Biotinylation of low density lipoproteins via free amino groups without loss of receptor binding activity

Low density lipoproteins were biotinylated via free amino groups using carbodiimide-activated biotin or D-biotin-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester. The receptor binding activity of the biotinylated LDL was determined by their ability to displace 125I-labeled LDL from the rat hepatic LDL receptor in the liposome filtration assay. LDL biotinylated with either of the two reagents was able to compete effectively with 125I-labeled LDL providing less than twenty biotin moieties were incorporated per lipoprotein particle. When more than twenty biotins were linked there was a marked loss of activity. The following conditions were adopted as standard for the biotinylation of LDL via free amino groups: 0.3 mumol of D-biotin-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester was incubated with 2 mg of LDL for 1 hr at room temperature. These conditions reproducibly yielded 11.3 +/- 0.6 biotins per LDL particle. With the biotinylated LDL and a performed streptavidin-biotinylated peroxidase complex, the hepatic LDL receptor from rats treated with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol was visualized as a single band on electroblots. Finally, the biotinylated LDL was used in an enzyme-linked sorbent assay for the LDL receptor. When solubilized liver membrane proteins from rats treated with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol were fixed to the wells with 1.6% paraformaldehyde, a specific binding greater than 0.4 absorbance units was observed which was about ninefold higher than with solubilized proteins from normal rats. We therefore suggest that D-biotin-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester can be used to biotinylate LDL reliably without destroying the lipoprotein's ability to bind specifically to its high affinity receptor.     

The estradiol-stimulated lipoprotein receptor of rat liver. A binding site that membrane mediates the uptake of rat lipoproteins containing apoproteins B and E

Hepatic catabolism of lipoproteins containing apolipoproteins B or E is enhanced in rats treated with pharmacologic doses of 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol. Liver membranes prepared from these rats exhibit an increased number of receptor sites that bind 125I-labeled human low density lipoproteins (LDL) in vitro. In the present studies, this estradiol-stimulated hepatic receptor was shown to recognize the following rat lipoproteins: LDL, very low density lipoproteins obtained from liver perfusates (hepatic VLDL), and VLDL-remnants prepared by intravenous injection of hepatic VLDL into functionally eviscerated rats. The receptor also recognized synthetic lamellar complexes of lecithin and rat apoprotein E as well as canine high density lipoproteins containing apoprotein E (apo E-HDLc). It did not recognize human HDL or rat HDL deficient in apoprotein E. Much smaller amounts of this high affinity binding site were also found on liver membranes from untreated rats, the number of such sites increasing more than 10-fold after the animals were treated with estradiol. Each of the rat lipoproteins recognized by this receptor was taken up more rapidly by perfused livers from estrogen-treated rats. In addition, enrichment of hepatic VLDL with C-apoproteins lowered the ability of these lipoproteins to bind to the estradiol-stimulated receptor and diminished their rate of uptake by the perfused liver of estrogen-treated rats, just as it did in normal rats. The current data indicate that under the influence of pharmacologic doses of estradiol the liver of the rat contains increased amounts of a functional lipoprotein receptor that binds lipoproteins containing apoproteins B and E. This hepatic lipoprotein receptor appears to mediate the uptake and degradation of lipoproteins by the normal liver as well as the liver of estradiol-treated rats. The hepatic receptor bears a close functional resemblance to the LDL receptor previously characterized on extrahepatic cells.     

Regulation of low density lipoprotein receptors by adrenocorticotropin in the adrenal gland of mice and rats in vivo

Membranes prepared from the adrenal gland of mice and rats possess high affinity binding sites that recognize 125I-labeled human low density lipoprotein (LDL). These binding sites resemble the functional LDL receptors that mediate the uptake of LDL by cultured mouse and bovine adrenal cells. The number of LDL binding sites per mg of membrane protein increased 2- to 5-fold over 24 h when mice or rats were treated with adrenocorticotropin (ACTH). In rats, this increase was accompanied by a similar ACTH-induced increase in the adrenal uptake of intravenously administered 125I-LDL, suggesting that the LDL binding sites mediate the uptake of LDL by the adrenal in the intact animal. The number of LDL binding sites on adrenal membranes rose by 5-fold when animals were rendered lipoprotein-deficient, either by treatment of mice with 4-aminopyrazolopyrimidine or by treatment of rats with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol. This increase was prevented when endogenous ACTH secretion was blocked by administration of dexamethasone, suggesting that ACTH was required. The current experiments suggest that LDL receptors provide one source of cholesterol for the mouse and rat adrenal in vivo and that the number of LDL receptors of this organ is regulated by ACTH.     

