Molecular mechanism of the binding of neuropeptide achatin-I (Gly-D-Phe-Ala-Asp) to large unilamellar vesicles of zwitterionic egg-yolk phosphatidylcholine (EPC) was investigated by means of natural-abundance (13)C and high-resolution (of 0.01 Hz order) (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The binding equilibrium was found to be sensitive to the ionization state of the N-terminal NH(3)(+) group in achatin-I; the de-ionization of NH(3)(+) decreases the bound fraction of the peptide from approximately 15% to nearly none. The electrostatic attraction between the N-terminal positive NH(3)(+) group and the negative PO(4)(-) group in the EPC headgroup plays an important role in controlling the equilibrium. Analysis of the (13)C chemical shifts (delta) of EPC showed that the binding location of the peptide within the bilayer is the polar region between the glycerol and ester groups. The binding caused upfield changes Delta delta of the (13)C resonance for almost all the carbon sites in achatin-I. The changes Delta delta for the ionic Asp at the C-terminus are more than five times as large as those for the other residues. The drastic changes for Asp result from the dehydration of the ionic CO(2)(-) groups, which are strongly hydrated by electrostatic interactions in bulk water. The side-chain conformational equilibria of the aromatic d-Phe and ionic Asp residues were both affected by the binding, and the induced changes in the equilibria appear to reflect the peptide-lipid hydrophobic interactions.

The drug delivery (DD) process of benzene derivatives, n-propylbenzene (PrBe) and benzyl alcohol (BzOH), from water to phospholipid vesicles is first monitored by noninvasive NMR technique. The bilayer interface and interior as delivery sites are unambiguously specified by taking advantage of the site selectivity of NMR. Chemical shift differences of the ring proton signals provide direct evidence for the penetration of the "drugs" into the bilayer within a few minutes. PrBe is deeply penetrated into the hydrophobic chain region of the bilayer core. In contrast, BzOH is preferentially trapped in the interfacial region near the carbonyl group of the phospholipid, with the methylene group oriented toward the inside of the bilayer. The delivery site of BzOH is characterized by the doublet of the ring proton NMR signal, which is ascribed to BzOH delivered into the outer and inner layers of the vesicle. This is also confirmed by 13 C NMR, for the first time applied to specify the delivery site. UV absorption spectra of PrBe and BzOH in vesicles are consistent with the delivery sites determined by NMR. Application of the molecular level study of the DD processes to recent severe problems of endocrine disruptors (EDs) is finally proposed as a basis for the comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanism of the membrane disrupting action and for the purpose of detoxication and the prevention of ED accumulation.

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