Effect of partial ileal bypass on plasma clearance and binding of lipoproteins to liver membranes in the rabbit

Reduction of LDL production rate in ileal bypassed rabbits treated with lovastatin

The effect of lovastatin on the low density lipoprotein metabolism in bypassed rabbits was investigated. Partial ileal bypass effectively reduced total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 44 and 48% respectively. The LDL drop was due to an increased fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of apolipoprotein B (apo B) from 0.74 to 1.27 pools per day with no effect on the apo B absolute catabolic rate and an increased expression of liver LDL receptors (+71%). Association of lovastatin with PIB resulted in a further decrease of total and LDL cholesterol (56 and 75% respectively) as compared to bypassed animals, without effects on the LDL FCR (1.27 +/- 0.11 versus 1.42 +/- 0.13 pools/day) or the expression of LDL receptors by the liver. The reduction of LDL was due to a decrease of the apolipoprotein B absolute synthetic rate (8.5 +/- 1.7 versus 13.6 +/- 1.7 mg/day). From these data we conclude that in bypassed rabbits lovastatin lowers total and LDL cholesterol mainly by reducing apolipoprotein B production rate.

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.

In vivo assimilation of low density lipoproteins by a fibrosarcoma tumour line in mice

A tumour line inoculated in mice showed high affinity binding for lipoproteins in vitro. Studies in vivo demonstrated that the assimilation of human low density lipoprotein (LDL) by the tumour was very high. Both receptor and non-receptor mediated catabolism of the lipoprotein by the tumour increased as compared to other tissues known to be sites of lipoprotein catabolism (liver, spleen etc.). These findings suggest that lipoproteins may be useful markers for tumours as well as carriers for cytotoxic drugs to target tissues in vivo.

Effects of probucol on the in vivo plasma clearance of human low density lipoproteins in rabbits and on the expression of lipoprotein receptors in vitro

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of probucol on the plasma levels of low density lipoproteins in rabbits and whether the resulting decrease of low density lipoproteins was related to the effects of probucol on the expression of lipoprotein receptors. Probucol administration effectively lowered plasma cholesterol in normal rabbits. Both low density and high density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased, as well as apo B in the former fraction. Probucol had no effect on the fractional catabolic rate of low density lipoprotein while the flux of this lipoprotein decreased to about 50%. Moreover both the binding of lipoproteins to liver membranes and the in vitro uptake of low density lipoprotein by human skin fibroblasts were not affected by the drug. These findings are consistent with an effect of probucol on low density lipoprotein synthesis.

Effects of insulin deficiency on the catabolism of plasma lipoproteins and on the expression of hepatic lipoprotein receptors in rats

The effect of insulin deficiency on the expression of lipoprotein receptors by the liver and on the in vivo catabolism of plasma lipoproteins was investigated in rats made insulin deficient by an I.V. injection of streptozotocin. The binding of beta very low density lipoprotein to liver membranes was not affected by insulin deficiency, furthermore the in vivo catabolism of beta very low density lipoproteins and low density lipoprotein in diabetic rats was similar to that of controls. These data suggest that insulin deficiency neither modulates the expression of receptors for lipoproteins by the liver nor the in vivo catabolism of lipoproteins such as beta very low density and low density lipoproteins which are removed from the plasma, at least in part, by receptor mediated processes.