A dot-blot assay for the low density lipoprotein receptor

We describe a new method for detecting the interaction of low density lipoprotein with its receptor using unmodified nitrocellulose as support for membrane protein. The method is specific and sensitive down to 3 micrograms of membrane protein. Unlabeled LDL, but not HDL, competes with 125I-labeled LDL for binding, and binding is abolished by pretreatment of the membranes with pronase and is dependent upon the presence of Ca2+. Furthermore, modification of arginine or lysine residues on LDL abolishes the lipoprotein interaction with the receptor protein supported on the nitrocellulose. When the membranes are solubilized with octyl glucoside, purification steps of the receptor can be directly followed with no interference of the detergent, therefore eliminating the need for its removal. The increased expression of LDL receptors on liver membranes from estradiol-treated rats was also demonstrated. We suggest, therefore, that this method can be used to detect the presence of LDL receptors on minute amounts of membrane protein.     

Visualization of the hepatic low-density lipoprotein receptor in rats by sequential scintiscans

The usefulness of a gamma camera system for external imaging of the degradation sites of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is demonstrated in rats. [131I]LDL was injected intravenously in normal rats and rats pretreated with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol for LDL receptor induction. Distribution of the radioligand was followed for 20 min, for perfusion control [131I]albumin was administered. Rats pretreated with 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol showed a marked increase in the LDL uptake by the liver, which was not competed by the preinjection of physiological amounts of unlabelled LDL. It is concluded that the injection of small amounts of [131I]LDL is sufficient to image the hepatic LDL receptor and that the endogenous LDL does not compete effectively at physiological LDL levels.     

Role of low density lipoprotein receptor-dependent and -independent sites in binding and uptake of chylomicron remnants in rat liver

The role of the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor in the binding of chylomicron remnants to liver membranes and in their uptake by hepatocytes was assessed using a monospecific polyclonal antibody to the LDL receptor of the rat liver. The anti-LDL receptor antibody inhibited the binding and uptake of chylomicron remnants and LDL by the poorly differentiated rat hepatoma cell HTC 7288C as completely as did unlabeled lipoproteins. The antireceptor antibody, however, decreased binding of chylomicron remnants to liver membranes from normal rats by only about 10%. This was true for intact membranes and for solubilized reconstituted membranes and with both a crude membrane fraction as well as with purified sinusoidal membranes. Further, complete removal of the LDL receptor from solubilized membranes by immunoprecipitation with antireceptor antibody only decreased remnant binding to the reconstituted supernatant by 10% compared to solubilized, nonimmunoprecipitated membranes. Treatment of rats with ethinyl estradiol induced an increase in remnant binding by liver membranes. All of the increased binding could be inhibited by the antireceptor antibody. The LDL receptor-independent remnant binding site was not EDTA sensitive and was not affected by ethinyl estradiol treatment. LDL receptor-independent remnant binding was competed for by beta-VLDL = HDLc greater than rat LDL greater than human LDL (where VLDL is very low density lipoprotein, and HDL is high density lipoprotein). There was weak and incomplete competition by apoE-free HDL, probably due to removal of apoE from the remnant. The LDL receptor-independent remnant-binding site was also present in membranes prepared from isolated hepatocytes and had the same characteristics as the site on membranes prepared from whole liver. In contrast, when chylomicron remnants were incubated with a primary culture of rat hepatocytes, the anti-LDL receptor antibody prevented specific cell association by 84% and degradation of chylomicron remnants completely. Based on these studies, we conclude that although binding of chylomicron remnants to liver cell membranes is not dependent on the LDL receptor, their intact uptake by hepatocytes is.     

