Interaction of α-hexylcinnamaldehyde with a biomembrane model: a possible MDR reversal mechanism

The ability of the naturally derived compound α-hexylcinnamaldehyde (1) to interact with biomembranes and to modulate their permeability has been investigated as a strategy to reverse multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells. Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) were used as biomembrane models, and differential scanning calorimetry was applied to measure the effect of 1 on the thermotropic behavior of DMPC MLVs. The effect of an aqueous medium or a lipid carrier on the uptake of 1 by the biomembrane was also characterized. Furthermore, taking into account that MDR is strictly regulated by redox signaling, the pro-oxidant and/or antioxidant effects of 1 were evaluated by the crocin-bleaching assay, in both hydrophilic and lipophilic environments. Compound 1 was uniformly distributed in the phospholipid bilayers and deeply interacted with DMPC MLVs, intercalating among the phospholipid acyl chains and thus decreasing their cooperativity. The lipophilic medium allowed the absorption of 1 into the phospholipid membrane. In the crocin-bleaching assay, the substance produced no pro-oxidant effects in both hydrophilic and lipophilic environments; conversely, a significant inhibition of AAPH-induced oxidation was exerted in hydrophilic medium. These results suggest a possible role of 1 as a chemopreventive and chemosensitizing agent for fighting cancer.