Photosensitized Degradation of Model Lipid Membranes based on 1-palmitoyl-2-oleyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC)

Abstract

In this work, we study the interaction of a well-known photosensitizer, MePha, with models of biological membrane (Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir–Schaeffer planar bilayers) based on one of the most important natural lipid, POPC, for the subsequent investigation of photodestruction processes in a context of photodynamic therapy treatment. Changes of macroscopic properties and morphology of POPC/MePha model membranes upon irradiation by visible light are recorded by means of contact angle measurements and atomic force microscopy, demonstrating clearly the possibility to use these methods for the study of photodestruction of artificial lipid membranes on solid substrates, but also for a comparative study of the efficiency of novel photosensitizers.