Characteristics of lipoprotein receptors of the isolated liver parenchymal cells prepared from the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Characteristics of lipoprotein receptors of the isolated liver parenchymal cells prepared from the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats fed 1.0% cholesterol showed the exaggerated hypercholesterolemia as compared to control rats fed 1.0% cholesterol. The present study was designed to elucidate the role of lipoprotein receptor mechanisms of liver parenchymal cells in the diabetic dyslipoproteinemia. 125I-labeled lipoproteins (rat beta-VLDL, human LDL2 or rat HDL3) were incubated with liver parenchymal cells isolated by liver perfusion using collagenase. According to the Scatchard analysis, the apparent dissociation constant (kd) and maximum beta-VLDL binding (Bmax) for the higher affinity binding site in the diabetic rats (n = 6) were (11.9 +/- 5.1) X 10(2) ng/ml and 307.5 +/- 145.2 ng/10(6) cells, respectively. These binding characteristics of the diabetic rats were not significantly different from the control rats. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the binding characteristics of human LDL2 and rat HDL3 between the diabetic rats and the control rats. The data presented suggest that significant role of alteration of lipoprotein receptor characteristics in liver parenchymal cells is not played in the diabetic dyslipoproteinemia.     

Binding properties of high-density lipoprotein subfractions and low-density lipoproteins to rabbit hepatocytes

Primary cultures of rabbit hepatocytes which were preincubated for 20 h in a medium containing lipoprotein-deficient serum subsequently bound, internalized and degraded 125I-labeled high-density lipoproteins2 (HDL2). The rate of degradation of HDL2 was constant in incubations from 3 to 25 h. As the concentration of HDL2 in the incubation medium was increased, binding reached saturation. At 37 degrees C, half-maximal binding (Km) was achieved at a concentration of 7.3 micrograms of HDL2 protein/ml (4.06 X 10(-8)M) and the maximum amount bound was 476 ng of HDL2 protein/mg of cell protein. At 4 degrees C, HDL2 had a Km of 18.6 micrograms protein/ml (1.03 X 10(-7)M). Unlabeled low-density lipoproteins (LDL) inhibited only at low concentrations of 125I-labeled HDL2. Quantification of 125I-labeled HDL2 binding to a specific receptor (based on incubation of cells at 4 degrees C with and without a 50-fold excess of unlabeled HDL) yielded a dissociation constant of 1.45 X 10(-7)M. Excess HDL2 inhibited the binding of both 125I-labeled HDL2 and 125I-labeled HDL3, but excess HDL3 did not affect the binding of 125I-labeled HDL3. Preincubation of hepatocytes in the presence of HDL resulted in only a 40% reduction in specific HDL2 receptors, whereas preincubation with LDL largely suppressed LDL receptors. HDL2 and LDL from control and hypercholesterolemic rabbits inhibited the degradation of 125I-labeled HDL2, but HDL3 did not. Treatment of HDL2 and LDL with cyclohexanedione eliminated their capacity to inhibit 125I-labeled HDL2 degradation, suggesting that apolipoprotein E plays a critical role in triggering the degradative process. The effect of incubation with HDL on subsequent 125I-labeled LDL binding was time-dependent: a 20 h preincubation with HDL reduced the amount of 125I-labeled LDL binding by 40%; there was a similar effect on LDL bound in 6 h but not on LDL bound in 3 h. The binding of 125I-labeled LDL to isolated liver cellular membranes demonstrated saturation kinetics at 4 degrees C and was inhibited by EDTA or excess LDL. The binding of 125I-labeled HDL2 was much lower than that of 125I-labeled LDL and was less inhibited by unlabeled lipoproteins. The binding of 125I-labeled HDL3 was not inhibited by any unlabeled lipoproteins. EDTA did not affect the binding of either HDL2 or HDL3 to isolated liver membranes. Hepatocytes incubated with [2-14C]acetate in the absence of lipoproteins incorporated more label into cellular cholesterol, nonsaponifiable lipids and total cellular lipid than hepatocytes incubated with [2-14C]acetate in the presence of any lipoprotein fraction. However, the level of 14C-labeled lipids released into the medium was higher in the presence of medium lipoproteins, indicating that the effect of those lipoproteins was on the rate of release of cellular lipids rather than on the rate of synthesis.     

