The use of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-maleimido-piperidin-1-oxyl in electron paramagnetic resonance spin label studies of drug interactions with erythrocyte membranes.

The electron spin resonance (EPR) spectrum of erythrocyte membranes labeled with 2,2,6,6-tetra-methyl-4-maleimido-piperidin-1-oxyl (MAL-6) indicates both weakly and strongly immobilized labeling sites. Changes in the ratio of the membrane's low field spectral peaks (W/S) have often been used to monitor drug-erythrocyte interactions. We have investigated a number of experimental factors that may influence this ratio even in the absence of drug. Instrumental settings on the EPR spectrometer had no obvious effect. As the weight ratio of label/protein decreased, the W/S ratio increased. Similarly an increase in labeling time and temperature lead to an increase in the ratio. The ratio also increased with time after labeling; this change was most marked in samples kept at 37 degrees C, but was insignificant in samples kept at 4 degrees C. Increasing the viscosity of the sample with low-molecular-weight substances such as sucrose or glycerol, but not with those with high molecular weight such as dextran and PVP, caused a reduction in the ratio. Increasing the pH and changing the buffer concentrations also lead to a small increase in W/S. These results suggest that it is very important that all of these factors be kept constant and at some optimal value if reliable and consistent results are to be obtained using this method to monitor drug-erythrocyte interactions.