Mixtures Of Cholesterol Research Articles

Minimal lattice model of lipid membranes with liquid-ordered domains

The authors develop a minimal multiscale lattice model of the binary mixture of saturated lipid and cholesterol that reveals a new thermodynamic mechanism behind the appearance of heterogeneous liquid ordered domains in the mixture.

Effect of the oat, horse chestnut, cowherb, soy, quinoa and soapwort extracts on skin‐mimicking monolayers and cell lines

AbstractThe main goal of the study was to compare the effect of aqueous extracts of oat (Avena sativa L.), horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), soapwort (Saponaria officinalis L.), cowherb (Vaccaria hispanica [P. Mill.] Rauschert) and soy (Glycine max L.) on model lipid monolayers mimicking the lipid membrane of keratinocytes and intercellular lipids of stratum corneum, and on human skin‐related cell lines. Two lipid monolayers, consisting of a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and cholesterol mixture in a molar ratio of 7:3 and Ceramide VI, stearic acid and cholesterol in a molar ratio of 1:1:0.7, and two cell lines (human keratinocyte HaCaT and human skin malignant melanoma A375) were employed. None of the extracts reduced surface pressure below the level achieved for bare monolayers. The strength of the effect on the lipid monolayers (horse chestnut > cowherb > soapwort > soy) points to the existence of some specific interactions responsible for the observed affinity of biosurfactants from the extracts to the lipids in the monolayers. The cytotoxicity tests performed with two model skin cell lines showed that all six plants extracts significantly reduced the cells' viability in a concentration‐dependent way. The model lipid monolayers were not solubilized by the investigated surface‐active extracts. The latter thus proved interesting candidates for application in mild cleansing cosmetic formulations. Penetration of the monolayers by surface‐active components of some extracts, especially horse chestnut, cowherb and soapwort, opens new possibilities for topical delivery of active components.

Dynamic response on a nanometer scale of binary phospholipid-cholesterol vesicles: Low-frequency Raman scattering insight.

Low-frequency Raman spectroscopy was used to study the dynamic response on a nanometer scale of aqueous suspensions of two-component lipid vesicles. Binary mixtures of saturated phospholipid (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DPPC) and cholesterol are interesting for possible coexistence of solidlike and liquid-ordered phases, while the phase coexistence was not reported for unsaturated phospholipid (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DOPC) and cholesterol mixtures. The DOPC-DPPC mixtures represent the well-documented case of coexisting domains of solidlike and liquid-disordered phases. These three series of lipid mixtures are studied here. A broad peak with the maximum in the range of 30-50cm^{-1} and a narrow peak near 10cm^{-1} are observed in the Raman susceptibility of the binary mixtures and attributed to the acousticlike vibrational density of states and layer modes, respectively. Parameters of the broad and narrow peaks are sensitive to lateral and conformational hydrocarbon chain ordering. It was also demonstrated that the low-frequency Raman susceptibility of multicomponent lipid bilayers allows one to determine the phase state of lipid bilayers and distinguish the homogeneous distribution of molecular complexes from coexisting domains with sizes above several nanometers. Thus, the low-frequency Raman spectroscopy provides unique information in studying phase coexistence in lipid bilayers.

Niosomes: A Promising Novel Nano Carrier for Drug Delivery

Niosomes are vesicles, which are formulated by hydrating the mixture of cholesterol, non-ionic surfactant and other biodegradable lipids. Niosomes increase the drug activity as compare to their conventional dosage form of a drug. Niosomes can be used as carrier of amphiphilic and lipophilic drugs. Niosomes may overcome the issues related to instability, fast degradation, low bioavailability, and insolubility of medications. The structure of niosomes either multilamellar or unilamellar, is depends on the method of formulation. Niosomes contain very efficient drug delivery potential for site-specific delivery of anti-cancer, anti-infective agents, etc. Niosomes are stable as well as cost effective carriers as compared with other drug formulations. Niosomes also have various applications in parental drug delivery system, topical drug delivery system, oral drug delivery system and novel drug delivery system such as targeted drug delivery system and controlled drug release system.

What's up with WAT: attempting to mimic adipose tissue in vitro.

What's up with WAT: attempting to mimic adipose tissue in vitro.