Isolation and characterization of the apolipoprotein E receptor from canine and human liver

Previous results have demonstrated that liver membranes possess two distinct lipoprotein receptors: a low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor that binds lipoproteins containing either apolipoprotein (apo-) B or apo-E, and an apo-E-specific receptor that binds apo-E-containing lipoproteins, but not the apo-B-containing LDL. This study reports the isolation and purification of apo-B,E(LDL) and apo-E receptors from canine and human liver membranes. The receptors were solubilized with the zwitterionic detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate and were partially purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The apo-B,E(LDL) receptor was isolated by affinity chromatography on LDL-Sepharose. The apo-E receptor, which did not bind to the LDL-Sepharose column, was then purified by using an HDLc (cholesterol-induced high density lipoprotein)-Sepharose affinity column and an immunoaffinity column. Characterization of the receptors revealed that the hepatic apo-B,E(LDL) receptor is similar to the extrahepatic LDL receptor with an apparent Mr = 130,000 on non-reducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. The apo-E receptor was found to be distinct from the apo-B,E(LDL) receptor, with an apparent Mr = 56,000. The purified apo-E receptor displayed Ca2+-dependent binding to apo-E-containing lipoproteins and did not bind to LDL or chemically modified apo-E HDLc. Antibodies raised against the apo-B,E(LDL) receptor cross-reacted with the apo-E receptor. However, an antibody prepared against the apo-E receptor did not react with the apo-B,E(LDL) receptor. The apo-E receptor also differed from the apo-B,E(LDL) receptor in amino acid composition, indicating that the apo-E receptor and the apo-B,E(LDL) receptor are two distinct proteins. Immunoblot characterization with anti-apo-E receptor immunoglobulin G indicated that the apo-E receptor is present in the hepatic membranes of man, dogs, rats, and mice and is localized to the rat liver parenchymal cells.     

A saturable, high-affinity binding site for human low density lipoprotein on freshly isolated rat hepatocytes

Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes bind the solely apolipoprotein B-containing human low density lipoprotein (LDL) with a high-affinity component. After 1 h of incubation less than 30% of the cell-associated human LDL is internalized and no evidence for any subsequent high-affinity degradation was obtained. Scatchard analysis of the binding data for human 125I-labeled LDL indicates that the high-affinity receptor for human LDL on rat hepatocytes possesses a Kd of 2.6 x 10(-8)M, while the binding is dependent on the extracellular Ca2+ concentration. Competition experiments indicate that both the apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins (human LDL and rat LDL) as well as the apolipoprotein E-containing lipoproteins (human HDL and rat HDL) do compete for the same surface receptor. It is concluded that hepatocytes freshly isolated from untreated rats do contain, in addition to the earlier described rat lipoprotein receptor which does not interact with human apolipoprotein B-containing LDL, a high-affinity receptor which interacts both with solely apolipoprotein B-containing human LDL and apolipoprotein E-containing lipoproteins.     

Detection of the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor on nitrocellulose paper with colloidal gold-LDL conjugates

Gold-low density lipoprotein (LDL) conjugates were used to detect the LDL receptor on nitrocellulose paper. Solubilized rat liver membrane proteins were subjected to electrophoresis and electroblotted onto nitrocellulose paper. The receptor was then detected as a red band (within 10 min) by overlaying with the LDL conjugates. The coloration was prevented by unlabeled LDL, EDTA, and suramin but not by unlabeled HDL3. In the dot blot assay, detection with the colloidal gold-LDL conjugates was as sensitive as both the autoradiographic method with 125I-labeled LDL and the biotinylated LDL method; the estimated limit of detection by scanning densitometry was 1.6 femtomoles of receptor protein. When the coloration obtained with the colloidal gold-LDL conjugates was intensified by photochemical silver staining, down to 200 attomoles of the LDL receptor could be detected. In this assay, the EDTA-sensitive binding of colloidal gold-LDL to solubilized hepatic membrane proteins was 12 times higher for rats treated with 17 alpha-EE than for normal rats. The use of colloidal gold-LDL conjugates is therefore a very easy, safe, inexpensive, fast and sensitive method for the detection of the LDL receptor on nitrocellulose paper. Furthermore, with silver staining and scanning densitometry, the colloidal gold-LDL conjugates could be used in a dot blot assay to quantify tissue and cell LDL receptors down to attomolar levels.     

