Hydrolysis of partially saturated egg phosphatidylcholine in aqueous liposome dispersions and the effect of cholesterol incorporation on hydrolysis kinetics.

Hydrolysis kinetics of partially hydrogenated egg phosphatidylcholine (PHEPC) were studied as a function of pH, temperature, buffer concentration, ionic strength, and the effect of cholesterol incorporation. Results showed that PHEPC has a maximum stability at around pH 6.5. General acid base catalysis was observed for acetate, HEPES and Tris buffers. Increasing the ionic strength of the buffer solutions did not influence the hydrolysis kinetics. The relationship between the observed hydrolysis rate constants and the temperature could adequately be described by the Arrhenius equation. Incorporation of cholesterol did not affect the hydrolysis kinetics. This result indicates that the hydrolysis kinetics of PHEPC do not depend on the changes in bilayer rigidity induced by cholesterol incorporation. Cholesterol is stable under the experimental conditions used in this study; no changes were observed in cholesterol concentration over the experimental time interval.