ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal
This is a page describing data taken during an experiment at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Information about the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source can be found at https://www.isis.stfc.ac.uk.
An investigation into the mechanisms by which vitamin E acetate can disrupt pulmonary surfactant functionality in EVALI
Abstract: Vitamin E acetate (VEA) is thought to cause electronic-cigarette/vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI) by modifying the properties of the the pulmonary surfactant (PS) that lines the lung alveoli. This project will establish longitudinal field muon spin relaxation (LF- muSR) as a novel, non-invasive technique to investigate lipid dynamics in biologically relevant membranes and provide the first direct, molecular-level evidence for how VEA disrupts lipid organization and membrane flexibility. By exploiting the selective addition of muonium to C=C bonds in unsaturated lipids, we generate 100% spin-polarized, site-specific probes that are sensitive to motions bridging the gap between NMR and neutron spectroscopy. We will first characterize the temperature- and composition-dependent acyl-chain dynamics in unilamellar vesicles (ULVs) of model PS composed of mixtures of DPPC and POPC. We will then examine how VEA modifies these dynamics. These experiments will give mechanistic insight into membrane function and dysfunction and will contribute to understanding, preventing, and mitigating vaping-induced lung diseases, while establishing a new paradigm for probing molecular motion in complex biological systems.
Principal Investigator: Dr Iain McKenzie
Experimenter: Mr Kinan Tliemat
Experimenter: Mr Maks Dziura
Experimenter: Dr Drew Marquardt
Experimenter: Miss Natalie Robinson
Local Contact: Dr Stephen Cottrell
DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610030
ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610030
| Part DOI | Instrument | Public release date | Download Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610030-1 | EMU | 30 September 2029 | Download |
Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
Data format: RAW/Nexus
Select the data format above to find
out more about it.
Data Citation
The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research
publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher],
[doi]
For Example:
Dr Iain McKenzie et al; (2026): An investigation into the mechanisms by which vitamin E acetate can disrupt pulmonary surfactant functionality in EVALI, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610030
Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.
