Effects of storage on the distribution of high density lipoprotein subfractions in human sera

The current growing interest in the separation of the high density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions suggested a comparative analysis of the HDL2 and HDL3 distribution in fresh and stored serum samples. Human sera were processed by rate zonal ultracentrifugation in a swinging bucket rotor, immediately after collection and after a 7-day storage at 4 degrees C, both in the presence and in the absence of 5.1 M sodium bromide. Samples stored in absence of salt show a marked decrease of the HDL3 mass, a reduction of its flotation rate, and significant changes in the lipid composition. The HDL2 concentration and composition are not altered by storage. The reported findings indicate that significant HDL3 modifications may occur in serum samples stored at 4 degrees C; these changes can be prevented by the addition of high concentrations of salt before storage.     

Impact of hydrogenated fat on high density lipoprotein subfractions and metabolism

Relative to saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids/hydrogenated fat-enriched diets have been reported to increase low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and either decrease or have no effect on high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. To better understand the effect of trans-fatty acids/hydrogenated fat on HDL cholesterol levels and metabolism, 36 subjects (female, n = 18; male, n = 18) were provided with each of three diets containing, as the major sources of fat, vegetable oil-based semiliquid margarine, traditional stick margarine, or butter for 35-day periods. LDL cholesterol levels were 155 +/- 27, 168 +/- 30, and 177 +/- 32 mg/dl after subjects followed the semiliquid margarine, stick margarine, and butter-enriched diets, respectively. HDL cholesterol levels were 43 +/- 10, 42 +/- 9, and 45 +/- 10 mg/dl, respectively. Dietary response in apolipoprotein (apo) A-I levels was similar to that in HDL cholesterol levels. HDL(2) cholesterol levels were 12 +/- 7, 11 +/- 6, and 14 +/- 7 mg/dl, respectively. There was virtually no effect of dietary fat on HDL3 cholesterol levels. The dietary perturbations had a larger effect on particles containing apoA-I only (Lp A-I) than apoA-I and A-II (Lp A-I/A-II). Cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) activity was 13.28 +/- 5.76, 15.74 +/- 5.41, and 14.35 +/- 4.77 mmol x h(-1) x ml(-1), respectively. Differences in CETP, phospholipid transfer protein activity, or the fractional esterification rate of cholesterol in HDL did not account for the differences observed in HDL cholesterol levels.These data suggest that the saturated fatty acid component, rather than the trans- or polyunsaturated fatty acid component, of the diets was the putative factor in modulating HDL cholesterol response.     

A spin-label study on human high density lipoprotein

Human plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL) have been labeled with N-(1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl)maleimide (NEM-TEMPO). The spin-labeled HDL exhibited an ESR spectrum containing signals of both strongly immobilized and weakly immobilized components by the reaction with a high concentration of NEM-TEMPO, while an ESR spectrum containing only signals of a strongly immobilized component range between 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C, the signal height of the strongly immobilized component exhibited reversible temperature-dependent changes, whereas that of the weakly immobilized component changed irreversibly at temperatures above 25 degrees C. The activation energy of the irreversible change was estimated to be 26 kcal per mol. The strongly immobilized component was derived from NEM-TEMPO which modified apolipoprotein A-I covalently, while the weakly immobilized component was derived from NEM-TEMPO noncovalently bound to HDL. The rate of binding of NEM-TEMPO to either the strongly binding or weakly binding sites and the number of the strongly binding sites in apolipoprotein A-I were estimated to be 125 M-1.day-1 and 1.78, respectively. The binding of NEM-TEMPO to the strongly binding sites was suppressed greatly by pretreatment of HDL with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). The slow reaction and suppression with TNBS suggest that NEM-TEMPO binds to some amino acid residue, probably a lysine residue, in apoprotein A-I. The strongly immobilized and weakly immobilized components were reduced almost completely by ascorbate at the same rate, 0.048 min-1 at pH 7.4 and at 4 degrees C.     

