the critical micelle concentration (CMC)), the presence of surfactant increased the hydration rate of the film, as well as its maximum water uptake. At surfactant concentrations as low as 50% of the CMC, competitive hydration and removal of the phospholipid film were observed. X-Ray diffraction measurements show that the crystal structure of the DPPE films did not change significantly upon exposure to water and surfactant solutions. I n contrast, FITC-DPPE films exhibited changes in the long-range spacing of their crystalline structure upon hydration.