Understanding the role of neural membrane in translocation and action of neurohormone is of great importance. Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) is a neuropeptide hormone and it acts as a final signaling molecule by stimulating the synthesis of LH and FSH to maintain reproduction in all vertebrates. The receptors of LHRH are found in breast tumors and pituitary gland in the brain. Moreover, neural plasma membrane is also found to contain specific binding site for LHRH. The mechanism by which LHRH binds to membrane before it binds to the receptors is a very critical step and can have a profound impact upon the translation of peptide across the membrane. A complex form of glycosphingolipids known as Ganglioside is an important component of plasma membrane of nerve cells and breast tumor tissues. They play an important role in various physiological membrane processes. Therefore, the interaction of ganglioside-containing membrane with LHRH might be crucial in aiding the LHRH to translate through the neural membrane and reach its receptor for binding and activation. Using CD, UV-Absorbance, and fluorescence spectroscopy, the effect of Ganglioside Monosialo 1(GM1)-induced conformational changes of LHRH in the presence of Cholesterol (CHOL)/Sphingomyelin (SM) and GM1/CHOL/SM vesicles was studied. The aforesaid spectroscopic studies show that LHRH is able to bind with both the vesicles, but GM1-containing vesicles interact more effectively than vesicles without GM1. CHOL/SM vesicles partially disturb the conformation of the peptide. Moreover, binding of LHRH to GM1/CHOL/SM vesicles induces loss of conformational rigidity and attainment of a random coil.
Keywords: Cholesterol; GM1; LHRH; Secondary structure; Sphingomyelin; Vesicles.