Molecular cloning and expression of cDNA for rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase

A full-length cDNA complementary to the rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase mRNA was isolated by screening a rat pancreatic cDNA expression library in lambda gt11 vector with antibodies against the porcine pancreatic cholesterol esterase. The isolated cholesterol esterase cDNA is 2050 bp in length and contains an open reading frame coding for a protein of 612 amino acids. A 20-amino acid hydrophobic leader sequence is predicted, based on the position of the first ATG initiation codon upstream from the sequenced amino terminus of the isolated cholesterol esterase. The cholesterol esterase cDNA was subcloned into a mammalian expression vector, pSVL, for transfection studies. Expression of the cDNA in COS cells resulted in the production of bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase. Comparison of the cholesterol esterase cDNA sequence with other proteins revealed that the pancreatic cholesterol esterase is identical to rat pancreatic lysophospholipase. The primary structure of cholesterol esterase displayed no significant homology with other lipases, although the putative lipid interfacial recognition site of G-X-S-X-G is present in the cholesterol esterase sequence. However, the cholesterol esterase sequence revealed a 63-amino-acid domain which is highly homologous to the active site domain of other serine esterases. These data suggest that cholesterol esterase may be a member of the serine esterase supergene family. Analysis of the cholesterol esterase structure also revealed a repetitive sequence enriched with Pro, Asp, Glu, Ser, and Thr residues at the C-terminal end of the protein. This sequence is reminiscent of the PEST-rich sequences in short-lived proteins, suggesting that cholesterol esterase may have a short half-life in vivo. Northern blot hybridization showed that the bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase mRNA is present in liver suggesting that this protein may also be synthesized by liver cells.     

Isocoumarin-based inhibitors of pancreatic cholesterol esterase

Pancreatic cholesterol esterase (CEase), which is secreted from the exocrine pancreas, is a serine hydrolase that aids in the bile salt-dependent hydrolysis of dietary cholesteryl esters and contributes to the hydrolysis of triglycerides and phospholipids. Additional roles for CEase in intestinal micelle formation and in transport of free cholesterol to the enterocyte have been suggested. There also are studies that point to a pathological role(s) for CEase in the circulation where CEase accumulates in atherosclerotic lesions and triggers proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Thus, there is interest in CEase as a potential drug target. 4-Chloro-3-alkoxyisocoumarins are a class of haloenol lactones that inhibit serine hydrolases and serine proteases and have the potential to be suicide inhibitors. In the present study, we have developed 3-alkoxychloroisocoumarins that are potent inhibitors of CEase. These inhibitors were designed to have a saturated cycloalkane ring incorporated into a 3-alkoxy substituent. The size of the ring as well as the length of the tether holding the ring was found to be important contributors to binding to CEase. 4-Chloro-3-(4-cyclohexylbutoxy)isocoumarin and 4-chloro-3-(3-cyclopentylpropoxy)isocoumarin were demonstrated to be potent reversible inhibitors of CEase, with dissociation constants of 11 nM and 19 nM, respectively. The kinetic results are consistent with predictions from molecular modeling.     

Structure of the human pancreatic cholesterol esterase gene.

The gene for human pancreatic cholesterol esterase consists of 11 exons and 10 introns and is 9.2 kb in length. The last and longest exon (841 nucleotides) is unique to the human gene. Functional amino acids are encoded on separate exons. The leader sequence is encoded by a single exon which carries two additional N-terminal amino acids of the mature functional protein. A positive TATA element is identified 43 nucleotides from the start codon. Pulse-field gel electrophoresis and hybridization with various cDNA probes and direct sequence data revealed the existence of a CEase-like gene. Partial sequence analysis of this gene from a human cosmid library and human genomic DNA showed a premature stop signal in exon 10, shortly after the codon for the active-site histidine. Both the functional gene and the CEase-like gene have a polyadenylation signal in the 3'-untranslated region. Thus, the complex gene structure for this intestinally active enzyme may provide in part a potential molecular explanation for the well-known heterogeneity of the intestinal absorption of cholesterol.     

