Effect of esterastin, an acid lipase inhibitor, on the free and esterified cholesterol contents of cultured aortic smooth muscle cells treated with LDL and cholesterol ester liquid crystals.
The effects of esterastin, an acid lipase inhibitor, on the free and esterified cholesterol contents of cultured smooth muscle cells from pig aorta were examined. The post-nuclear supernatant fraction of the cell homogenate showed maximum acid cholesterol esterase activity at pH 4.5, and 50% of this activity was inhibited by 0.31 microM esterastin. During a 48 h incubation with esterastin, the esterified cholesterol content of the cells increased to about 13 times that of control cells in the presence of low density lipoprotein and to 7 times that of control cells in the presence of cholesterol oleate liquid crystals. The ratio of esterified to free cholesterol also increased to about 5 times the control value in both conditions.
D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007783:Lactones / Q000494:pharmacology; D008049:Lipase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000494:pharmacology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002787:Sterol Esterase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013552:Swine
D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D007783:Lactones; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C014409:cholesteryl oleate; C017293:esterastin; D002784:Cholesterol; D002787:Sterol Esterase; D008049:Lipase