Temperature dependent FTIR spectroscopic study of the interaction of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopheryl acetate with phospholipid bilayers

FTIR spectroscopy has been employed in order to investigate alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T) and alpha-tocopheryl acetate (alpha-TA) induced effects on the molecular organization of dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) bilayers, at various temperatures and concentrations. It was concluded that alpha-T interacts much more strongly than alpha-TA, indicating that alpha-T has a more polar location in the membrane than alpha-TA. The observed changes in the carbonyl and phosphate group vibrational modes of DMPC on addition of alpha-T or alpha-TA are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V