Design of Liposomes Carrying HelixComplex Snail Mucus: Preliminary Studies.

In recent decades liposomes have been used in different field thanks to their ability to act as a vehicle for a wide range of biomolecules, their great versatility and their easy production. The aim of this study was to evaluate liposomes as a vehicle for the actives present in the HelixComplex (HC) snail mucus for topical delivery. Liposomes composed of a mixture of phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and octadecylamine were prepared with and without HC (empty liposomes) and their biological efficacy was tested by evaluating cell viability and migration. HC-loaded liposomes (LHC) were stable throughout 60 days of observation, and showed interesting effects on wound healing reconstitution. In particular, we observed that 25 µg/mL LHC were already able to induce a higher cell monolayer reconstitution in comparison to the untreated samples and HC treated samples after only 4 h (28% versus 10% and 7%, p = 0.03 and p= 0.003, respectively). The effect was more evident at 24 h in comparison with the untreated control (54% versus 21.2% and 41.6%, p = 0.006 and p = NS, respectively). These results represent a preliminary, but promising, novelty in the delivery strategy of the actives present in the HelixComplex mucus.

Effects of Hamo NK hard capsule on serum lipid profiles in dyslipidemia experimental animals

Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Polyherbal formulation is a traditional therapeutic strategy used to treat dyslipidemia over many years of tradition. The aim of this study was designed to evaluate the effects of Hamo NK hard capsule on endogenous dyslipidemia and exogenous dyslipidemia experimental animal model. In endogenous hyperlipidemia model, mice were previously treated by Hamo NK hard capsule, and intraperitoneally injected by poloxamer - 407 to induce hyperlipidemia. Rats were oral administration of oil - cholesterol mixture and Hamo NK for 4 consecutive weeks (exogenous dyslipidemia). Parameters of serum lipid were determined. Hamo NK ameliorated the elevation of serum total cholesterol, Non - HDL - cholesterol at the daily dose of 1.5g/kg b.w (p < 0.05). Also, there was no signicant difference in increase on high - density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and decrease triglyceride levels between the groups. Hamo NK at two doses of 0.25g/kg b.w and 0.75g/kg b.w significantly reduced serum LDL - C levels compared to the cholesterol control group. Hamo NK hard capsule affected on serum lipid modulations in dyslipidemia models.

Cholesterol modulates the interaction between paclitaxel and Langmuir monolayers simulating cell membranes

The composition of Langmuir monolayers used as cell membrane models is an essential factor for the interaction with biologically-relevant molecules, including pharmaceutical drugs. In this paper, we report the modulation of effects from the antineoplastic drug paclitaxel by the relative concentration of cholesterol in the Langmuir monolayers of ternary mixtures of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, and cholesterol. Since the dependence on cholesterol concentration for these monolayers simulating lipid rafts is non-monotonic, we analyzed the surface pressure and compressibility modulus data with the multidimensional projection technique referred to as interactive document mapping (IDMAP). The maximum expansion induced by paclitaxel in surface pressure isotherms was observed for 27% cholesterol, while the compressibility modulus decreased most strongly for the monolayer with 48% cholesterol. Therefore, the physiological action of paclitaxel may vary depending on whether it is associated with penetration in the membrane or with changes in the membrane elasticity.

Membrane lipid replacement with nano-micelles in human sperm cryopreservation improves post-thaw function and acrosome protein integrity

Research questionMembrane lipid replacement (MLR) of oxidized membrane lipids can restore sperm cellular membrane functionality and help improve surface protein stability during cryopreservation. What are the effects of MLR with nano-micelles made from a glycerophospholipid (GPL) mixture and cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (CLC), on the cryosurvival and expression of acrosome-related proteins in thawed human spermatozoa? DesignTwenty samples were used to determine the optimum level of nano-micelles by incubation of semen with different concentrations of GPL (0.1 and 1%) and CLC (1 and 2 mg/ml) (including GPL-0.1, GPL-1, CLC-1, CLC-2, CLC-1/GPL-0.1, CLC-2/GPL-0.1, CLC-1/GPL-1 and CLC-2/GPL-1) before cryopreservation. Then, 30 semen samples were collected, and each sample was divided into the following three aliquots: fresh, frozen control and frozen incubated with optimum level of nano-micelles (0.1% GPL and 1 mg/ml CLC). ResultsCLC-1/GPL-0.1 and GPL-0.1 significantly increased motility parameters. CLC-1, GPL-0.1 and CLC-1/GPL-0.1 significantly improved viability rate compared with frozen control group. Significantly higher mitochondrial activity and acrosome integrity, and a lower rate of apoptosis, were observed in the CLC-1/GPL-0.1 compared with the frozen control group. The expression ratios of arylsulfatase A (ARSA), serine protease 37 (PRSS37), serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 2 (SPINK2) and equatorin (EQTN) significantly increased compared with the frozen control group. ConclusionsModification of membrane cholesterol and GPL mixtures in spermatozoa enhances their acrosome protein integrity by inhibiting early apoptotic changes and spontaneous acrosome reactions.