Distinct properties of the recognition sites for beta-very low density lipoprotein (remnant receptor) and alpha 2-macroglobulin (low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein) on rat parenchymal cells.

The properties of the recognition sites for alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor; low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein) and beta-migrating very low density lipoprotein (beta-VLDL) (remnant receptor) on rat parenchymal cells were directly compared to analyze whether both substrates are recognized and internalized by the same receptor system. In cholesterol-fed rats, the large circulating pool of beta-VLDL is unable to diminish the liver uptake of 125I-labeled alpha 2-macroglobulin, while liver uptake of 125I-labeled beta-VLDL in these rats is reduced by 87.3% at 10 min after injection. In vitro competition studies with isolated parenchymal liver cells demonstrate that the binding of 125I-labeled alpha 2-macroglobulin to rat parenchymal cells is not effectively competed for by beta-VLDL, whether this lipoprotein is additionally enriched in apolipoprotein E or not. Binding of alpha 2-macroglobulin to parenchymal cells requires the presence of calcium, while binding of beta-VLDL does not. Incubation of parenchymal cells for 1 h with proteinase K reduced the subsequent binding of alpha 2-macroglobulin by 90.1%, while the binding of beta-VLDL was reduced by only 20.2%. In the presence of monensin, the association of alpha 2-macroglobulin to parenchymal cells at 2 h of incubation was reduced by 64.7%, while the association of beta-VLDL was not affected. Preincubation of parenchymal cells with monensin for 60 min at 37 degrees C reduced the subsequent binding of alpha 2-macroglobulin by 54.5%, while binding of beta-VLDL was only reduced by 14.6%. The results indicate that the recognition sites for alpha 2-macroglobulin and beta-VLDL on rat parenchymal cells do exert different properties and are therefore likely to reside on different molecules.     

Inhibition of the binding of low density lipoproteins to liver membrane receptors by rat serum phosphorylcholine binding protein

Rat serum phosphorylcholine binding protein (PCBP) is characterized by its Ca2+ dependent property to bind phosphorylcholine ligand. PCBP immobilized on sepharose has been shown to selectively bind human plasma apo B and E containing lipoproteins. The present report describes an inhibitory effect of PCBP on the binding of human 125I-LDL to LDL receptors on estradiol treated rat liver membranes. Pre-incubation of liver membranes with PCBP did not affect the binding of 125I-LDL to the membranes. Gel filtration analysis of the incubation products from the LDL-receptor assay showed a concentration dependent binding of 125I-PCBP to LDL. The inhibitory effect of PCBP is likely due to the formation of LDL-PCBP complex and not due to the binding of PCBP to the LDL receptor site.     

Regulation of the uptake and degradation of beta-very low density lipoprotein in human monocyte macrophages

In normal human monocyte macrophages 125I-labeled beta-migrating very low density lipoproteins (125I-beta-VLDL), isolated from the plasma of cholesterol-fed rabbits, and 125I-human low density lipoprotein (LDL) were degraded at similar rates at protein concentrations up to 50 micrograms/ml. The high affinity degradation of 125I-labeled human LDL saturated at approximately 50 micrograms/ml; however, 125I-labeled rabbit beta-VLDL high affinity degradation saturated at 100-120 micrograms/ml. The activity of the beta-VLDL receptor was 3-fold higher than LDL receptor activity on freshly isolated normal monocyte macrophages, but with time-in-culture both receptor activities decreased and were similar after several days. The degradations of both beta-VLDL and LDL were Ca2+ sensitive, were markedly down regulated by sterols, and were up regulated by preincubation of the cells in a lipoprotein-free medium. The beta-VLDL receptor is genetically distinct from the LDL receptor as indicated by its presence on monocyte macrophages from a familial hypercholesterolemic homozygote. Human thoracic duct lymph chylomicrons as well as lipoproteins of Sf 20-5000 from fat-fed normal subjects inhibited the degradation of 125I-labeled rabbit beta-VLDL as effectively as nonradioactive rabbit beta-VLDL. We conclude: 1) the beta-VLDL receptor is genetically distinct from the LDL receptor, and 2) intestinally derived human lipoproteins are recognized by the beta-VLDL receptor on macrophages.     