Forms of human serum high density lipoprotein protein

Delipidation by ethanol-diethyl ether at -10 degrees C of human serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL, d 1.063-1.21) or of its subclasses HDL(2) (d 1.063-1.120) and HDL(3) (d 1.120-1.21), yielded proteins-alphaP, alphaP(2), and alphaP(3)-containing 3% phospholipid (largely lecithin) and 3.3% carbohydrate (glucosamine:L-fucose:D-galactose, D-mannose:sialic acid, 1.00:41 : 0.56:0.31). Solubility data and analytical ultracentrifugal analyses indicated that, upon lipid removal, HDL protein aggregates readily; the aggregation is dependent upon pH and ionic strength of the solvent medium. Subunits of 21,000 mol wt were obtained by acetylation or addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). HDL and alphaP elicited in the rabbit a similar immunological response. By agar gel immunoelectrophoresis both anti-HDL and anti-alphaP sera detected a major and two minor antigenic determinants in HDL, HDL(3), alphaP, alphaP(2), and alphaP(3). HDL(2), antigenically homogeneous, gave an immunoelectrophoretic pattern of HDL(3) upon mixing with alphaP. alphaP, alphaP(2), and alphaP(3) exhibited a single antigenic determinant after treatment with SDS (0.5 M) or upon acetylation. Native or delipidated forms of HDL, HDL(2), and HDL(3) were separated by vertical starch gel electrophoresis into several components, which showed identical reactions against anti-HDL or anti-alphaP sera. The data suggest that (a) the proteins of HDL, HDL(2), and HDL(3) are made of subunits, probably identical, of an average molecular weight of 21,000; (b) the difference in antigenic behavior between HDL(2) and HDL(3) is due to the presence in the latter of a lipid-poor protein; (c) antigenic polymorphism of alphaP is probably related to the presence in solution of monomeric and polymeric forms having different reactivity against anti-HDL and anti-alphaP sera.     

Computational lipidology: predicting lipoprotein density profiles in human blood plasma

Monitoring cholesterol levels is strongly recommended to identify patients at risk for myocardial infarction. However, clinical markers beyond "bad" and "good" cholesterol are needed to precisely predict individual lipid disorders. Our work contributes to this aim by bringing together experiment and theory. We developed a novel computer-based model of the human plasma lipoprotein metabolism in order to simulate the blood lipid levels in high resolution. Instead of focusing on a few conventionally used predefined lipoprotein density classes (LDL, HDL), we consider the entire protein and lipid composition spectrum of individual lipoprotein complexes. Subsequently, their distribution over density (which equals the lipoprotein profile) is calculated. As our main results, we (i) successfully reproduced clinically measured lipoprotein profiles of healthy subjects; (ii) assigned lipoproteins to narrow density classes, named high-resolution density sub-fractions (hrDS), revealing heterogeneous lipoprotein distributions within the major lipoprotein classes; and (iii) present model-based predictions of changes in the lipoprotein distribution elicited by disorders in underlying molecular processes. In its present state, the model offers a platform for many future applications aimed at understanding the reasons for inter-individual variability, identifying new sub-fractions of potential clinical relevance and a patient-oriented diagnosis of the potential molecular causes for individual dyslipidemia.     

Dynamic properties of human high density lipoprotein apoproteins.

This study was designed to identify a method for the measurement of human high density lipoprotein subfraction (HDL2 and HDL3) metabolism. Apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, and C, the major HDL apoproteins, were radioiodinated and incorporated individually into HDL2 and HDL3 in vitro. Using a double label technique, the turnover of apoA-I in HDL2 and HDL3 was measured simultaneously in a normal male. The apoprotein exchanged rapidly between the two subfractions, evidenced by equilibration of their apoA-I specific activity. Radiolabeled apoA-II, incorporated into the subfractions, showed a similar exchange in vitro. Incubation of 131I-labeled very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) with HDL or its subfractions resulted in transfer of C proteins from VLDL to the HDL moiety. The extent of transfer was dependent on the HDL subfraction present; 50% of the VLDL apoC was transferred to HDL3, while the transfer to total HDL and HDL2 was 69% and 78%, respectively. ApoC also exchanged between HDL2 and HDL3, again showing a preference for the former and suggesting a primary metabolic relationship between VLDL and HDL2. Overall, the study indicates that apoA-I, apoA-II, and the C proteins exist in equilibrium between HDL2 and HDL3. This phenomenon precludes their use as probes for HDL subfraction metabolism in humans.     

Chromatofocusing of apolipoproteins from human serum high density lipoprotein

Human HDL was delipidated and the apolipoproteins were fractionated by chromatofocusing. Chromatofocusing, which separates proteins due to their differing isoelectric points, resulted in 8 peaks with corresponding pI values of 7.40, 6.92, 6.64, 5.48, 5.30, 5.18, 4.92 and 4.63. By one single chromatofocusing run four apolipoproteins were obtained in pure form. Two additional polypeptides could be purified during the desalting step using phenyl-Sepharose.     

Thermal behavior of human plasma high density lipoprotein.

