The interaction of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate with lipids: a nuclear magnetic resonance study.

The proton magnetic resonance (PMR) and phosphorus magnetic resonance (PhMR) spectra of egg phosphatidylcholine in the presence of 1-anilino-8-nahthalenesulfonate (ANS) have been studied. At low ratios of ANS to phospholipid, the spectra indicate that ANS molecules are in the lipid interface region where they interact with the head-group protons. ANS also penetrates into the hydrocarbon region to some extent. As the ANS/phospholipid ratio approaches one, a significant splitting of the head-group signal occurs. This splitting is associated with head-group signals from inner and outer molecules of the phospholipid vesicles. As the ANS/phospholipid ratio is further increased, a gel phase often occurs. The spectra for this gel phase suggest a highly mobile head-group. Further ANS addition results in a PMR spectrum suggestive of ANS-phospholipid micelle formation. The results for a phospholipid-cholesterol complex and for the total lipid extract from a cell membrane show that the ANS effect is more complicated in these cases.