Assimilation of LDL by experimental tumours in mice

We have studied the uptake of 125I-labelled low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by seven experimental murine tumours in vivo. Four tumours (Lewis Lung carcinoma, B-16, MS-2 and Colon 26) showed a higher relative uptake of lipoprotein as compared to the liver, two (L-1210 and P-388) had a very low lipoprotein uptake, while lipoprotein uptake by tumour M5 was similar to that of the liver. The data was confirmed by tracing tissue uptake of lipoproteins using [14C]sucrose-labeled LDL. These in vivo findings correlated well with the in vitro specific binding of 125I-beta-VLDL to membranes prepared from tumours, thus suggesting that the expression of the LDL receptor in the tumours is related to the in vivo uptake of lipoprotein. Further analysis of the LDL receptor by ligand blotting showed that the tumor receptor has several of the liver LDL receptor characteristics (including apparent Mr, sensitivity to proteinases, and Ca2+ requirement of lipoprotein binding). In summary, our data show that experimental murine tumours express the LDL receptor and suggest that the high relative in vivo uptake of LDL is determined by the elevated LDL-receptor expression in the tumours.     

Incorporation of mannose 6-phosphate receptors into liposomes. Receptor topography and binding of alpha-mannosidase.

A receptor that binds the lysosomal enzyme alpha-mannosidase via mannose 6-phosphate moieties (mannose 6-phosphate receptor) was purified from Swarm-rat chondrosarcoma and bovine liver microsomal membranes. Receptor-reconstituted liposomes were prepared by dialysis of taurodeoxycholate-dispersed lipids with purified mannose 6-phosphate receptor. Liposomes appeared by electron microscopy as 60-120 nm unilamellar vesicles. Receptor-reconstituted liposomes retained the ability to bind alpha-mannosidase specifically. Binding was saturable with an apparent Kd of 1 nM and was competitively inhibited by mannose 6-phosphate (Ki 2mM). Liposomes containing entrapped 125I-bovine serum albumin were used to demonstrate that treatment with 0.045% taurodeoxycholate rendered liposomes permeable to macromolecules without solubilizing the membrane. Receptor orientation in the liposome membrane was established by measuring binding of ligand to intact and detergent-treated liposomes. Unlike coated vesicles, which contain cryptic mannose 6-phosphate receptors [Campbell, Fine, Squicciarini & Rome (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 2526-2533], treatment of liposomes with detergent revealed no additional cryptic binding sites. In addition, treatment of liposomes with 0.75% trypsin abolished total receptor binding activity. The results suggest that the receptor is inserted with its binding site facing the outside of the liposome.     

Regulation of hepatic receptor-dependent degradation of LDL by mevinolin in rabbits with hypercholesterolemia induced by a wheat starch-casein diet