Effects of osmotic pressure on the irreversible electroporation in giant lipid vesicles.

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a nonthermal tumor/cell ablation technique in which a series of high-voltage short pulses are used. As a new approach, we aimed to investigate the rupture of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) using the IRE technique under different osmotic pressures (Π), and estimated the membrane tension due to Π. Two categories of GUVs were used in this study. One was prepared with a mixture of dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG), dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and cholesterol (chol) for obtaining more biological relevance while other with a mixture of DOPG and DOPC, with specific molar ratios. We determined the rate constant (kp) of rupture of DOPG/DOPC/chol (46/39/15)-GUVs and DOPG/DOPC (40/60)-GUVs induced by constant electric tension (σc) under different Π. The σc dependent kp values were fitted with a theoretical equation, and the corresponding membrane tension (σoseq) at swelling equilibrium under Π was estimated. The estimated membrane tension agreed well with the theoretical calculation within the experimental error. Interestingly, the values of σoseq were almost same for both types of synthesized GUVs under same osmotic pressure. We also examined the sucrose leakage, due to large osmotic pressure-induced pore formation, from the inside of DOPG/DOPC/chol(46/39/15)-GUVs. The estimated membrane tension due to large Π at which sucrose leaked out was very similar to the electric tension at which GUVs were ruptured without Π. We explained the σc and Π induced pore formation in the lipid membranes of GUVs.

Thermal evolution of steroids during anhydrous pyrolysis of cholesterol with and without elemental sulfur

Steroids are widely used in geochemical studies. They are common in living organisms, sediments and petroleum, and the diagenetic pathways of steroidal compounds in the subsurface are reasonably well understood. However, there are still some questions concerning their thermal evolution (i.e., isomerization, aromatization, and cracking), such as the rates of formation and alteration of various steroidal compounds and the effects of catalysis on these processes, specifically the possible influence of sulfur-containing species. To address these questions, cholesterol and a mixture of cholesterol and elemental sulfur were reacted to simulate the thermal evolution pathways of steroids in the laboratory. Anhydrous pyrolysis experiments were conducted in sealed gold tubes at temperatures ranging from 150 °C to 600 °C using heating rates of 2 °C/h and 20 °C/h, and the products were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For the pure cholesterol experiments, the formation of sterenes, steranes and monoaroamtic steroids, and finally triaromatic steroids occurred at EasyRo ~ 0.42%, 0.73%, and 1.36%, respectively. All species were converted into smaller moieties such as phenanthrenes, pyrenes, etc., at EasyRo > 1.69%. The presence of elemental sulfur in the pyrolysis experiments significantly increased the rate of the thermal evolution of steroids, with an earlier onset of the generation of smaller moieties such as methylphenanthrenes and dimethylphenanthrenes at EasyRo 0.86%. Diasterenes and diasteranes were not observed in either the pure cholesterol or the cholesterol with elemental sulfur experiments. The aromatization path starting from the C-ring of steroids was not observed in the experiments using pure cholesterol but occurred in the sulfur-containing series. The presence of sulfur significantly increased the rate of isomerization and aromatization of steranes, especially sterane ring isomerization, and increased the equilibrium values of isomerization parameters by 0.1–0.2 compared to that of the pure cholesterol series. These findings indicate that the presence of sulfur-containing species has important implications for the thermal evolution of steroids.

