The Langmuir monolayer technique was employed to investigate the specific interactions between capsaicin and common plasma membrane lipids that aid in the mechanism by which capsaicin interacts with receptors involving sensory neurons on the cell membrane.  Monolayer films of two common phospholipids, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), an outer leaflet lipid, and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE), an inner leaflet lipid, were analyzed in the presence of varying percentages of capsaicin in order to determine if the mechanism is concentration dependent.  The analysis of the compression isotherms in tandem with the compressibility of the monolayers predict that capsaicin interacts with specific lipids to change the fluidity of the monolayer.

Investigation of capsaicin's interactions with the plasma membrane using the Langmuir monolayer technique

247th National Meeting (2014)

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