Membrane order and molecular dynamics associated with IgE receptor cross-linking in mast cells

Cholesterol-rich microdomains (or "lipid rafts") within the plasma membrane have been hypothesized to exist in a liquid-ordered phase and play functionally important roles in cell signaling; however, these microdomains defy detection using conventional imaging. To visualize domains and relate their nanostructure and dynamics to mast cell signaling, we use two-photon (760 nm and 960 nm) fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and fluorescence polarization anisotropy imaging, with comparative one-photon anisotropy imaging and single-point lifetime and anisotropy decay measurements. The inherent sensitivity of ultrafast excited-state dynamics and rotational diffusion to the immediate surroundings of a fluorophore allows for real-time monitoring of membrane structure and organization. When the high affinity receptor for IgE (FcεRI) is extensively cross-linked with anti-IgE, molecules associated with cholesterol-rich microdomains (e.g., saturated lipids (the lipid analog diI-C₁₈ or glycosphingolipids)) and lipid-anchored proteins coredistribute with cross-linked IgE-FcεRI. We find an enhancement in fluorescence lifetime and anisotropy of diI-C₁₈ and Alexa 488-labeled IgE-FcεRI in the domains where these molecules colocalize. Our results suggest that fluorescence lifetime and, particularly, anisotropy permit us to correlate the recruitment of lipid molecules into more ordered domains that serve as platforms for IgE-mediated signaling.