Structural Changes of the Lipid Model Systems in the Presence of Enzymes or Silver Nanoparticles

This work aimed to study the interaction of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and lipases with models of biological membranes based on natural phospholipid and cholesterol. The crude phosphatidylcholine from egg yolk (PCe1) and synthetic cholesterol (Chol) were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. Porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) was obtained by purification from the hog pancreas. AgNP dispersion was prepared by the well-known citrate method. Measurement of surface tension (ST) was carried out using a BPA-1P device. The equilibrium surface tension (eST) was obtained by calculating the ST-time isotherms using the ADSA program. The particle sizes were determined by the dynamic light scattering method. An addition of AgNPs led to a pronounced decrease in both ST and eST (whereas almost no changes occurred by lipase addition), and AgNPs destructed the large lipid particles. The average lipid particle diameter values changed drastically, whereas the effective particle diameter values were almost the same by lipase addition. Thus, the interactions of AgNPs or lipase with the mixture of natural phospholipid and cholesterol have had entirely different features. These effects are interesting for modeling the interactions of inorganic and organic compounds with biological membranes.

Ibuprofen and the Phosphatidylcholine Bilayer: Membrane Water Permeability in the Presence and Absence of Cholesterol.

The interactions between drugs and cell membranes can modulate the structural and physical properties of membranes. The resultant perturbations of the membrane integrity may affect the conformation of the proteins inserted within the membrane, disturbing the membrane-hosted biological functions. In this study, the droplet interface bilayer (DIB), a model cell membrane, is used to examine the effects of ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), on transbilayer water permeability, which is a fundamental membrane biophysical property. Our results indicate that the presence of neutral ibuprofen (pH 3) increases the water permeability of the lipid membranes composed of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC). When cholesterol is present with the DOPC, however, the water permeability is not influenced by addition of ibuprofen, regardless of the cholesterol content in DOPC. Given the fact that cholesterol is generally considered to impact packing in the hydrocarbon chain regions, our findings suggest that a potential competition between opposing effects of ibuprofen molecules and cholesterol on the hydrocarbon core environment of the phospholipid assembly may influence the overall water transport phenomena. Results from confocal Raman microspectroscopy and interfacial tensiometry show that ibuprofen molecules induce substantial structural and dynamic changes in the DOPC lipid bilayer. These results, demonstrating that the presence of ibuprofen increases the water permeability of pure DOPC but not that of DOPC-cholesterol mixtures, provide insight into the differential effect of a representative NSAID on heterogeneous biological membranes, depending upon the local composition and structure, results which will signal increased understanding of the gastrointestinal damage and toxicity induced by these molecules.

ARTICLE: Compromised Skin Barrier and Sensitive Skin in Diverse Populations.

The most important function of the stratum corneum (SC), the uppermost layer of the human epidermis, is the formation of the epidermal permeability barrier. Lipids, particularly ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids, together form lamellar membranes in the extracellular spaces of the SC that limit the loss of water and electrolytes. In addition to preventing water and electrolyte loss, the SC as a permeability barrier prevents the entry of harmful irritants, allergens, and microorganisms into the skin. Disruption of the epidermal barrier leads to skin that is irritated, more reactive, and more sensitive than normal skin. SC thickness, lipid profile, and barrier function vary with different ethnic groups, which is also reflected the differences in prevalence and manifestation of diverse skin conditions related to the skin barrier function such as atopic dermatitis and sensitive skin. In addition to these compromised skin barrier related conditions, we are just now starting to understand the direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 on the skin and how current preventative measures are contributing to skin barrier disorders. Our understanding of various approaches for restoration of skin barrier, especially the role of topically applied mixtures of cholesterol, ceramides, and essential/nonessential free fatty acids (FFAs) allows for the strengthening of the compromised skin barrier and alleviation of symptoms and discomfort associated with skin barrier disorders. Ceramide containing products on the market are commonly available and offer protection and reparative benefits to the skin barrier. J Drugs Dermatol. 20(4 Suppl):17-22. doi:10.36849/JDD.S589C.