Plant sterol and stanol substrate specificity of pancreatic cholesterol esterase

Consumption of plant sterols or stanols (collectively referred to as phytosterols) and their esters results in decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is associated with decreased atherosclerotic risk. The mechanisms by which phytosterols impart their effects, however, are incompletely characterized. The objective of the present study is to determine if pancreatic cholesterol esterase (PCE; EC 3.1.1.13), the enzyme primarily responsible for cholesterol ester hydrolysis in the digestive tract, is capable of hydrolyzing various phytosterol esters and to compare the rates of sterol ester hydrolysis in vitro. We found that PCE hydrolyzes palmitate, oleate and stearate esters of cholesterol, stigmasterol, stigmastanol and sitosterol. Furthermore, we found that the rate of hydrolysis was dependent on both the sterol and the fatty acid moieties in the following order of rates of hydrolysis: cholesterol>(sitosterol=stigmastanol)>stigmasterol; oleate>(palmitate=stearate). The addition of free phytosterols to the system did not change hydrolytic activity of PCE, while addition of palmitate, oleate or stearate increased activity. Thus, PCE may play an important but discriminatory role in vivo in the liberation of free phytosterols to compete with cholesterol for micellar solubilization and absorption.     

Identity of a cytosolic neutral cholesterol esterase in rat liver with the bile salt stimulated cholesterol esterase in pancreas

A neutral cholesterol esterase has been purified to homogeneity from the cytosolic fraction of rat liver. The 105,000 x g supernatant fraction of rat liver was applied to a DEAE-cellulose column to isolate a partially purified fraction of hepatic cholesterol esterase. Immunoblot analysis of the partially purified liver fraction with the anti-porcine pancreatic cholesterol esterase IgG demonstrated a single band with a molecular weight of 67,000. The hepatic protein was then isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography technique using a column constructed with antibodies prepared against the pancreatic cholesterol esterase. Characterization of the hepatic cholesterol esterase revealed that the hepatic enzyme shared antigenic epitopes with the pancreatic cholesterol esterase and was similarly activated by addition of bile salt such as taurocholate. Moreover, amino-terminal sequencing analysis of the hepatic cholesterol esterase showed an identical sequence with the pancreatic enzyme. Taken together, these results showed that the cholesterol esterases in the liver and the pancreas are very similar and possibly identical proteins.     

Studies on cholesterol esterase in rat adipose tissue: comparison of substrates and regulation of the activity

Efficiency of substrates for cholesterol esterase (EC 3.1.1.13) assay, and regulation of the activity were investigated in rat epididymal adipose tissue. The activity in the supernatant was activated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclic AMP, ATP and Mg2+, both with micellar and liposomal substrates. However, the micellar substrate was more suitable for the assay than the liposomal with respect to Vmax and Km. Thus, the micellar substrate was employed. Pretreatment of the supernatant with exogenous cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase enhanced the activity dose dependently, whereas that with cyclic AMP decreased the activity slightly. The cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity in the assay mixture was within the range which can cause changes in cholesterol esterase activity. These results suggest that the amount of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, rather than the cyclic AMP level, plays an important role in the regulation of cholesterol esterase in tissues with a high cholesterol esterase activity relative to the kinase activity, such as in adipose tissue.     

Purification and characterization of rat pancreatic fatty acid ethyl ester synthase and its structural and functional relationship to pancreatic cholesterol esterase

Formation of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs, catalyzed by FAEE synthase) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis. In previous studies, we demonstrated that FAEE synthase, purified from rat liver microsomes, is identical to rat liver carboxylesterase (pI 6.1), and structurally and functionally different than that from pancreas. In this study, we purified and characterized rat pancreatic microsomal FAEE synthase, and determined its relationship with rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase (ChE). Since most of the serine esterases express p-nitrophenyl acetate (PNPA)-hydrolyzing activity as well as synthetic activity to form fatty acid esters or amides with a wide spectrum of alcohols and amines, respectively, we used PNPA-hydrolyzing activity to monitor the purification of FAEE synthase during various chromatographic purification steps. Synthesizing activity towards FAEEs, fatty acid methyl esters, and fatty acid anilides was measured only in the pooled fractions. At each step of purification (ammonium sulfate saturation, Q Sepharose XL, and heparin-agarose column chromatographies, and high performance liquid chromatography (anion exchange and gel filtration)) synthetic as well as hydrolytic activities copurified. Using ethanol, methanol, or aniline as substrates, the ester or anilide synthesizing activity of the purified protein was found to be 8709, 13000, and 2201 nmol/h/mg protein, respectively. The purified protein displayed a single band with an estimated molecular mass of approximately 68 kD upon SDS-PAGE under reduced denaturing conditions, cross-reacted with antisera against rat pancreatic ChE and showed 100% N-terminal sequence homology of the first 15 amino acids to that of rat pancreatic ChE. These results suggest that the purified protein has broad substrate specificity towards the conjugation of endogenous long chain fatty acids with substrates having hydroxyl and amino groups and is identical to ChE.