RT Journal Article
T1 Instability and resilience at the lipid membrane interface under ultrasound: composition matters
A1 Blanco González, Alexandre
A1 Piñeiro Guillén, Ángel
A1 García Fandiño, Rebeca
K1 Molecular dynamics
K1 Lipid membranes
K1 Ultrasounds
K1 Frequency
K1 Amplitude
K1 Dinámicas moleculares
K1 Ultrasóns
K1 Ultrasonidos
K1 Frecuencia
K1 Amplitud
K1 Membranas lipídicas
AB Lipid membranes play a crucial role in cellular function, acting not only as structural barriers but also facilitating key biological processes such as selective permeability, signaling, and mechanical stability. The composition of these membranes varies significantly across different cell types, species, and disease states, influencing their mechanical properties and susceptibility to disruption. This variability presents an opportunity to selectively target pathological cells based on their unique lipid profiles, potentially allowing for the precise disruption of diseased cells while sparing healthy ones. Additionally, focused ultrasound (FUS) has emerged as a promising tool for modulating membrane integrity, with applications in targeted drug delivery and cancer therapy. However, the precise interactions between FUS waves and different lipid compositions remain insufficiently understood. This study systematically investigates the effects of varying ultrasound frequencies (5–50 MHz) and overpressures (5–50 bar) on the mechanical responses of four distinct lipid bilayers—POPC, POPE, POPG, and POPS—using molecular dynamics simulations. These lipids are commonly found in mammalian, bacterial, and cancerous cell membranes. Key structural parameters, including area per lipid, curvature, thickness, and lipid tail order, were analyzed to determine how different ultrasound conditions affect membrane integrity. The results reveal that lipid composition critically determines membrane vulnerability to mechanical perturbations. For instance, POPC membranes are more prone to deformation under certain ultrasound conditions, while POPG and POPS exhibit abrupt transitions to instability at extreme pressures and frequencies. These findings offer valuable insights into the selective tuning of ultrasound parameters for therapeutic applications and highlight the critical role of membrane composition in determining mechanical responses to ultrasound-induced stress.
PB Elsevier
SN 1096-0384
YR 2025
FD 2025-07-04
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/43090
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/43090
LA eng
NO Blanco-González, A., Piñeiro, A., García-Fandiño, R. (2025). Instability and resilience at the lipid membrane interface under ultrasound: composition matters. "Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics", vol. 771
NO This work was supported by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the ERDF (PDC2022-133402-I00, PID2022-141534OB-I00 and CNS2023-144353), by Xunta de Galicia and the ERDF (06_IN606D_2021_2600276) and by Interreg VI-B SUDOE (). This work has received financial support from the Xunta de Galicia (Centro de investigación do Sistema universitario de Galicia accreditation 2023–2027, ED431G 2023/03) and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund - ERDF)
DS Minerva
RD 30 abr 2026