Thermodynamic and Mechanical Properties of DMPC/Cholesterol Mixed Monolayers at Physiological Conditions

One of the main known effects of cholesterol is to rigidify the cell membrane throughout the so-called condensing effect. Although many studies have been done in mixtures of cholesterol with different membrane lipids, there are not many studies in a wide concentration range of cholesterol or at physiological conditions. In this work, we studied mixtures of DMPC/Cholesterol monolayers to determine the effect of cholesterol, from very low to physiological concentrations and two pHs. We use a Langmuir balance and Brewster angle microscopy to study their thermodynamic behavior at 37.0 ± 0.1°C at the air/solution interface. From the analysis of the (π−A) isotherms, we determined the excess area and the compressibility elastic modulus to determine the monolayers mechanical properties. Surprisingly, we found three main effects of cholesterol: The first one is a fluidization effect of the monolayer at all cholesterol concentrations. The second effect is the so-called condensing effect that appears due to the non-ideality of the mixture. The third effect is a stiffness of the monolayer as the cholesterol concentration increases. These effects are stronger in pure water, pH ≈ 6.6, than on buffer at physiological pH = 7.4. We also found that all mixtures are thermodynamically stable at all concentrations at a surface pressure of 30.1 ± 1.6 and 27.4 ± 3.2 mN/m in pure water and buffer, respectively. Furthermore, we compared this stability with a fatty acid monolayer that shows a much lower surface pressure equilibrium value that DMPC or its mixtures with cholesterol, indicating a possibly reason why double chain lipids are better than single chain lipids to made up the cell membrane.

Application of DNP-enhanced solid-state NMR to studies of amyloid-β peptide interaction with lipid membranes

The cellular membrane disruption induced by the aggregation of Aβ peptide has been proposed as a plausible cause of neuronal cell death during Alzheimer’s disease. The molecular-level details of the Aβ interaction with cellular membranes were previously probed using solid state NMR (ssNMR), however, due to the limited sensitivity of the latter, studies were limited to samples with high Aβ-to-lipid ratio.The dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is a technique for increasing the sensitivity of NMR. In this work we demonstrate the feasibility of DNP-enhanced ssNMR studies of Aβ40 peptide interacting with various model liposomes: (1) a mixture of zwitterionic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and negatively charged 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (POPG); (2) a mixture of POPC, POPG, cholesterol, sphingomyelin and ganglioside GM1; (3) the synaptic plasma membrane vesicles (SPMVs) extracted from rat brain tissues. In addition, DNP-ssNMR was applied to capturing changes in Aβ40 conformation taking place upon the peptide insertion into POPG liposomes. The signal enhancements under conditions of DNP allow carrying out informative 2D ssNMR experiments with about 0.25 mg of Aβ40 peptides (i.e. reaching Aβ40-to-lipid ratio of 1:200). In the studied liposome models, the 13C NMR chemical shifts at many 13C-labelled sites of Aβ40 are characteristic of β-sheets. In addition, in POPG liposomes the peptide forms hydrophobic contacts F19-L34 and F19-I32. Both the chemical shifts and hydrophobic contacts of Aβ40 in POPG remain the same before and after 8 h of incubation. This suggests that conformation at the 13C-labelled sites of the peptide is similar before and after the insertion process. Overall, our results demonstrate that DNP helps to overcome the sensitivity limitation of ssNMR, and thereby expand the applicability of ssNMR for charactering the Aβ peptide interacting with lipids.

ARTICLE: Compromised Skin Barrier and Sensitive Skin in Diverse Populations

The most important function of the stratum corneum (SC), the uppermost layer of the human epidermis, is the formation of the epidermal permeability barrier. Lipids, particularly ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids, together form lamellar membranes in the extracellular spaces of the SC that limit the loss of water and electrolytes. In addition to preventing water and electrolyte loss, the SC as a permeability barrier prevents the entry of harmful irritants, allergens, and microorganisms into the skin. Disruption of the epidermal barrier leads to skin that is irritated, more reactive, and more sensitive than normal skin. SC thickness, lipid profile, and barrier function vary with different ethnic groups, which is also reflected the differences in prevalence and manifestation of diverse skin conditions related to the skin barrier function such as atopic dermatitis and sensitive skin. In addition to these compromised skin barrier related conditions, we are just now starting to understand the direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 on the skin and how current preventative measures are contributing to skin barrier disorders. Our understanding of various approaches for restoration of skin barrier, especially the role of topically applied mixtures of cholesterol, ceramides, and essential/nonessential free fatty acids (FFAs) allows for the strengthening of the compromised skin barrier and alleviation of symptoms and discomfort associated with skin barrier disorders. Ceramide containing products on the market are commonly available and offer protection and reparative benefits to the skin barrier. J Drugs Dermatol. 20(4 Suppl):17-22. doi:10.36849/JDD.S589C

