Vitamin E distribution and modulation of the physical state and function of pulmonary endothelial cell membranes.

Vitamin E, a dietary antioxidant, is thought to incorporate into the lipid bilayer of biological membranes. We evaluated the lipid composition and distribution of [3H]-vitamin E in various membranes of pulmonary endothelial cells and determined whether vitamin E incorporation caused alterations in membrane structure and function in these cells. Following 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, and 48-h incubation periods, vitamin E incorporation values were 3.0, 5.7, 6.9, 7.2, and 6.8 nmol/mg protein or 3.8, 7.3, 8.8, 9.2, and 8.7 nmol/mg phospholipid in mitochondrial membranes and 2.0, 4.4, 5.2, 5.3, and 5.0 nmol/mg protein or 3.5, 7.7, 9.1, 9.3, and 8.8 nmol/mg phospholipid in microsomal membranes, respectively. Vitamin E incorporation into the plasma membranes was greater than in mitochondrial and microsomal membranes after 12-, 24-, and 48-h incubations (18.9, 20.8, and 19.6 nmol/mg protein, respectively [P less than .001] versus mitochondria and microsomes or 12.2, 13.4, and 12.6 nmol/mg phospholipid, respectively [P less than .05] versus mitochondria and microsomes). The total phospholipid content, as well as the unsaturation index of the fatty acid content of these membranes, were in the same order, (i.e., plasma membrane greater than mitochondrial membranes and microsomal membranes). The physical state of the intact plasma membrane and the mitochondrial and microsomal membranes were measured by monitoring fluorescence anisotropies (rs) of the molecular probes, diphenylhexatriene (DPH) and trimethylamino-DPH (TMA-DPH). Vitamin E incorporation caused significant increases in rs for DPH (P less than .01) and TMA-DPH (P less than .01) in all three membranes compared to controls. Similar increases in rs values for DPH and TMA-DPH were observed in lipid vesicles prepared from these membranes. Following vitamin E incorporation, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transport was measured as an index of plasma membrane function. Vitamin E incorporation resulted in an 18% reduction (P less than .05) in 5-HT uptake. These results indicate that vitamin E was distributed nonuniformly in endothelial cell membranes but resulted in comparable decreases in fluidity in all three membranes. In addition to its role as an antioxidant, vitamin E may alter the membrane physical state and modulate a variety of endothelial cell functions, including 5-HT transport.