Human plasma low density lipoprotein displays a reversible thermal transition between 20 and 40 degrees C, due to a phase transition of its core cholesterol ester from a smectic to a more liquid-like state. To determine if the cholesterol of high density lipoprotein (HDL) displays similar thermal behavior, the human lipoprotein and its extracted lipid have been examined by differential scanning calorimetry, low angle X-ray scattering and polarizing microscopy. Neither HDL2**(d 1.063--1.125--1.21 g/ml) nor HDL3(d1.125--1.21g/ml) show thermal transitions between O and 60 degrees C. By contrast cholesterol ester isolated from HDL and mixtures of cholesterol oleate and linoleate show reversible liquid crystalline transitions between 20 and 40 degreesC. X-ray scattering studies of HDL2 and HDL3 performed at 10 degreesC show no scattering fringes attributable to a smectic phase of cholesterol ester. When HDL is heated to temperatures above 60 degreesC a broad, double-peaked endotherm is observed. The first component (peak temperature=71 degreesC) corresponds to a selective release of apoprotein A-1 from the lipoprotein, and the second component (peak temperature=90 degreesC) to a more generalized disruption of lipoprotein structure with release of cholesterol ester and apoprotein A-2. Following the thermal disruption of HDL, reversible liquid crystalline transitions of cholesterol ester can be seen by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing microscopy, showing the presence of large domains of cholesterol ester. The absence of cholesterol ester transitions in intact HDL may indicate an interaction of cholesterol ester molecules with the protein-phospholipid surface of HDL that prevents the formation of an organized lipid phase. The high temperature behavior of HDL indicates that apoprotein A-1 is less important than apoprotein A-2 in maintaining the HDL apolar lipids in the form of a stable miroemulsion.     

Anti-atherogenic mechanisms of high density lipoprotein: Effects on myeloid cells

In some settings increasing high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels has been associated with a reduction in experimental atherosclerosis. This has been most clearly seen in apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) transgenic mice or in animals infused with HDL or its apolipoproteins. A major mechanism by which these treatments are thought to delay progression or cause regression of atherosclerosis is by promoting efflux of cholesterol from macrophage foam cells. In addition, HDL has been described as having anti-inflammatory and other beneficial effects. Some recent research has linked anti-inflammatory effects to cholesterol efflux pathways but likely multiple mechanisms are involved. Macrophage cholesterol efflux may have a role in facilitating emigration of macrophages from lesions during regression. While macrophages can mediate cholesterol efflux by several pathways, studies in knockout mice or cells point to the importance of active efflux mediated by ATP binding cassette transporter (ABC) A1 and G1. In addition to traditional roles in macrophages, these transporters have been implicated in the control of hematopoietic stem cell proliferation, monocytosis and neutrophilia, as well as activation of monocytes and neutrophils. Thus, HDL and cholesterol efflux pathways may have important anti-atherogenic effects at all stages of the myeloid cell/monocyte/dendritic cell/macrophage lifecycle. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Advances in High Density Lipoprotein Formation and Metabolism: A Tribute to John F. Oram (1945-2010).     

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.     

Interaction of human serum high density lipoprotein apoprotein with phospholipids

The interaction of the apoprotein of human serum high density lipoprotein-3 (apo HDL₃)¹¹ with aqueous dispersion of natural and synthetic phospholipids (PL) was investigated at a temperature above the transitions of the PL hydrocarbon chains and also above their critical micellar concentration. This protein is known to contain two major polypeptides: apo A-I and apo A-II. The protein:PL mixtures (weight ratio, 2, 1 or 0.5) were subjected to sonic irradiation and then fractionated by either CsCl or D₂O-sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. Usually three bands were obtained, the relative mass distribution of which depended upon the nature of the PL and the ratio of the interacting components: one band contained the PL-poor protein (d 1.28 g/ml), another, the uncombined PL (d ? 1.08 g/ml), and the third band, both protein and PL. This band, which was considered to represent the actual complex, had a hydrated density intermediate between those of either apo HDL₃ or PL alone, a particle weight of 80,000 to 170,000 (i.e., less than that of intact HDL₃), a morphology by electron microscopy which depended on the materials and experimental conditions employed and circular dichroic spectra     

Radioimmunoassay of human high density lipoprotein apo-protein A-1.