Preparation and characterization of oleogels and emulgels with glycerol monooleate–cholesterol mixtures

This study aimed to prepare and characterize oleogels and emulgels with glycerol monooleate (GMO): cholesterol gelator system. Oleogels, including 5 and 10% of each gelator were prepared. Emulgels with the same organogelator mixture concentrations, and 10 and 20% water phase were also prepared successfully. The gelation time decreased as the added gelator mixture and water concentrations increased. All samples had significant oil binding capacity and creamish-white colors. The oleogels melted just below body temperature, while emulgels melted around body temperature as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The samples’ crystalline networks were observed with the X-ray diffraction analysis and displayed β and β′ polymorphic type crystals. Rheological measurements revealed that as gelator mixture concentration increased, gel strength enhanced, but in the emulgels, the gel strength decreased significantly as added water content increased. All oleogels and emulgels showed time-dependent thixotropic recovery ability. Temperature ramp tests indicated that the oleogels were stable up to 28 °C, but the emulgels kept their gelled consistency up to 70 °C. Overall, the common properties of these new oleogel and emulgels were provided. Future studies for some applications are foreseen.

Chain ordering of phospholipids in membranes containing cholesterol: what matters?

Cholesterol (CHOL) drives lipid segregation and is thus a key player for the formation of lipid rafts and followingly for the ability of a cell to, e.g., enable selective agglomeration of proteins. The lipid segregation is driven by cholesterol's affinity for saturated lipids, which stands directly in relation to the ability of cholesterol to order the individual phospholipid (PL) acyl chains. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations of DPPC (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, saturated lipid) and DLiPC (dilineoylphosphatidylcholine, unsaturated lipid) mixtures with cholesterol are used to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the cholesterol ordering effect. To this end, all enthalpic contributions, experienced by the PL molecules, are recorded as a function of the PL's acyl chain order. This involves the PL-PL, the PL-cholesterol interaction, the interaction of the PLs with water, and the interleaflet interaction. This systematic analysis allows one to unravel differences of saturated and unsaturated lipids in terms of the different interaction factors. It turns out that cholesterol's impact on chain ordering stems not only from direct interactions with the PLs but is also indirectly present in the other energy contributions. Furthermore, the analysis sheds light on the relevance of the entropic contributions, related to the degrees of freedom of the acyl chain.

How to control interactions of cellulose-based biomaterials with skin: the role of acidity in the contact area.

Being able to control the interactions of biomaterials with living tissues and skin is highly desirable for many biomedical applications. This is particularly the case for cellulose-based materials which provide one of the most versatile platforms for tissue engineering due to their strength, biocompatibility and abundance. Achieving such control, however, requires detailed molecular-level knowledge of the dominant interaction mechanisms. Here, we employed both biased and unbiased atomic-scale molecular dynamics simulations to explore how cellulose crystals interact with model stratum corneum bilayers, ternary mixtures of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. Our findings show that acidity in the contact area directly affects binding between cellulose and the stratum corneum bilayer: Protonation of free fatty acids in the bilayer promotes attractive cellulose-bilayer interactions. We identified two major factors that control the cellulose-skin interactions: (i) the electrostatic repulsion between a cellulose crystal and the charged (anionic due to deprotonated fatty acids) surface of a stratum corneum bilayer and (ii) the cellulose-stratum corneum hydrogen bonding. When less than half of the fatty acids in the bilayer are protonated, the first factor dominates and there is no binding to skin. At a larger degree of fatty acid protonation the cellulose-stratum corneum hydrogen bonding prevails yielding a tight binding. Remarkably, we found that ceramide molecules are the key component in hydrogen bonding with cellulose. Overall, our findings highlight the critical role of fatty acid protonation in biomaterial-stratum corneum interactions and can be used for optimizing the surface properties of cellulose-based materials aimed at biomedical applications such as wound dressings.