Rabbits fed a wheat starch-casein diet develop a marked hypercholesterolemia and have a slower rate of removal of rabbit 125I-labeled low density lipoproteins (LDL) from plasma. Treating rabbits with mevinolin, a highly potent competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, at a daily dose of 20 mg per animal prevents the increase in plasma and LDL cholesterol. The mevinolin effect is mediated through an increased rate of removal of rabbit 125I-labeled LDL from plasma. To study the role of mevinolin on the regulation of the hepatic LDL receptor in rabbits, the binding of 125I-labeled LDL and 125I-labeled beta-VLDL (beta-migrating very-low-density lipoproteins) to liver membranes prepared from rabbits fed the wheat starch-casein diet with or without mevinolin was investigated. Liver membranes from wheat starch-casein-fed rabbits have no demonstrable EDTA-sensitive binding activity of 125I-labeled LDL and low (37 ng/mg protein) binding activity of 125I-labeled beta-VLDL. Treatment of the wheat starch-casein fed rabbits with mevinolin results in high levels of specific EDTA-sensitive binding of 125I-labeled LDL (28.7 ng/mg protein) and 125I-labeled beta-VLDL (120 ng/mg protein). To assess the functional role of the hepatic LDL receptor in response to mevinolin, the catabolism of 125I-labeled LDL by perfused rabbit livers was studied. Perfused livers from mevinolin-treated rabbits show a 3.3-fold increase in the rate of receptor-dependent catabolism of 125I-labeled LDL (4.6% X h-1) when compared with that of livers from rabbits not treated with mevinolin (1.4% X h-1). Thus, these studies demonstrate that mevinolin prevents the increase of plasma LDL cholesterol level in rabbits fed a wheat starch-casein diet by regulating the levels of hepatic LDL-binding sites and the rate of receptor-dependent catabolism of LDL by the liver.     

Human hepatic low-density lipoprotein receptors: associations of receptor activities in vitro with plasma lipid and apolipoprotein concentrations in vivo

The relationships of plasma lipid and apolipoprotein (apo) concentrations to hepatic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity were examined in 21 subjects (16 females, 5 males), who were undergoing laparotomy for non-neoplastic disease (cholecystectomy in 16). None had familial hypercholesterolemia, or renal, endocrine or hepatic disease. Ages were 37-77 years (mean, 58 years), plasma cholesterol concentrations 4.09-6.72 mmol/l (5.38) and plasma triacylglycerol concentrations 0.75-2.35 mmol/l (1.36). Receptor activity was quantified in vitro as the total saturable binding and EDTA-suppressible binding (representing apoB,E receptors) of 125I-labelled human LDL (15 micrograms protein/ml) by liver homogenate at 37 degrees C. There were no significant differences between men and women in 125I-labeled LDL binding. In the pooled data, EDTA-suppressible binding averaged 50 ng 125I-LDL protein/mg cell protein (S.D., 15). Total saturable binding averaged 2-fold greater (mean, 101 ng/mg; S.D., 32). Plasma cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apoB concentrations were negative functions of both EDTA-suppressible binding and total saturable binding, but the correlations with EDTA-suppressible binding were stronger (cholesterol: r = -0.59, P less than 0.01; LDL cholesterol: r = -0.48, P less than 0.05; apoB: r = -0.61, P less than 0.01). Plasma triacylglycerol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apoA-I concentrations were not related to either measure of receptor activity. These results provide evidence that the activity of apoB,E receptors in the liver is a major determinant of the plasma LDL concentration in middle-aged and elderly humans.     

Induction of low density lipoprotein receptor synthesis by high density lipoprotein in cultures of human skin fibroblasts.

Further studies have been made of the effects of high density lipoprotein (HDL) on the surface binding, internalization and degradation of 125I-labeled low density lipoprotein (125I-labeled LDL) by cultured normal human fibroblasts. In agreement with earlier studies, during short incubations HDL inhibited the surface binding of 125I-labeled LDL. In contrast, following prolonged incubations 125I-labeled LDL binding was consistently greater in the presence of HDL. The increment in 125I-labeled LDL binding induced by HDL was: (a) associated with a decrease in cell cholesterol content; (b) inhibited by the addition of cholesterol or cycloheximide to the incubation medium; and (c) accompanied by similar increments in 125I-labeled LDL internalization and degradation. It is concluded that HDL induces the synthesis of high affinity LDL receptors in human fibroblasts by promoting the efflux of cholesterol from the cells.     

Purification and characterization of a calf thymus protein active on lipid metabolism

1. This work concerns the purification of a calf thymus protein that increases the binding of human 125I-labeled low density lipoprotein (LDL) on both human skin fibroblasts and a special line of rat liver cells, BRL 3A. 2. It was found that the thymus gland affects cholesterol metabolism via an activation of the LDL receptor pathway. 3. Moreover, the thymus protein active on the LDL receptor pathway has a different amino acid composition and molecular weight from other well-characterized thymic peptides.