Abstract
Anesthetic molecules can form hydrogen bonds or organize hydrogen-bond networks. It is argued that they affect the neuronal cell membrane not by an amorphous fluidization of the hyprophobic core of the lipid bilayer but by a restructuring of its hydrogen belts, i.e., the regions occupied by the CO and OH groups of the membrane lipids. The structured disturbance of the hydrogen-bond network is translated latitudinally to hydrogen-bonding sites of the proteins of the membrane, causing allosteric changes of ion channels that result in neuronal blocking.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Seeman, P. (1972) Pharmacol. Rev. 24, 583–655.
Roth, S.H. (1979) Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 19, 159–178.
Miller, K.W. (1981) in Burger's Medical Chemistry, (M.E. Wolf, ed.) Part III, 4th edn, pp. 623–644, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Haydon, D.A., Hendry, B.M., Levinson, S.R., and Requena, J. (1977) Nature, 268, 356–358.
Ashcroft, R.G., Coster, H.G.L., and Smith, J.R. (1977) Nature 269, 819–820.
Vanderkooi, J.M., Landesberg, R., Selick, II, H., and McDonald, G.G. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 464, 1–16.
Trudell J.R. (1977) Anesthesiology 46, 5–10.
Lee, A.G. (1976) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 455, 102–108.
Miller, S.L. (1961) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 47, 1515–1524.
Pauling, L. (1961) Science 134, 15–21.
DiPaolo, P., and Sandorfy, C. (1974) J. Med. Chem. 17, 809–814.
Richards, C.D., Martin, K., Gregory, S., Keightley, C.A., Hesketh, T.R., Smith, G.A., Warren, G.B., and Metcalfe, J.C. (1978) Nature 276, 775–779.
Feinstein, M.B., Fernandez, S.M., and Sha'afi, R.I. (1975) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 413, 354–370.
Miller, K.W., and Pang, K-Y.Y. (1976) Nature 263, 253–255.
Pringle, M.J., and Miller, K.W. (1978) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 85, 1192–1198.
Shieh, D.D., Ueda, I., and Eyring, H. (1975) in Molecular Mechanisms of Anesthesia—Progress in Anesthesiology, (Fink, B.R., ed.) Vol. 1, pp. 307–312, Raven Press, New York, NY.
Roth, S.H. (1980) Fed. Proc. 39, 1595–1599.
Brockerhoff, H. (1974) Lipids 9, 645–650.
Brockerhoff, H. (1977) in Biorganic Chemistry, (van Tamelen, E.E., ed.) Vol. III, pp. 1–20, Academic Press, New York, NY.
Tirri, L.J., Ayengar, N.K.N., Lipton, L.C., Chatterjie, N., and Brockerhoff, H. (1978) Lipids 13, 267–269.
Ramsammy, L.S., and Brockerhoff, H. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 3570–3574.
Somerharju, P., Brockerhoff, H., and Wirtz, K.W.A. (1981) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 649, 521–528.
Pringle, M.J., Brown, K.B., and Miller, K.W. (1981) Mol. Pharmacol. 19, 49–55.
Vinogradow, S.N., and Linnell, R.H. (1970) in Hydrogen Bonding, p. 37, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, NY.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Brockerhoff, H. Anesthetics may restructure the hydrogen belts of membranes. Lipids 17, 1001–1003 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02534599
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02534599