A double antibody radioimmunoassay technique was developed for the measurement of apolipoprotein A-I, the major apoprotein of human high density lipoproteins. Apolipoprotein A-I was prepared from human delipidated high density lipoprotein (d equal to 1.085-1.210) by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Purified apolipoprotein A-I antibodies were obtained by means of apolipoprotein A-I immunoadsorbent. Apolipoprotein A-I was radiolabeled with 125-I by the iodine monochloride technique. 65-80% of 125 I-labeled apolipoprotein A-I could be bound by the different apolipoprotein A-I antibodies, and more than 95% of the 125-I-labeled apolipoprotein A-I was displaced by unlabeled apolipoprotein A-I. The immunoassay was found to be sensitive for the detection of about 10 ng of apolipoprotein A-I in the incubation mixture, and accurate with a variability of only 3-5% (S.E.M.). This technique enables the quantitation of apolipoprotein A-I in whole plasma or high density lipoprotein without the need of delipidation. The quantitation of apolipoprotein A-I in high density lipoprotein was found similar to that obtained by gel filtration technique. The displacement capacity of the different lipoproteins and apoproteins in comparison to unlabeled apolipoprotein A-I was: very low density lipoprotein, 1.8%; low density lipoprotein, 2.6%; high density lipoprotein, 68%; apolipoprotein B, non-detectable; apolipoprotein C, 0.5%; and apolipoprotein A-II, 4%. The distribution of immunoassayable apolipoprotein A-I among the different plasma lipoproteins was as follows: smaller than 1% in very low density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein; 50% in high density lipoprotein, and 50% in lipoprotein fraction of density greater than 1.21 g/ml. The amount of apolipoprotein A-I in the latter fraction was found to be related to the number of centrifugations.     

Effects of phenothiazines on low density lipoprotein metabolism in cultured human fibroblasts

Treatment of cultured human fibroblasts with trifluoperazine or chlorpromazine resulted in a biphasic effect on low density lipoprotein (LDL) catabolism, depending upon the dose. At up to 10^?5 M, a marked increase in LDL binding, internalization and degradation was observed. This phenomenon took place within the first hours of incubation with the drugs, suggesting a direct effect on cell membrane physical characteristics, probably related to the lipophilic properties of phenothiazines. Concentrations above 2 × 10^?5 M resulted in a relative decrease in LDL binding and internalization, and in a dramatic decrease in LDL degradation, which may be related to an inhibition of calmodulin-dependent processes.     

Distinction in the mode of receptor-mediated endocytosis between high density lipoprotein and acetylated high density lipoprotein: evidence for high density lipoprotein receptor-mediated cholesterol transfer

The interactions of high density lipoprotein (HDL) and acetylated high density lipoprotein (acetyl-HDL) with isolated rat sinusoidal liver cells have been investigated. Cellular binding of 125I-acetyl-HDL at 0 degrees C demonstrated the presence of a specific, saturable membrane-associated receptor. This receptor was affected neither by formaldehyde-treated albumin nor by low density lipoprotein modified either by acetylation or malondialdehyde, ligands known to undergo receptor-mediated endocytosis by the cells, indicating that the receptor for acetyl-HDL constitutes a distinct class among the scavenger receptors for chemically modified proteins. Parallel binding experiments using 125I-HDL also revealed the presence on these cells of a receptor for unmodified HDL. The ligand specificities of these two receptors were similar to each other except that the acetyl-HDL receptor was sensitive to polyanions such as dextran sulfate and fucoidin. Interaction of HDL with the cells at 37 degrees C was totally different from that of acetyl-HDL. Cellular binding of HDL was not accompanied by subsequent intracellular degradation of its apoprotein moiety, whereas its cholesterol moiety was significantly transferred to the cells. In contrast, acetyl-HDL was endocytosed and underwent lysosomal degradation as a holoparticle. This shift in receptor-recognition from the HDL receptor to the acetyl-HDL receptor was accomplished by acetylation of approximately 8% of the total lysine residues of HDL apoprotein. This unique difference in endocytic behavior between HDL and acetyl-HDL suggests a potential link of the HDL receptor to HDL-mediated cholesterol transfer in sinusoidal liver cells.     

Effects of cimetidine and ranitidine on high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations.

To assess the effect of cimetidine and ranitidine on high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration two groups of eight patients with duodenal ulcer or oesophagitis matched for age, sex, and cigarette consumption were given either cimetidine 1 g daily or ranitidine 300 mg daily for one month. There was no significant change in the cholesterol content of HDL and its subfraction HDL3 after treatment with ranitidine or cimetidine, or in the cholesterol content of the subfraction HDL2 after treatment with ranitidine; the HDL2 cholesterol concentration was, however, significantly increased after treatment with cimetidine. Further studies are being undertaken to establish the mechanism of this effect.     

Interaction of apoA-II from human high density lipoprotein with lysolecithin.

The effects of lysolecithin and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide on the structure and stability of apoA-II from human high density lipoprotein have been evalued by circular dichroism and fluorescence measurements. There is a profound enhancement in the stability of apoA-II to guanidinium hydrochloride denaturation when it forms a phospholipid complex with lysolecithin micelles. This complex is not only resistant to guanidinium hydrochloride denaturation, but it can be formed in a 6 M solution of this denaturant. The behavior of apoA-II in the native human high density protein is much closer to that of the lysolecithin apoA-II complex than to that of the free apoA-II.