Rational design of novel fluorescent analogues of cholesterol: a "step-by-step" computational study

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2019 Jul 17;21(28):15487-15503. doi: 10.1039/c9cp01902b.

Abstract

In this paper we show a theoretical rational design approach on a series of intrinsically fluorescent analogues of cholesterol (FLACs), called polyene-sterols (P-sterols), followed by a step-by-step selection of potential candidates, employing, sequentially, state-of-the-art quantum mechanical (QM) computations of the optical properties (single- and multiphoton absorption electronic spectroscopies and emission), molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in model membranes, and multiscale approaches (polarizable embedding). This selection converged to a promising candidate that shows simultaneously interesting single- and multiphoton absorption properties as well as emitting properties and good abilities to mimic cholesterol order effects in model membranes.

MeSH terms

  • Cholesterol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Fluorescence
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Quantum Theory
  • Sterols / chemistry*

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Sterols
  • Cholesterol