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Fluorescence Lifetimes Study of α‐Tocopherol and Biological Prenylquinols in Organic Solvents and Model Membranes
Author(s) -
Kruk Jerzy,
MyśliwaKurdziel Beata,
JemiolaRzemińska Malgorzata,
Strzalka Kazimierz
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1562/2006-04-14-ra-872
Subject(s) - chemistry , liposome , phosphatidylcholine , fluorescence , tocopherol , solvent , membrane , hexane , yolk , chromatography , photochemistry , organic chemistry , antioxidant , phospholipid , vitamin e , biochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , food science
We have found that for biological prenyllipids, such as plastoquinol‐9, α‐tocopherol quinol, and α‐tocopherol, the shortest fluorescence lifetimes were found in aprotic solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate) whereas the longest lifetimes were those of ubiquinonol‐10 in these solvents. For all the investigated prenyllipids, fluorescence lifetime in alcohols increased along with an increase in solvent viscosity. In a concentrated hexane solution, the lifetimes of prenylquinols considerably decreased. This contrasts with methanol solutions, which is probably due to the self‐association of these compounds in aprotic solvents. We have also found a correlation of the Stokes shift of prenyllipids fluorescence with the orientation polarizability of the solvents. Based on data obtained in organic solvents, measurements of the fluorescence lifetimes of prenyllipids in liposomes allowed an estimation of the relative distance of their fluorescent rings from the liposome membrane surface, and was found to be the shortest for α‐tocopherol quinol in egg yolk phosphatidyl‐choline liposomes, and increased in the following order: α‐tocopherol in dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine liposomes < α‐tocopherol < plastoquinol‐9 < ubiquinol‐10 in egg‐yolk phosphatidylcholine liposomes.