Methyl-β-cyclodextrin is a randomly methylated form of the cyclic oligosaccharide β-cyclodextrin . Methyl-β-cyclodextrin contains seven D-(+)-glucopyranose units that contain randomized hydrogen or methyl groups. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin has been used to improve the aqueous solubility of various compounds and to extract cholesterol from lipid membranes. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin (5 mM) reduces α-synuclein levels in the membrane and detergent-insoluble fractions from B103 neuroblastoma cells transfected with human α-synuclein. It also reduces α-synuclein levels in mouse brain in a transgenic model of α-synucleinopathy.
Methyl-β-cyclodextrin is a cholesterol-removing agent mainly used for lipid raft disruption. It may also be used for detergent removal from protein-lipid-detergent ternary mixture to produce 2D membrane protein crystals due to its high solubility and affinity for detergents generally used in membrane protein chemistry.
Cavity size is the major determinant as to which cyclodextrin is used in complexation. The cavity diameter of β-cyclodextrins or β-glucopyranose unit compounds is well-suited for use with molecules the size of hormones, vitamins and many compounds frequently used in tissue and cell culture applications. For this reason, β-cyclodextrin is most commonly used as a complexing agent. It is used to increase the solubility of non-polar substances such as fatty acids, lipids, vitamins and cholesterol for use in cell culture applications. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin is used to remove cholesterol from cultured cells and is employed to remove lipid rafts.
substrate for laminarinase and other glucanases
Methyl-β-cyclodextrin is a small cyclic heptasaccharide.
Methyl-β-cyclodextrin participates in increasing the permeability of cells. It also plays a role in depolymerizing the actin cytoskeleton in cells. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin is involved in attracting cholesterol from the plasma. It participates in activating extracellular receptor kinase in certain cells.
[1] MOJCA PODLESNIK BESENIAR . Kinetics of cholesterol extraction from lipid membranes by methyl-β-cyclodextrin—A surface plasmon resonance approach[J]. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Biomembranes, 2008, 1778 1: Pages 175-184. DOI:
10.1016/j.bbamem.2007.09.022[2] PAZIT BAR-ON. Effects of the cholesterol-lowering compound methyl-β-cyclodextrin in models of α-synucleinopathy[J]. Journal of Neurochemistry, 2006, 98 4: 1032-1045. DOI:
10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04017.x
