title: Apolipoprotein composition and particle size affect HDL degradation by chymase: effect on cellular cholesterol efflux.
abstract: Mast cell chymase, a chymotrypsin-like neutral protease, can proteolyze HDL3. Here we studied the ability of rat and human chymase to proteolyze discoidal pre beta-migrating reconstituted HDL particles (rHDLs) containing either apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) or apoA-II. Both chymases cleaved apoA-I in rHDL at identical sites, either at the N-terminus (Tyr18 or Phe33) or at the C-terminus (Phe225), so generating three major truncated polypeptides that remained bound to the rHDL. The cleavage sites were independent of the size of the rHDL particles, but small particles were more susceptible to degradation than bigger ones. Chymase-induced truncation of apoA-I yielded functionally compromised rHDL with reduced ability to promote cellular cholesterol efflux. In sharp contrast to apoA-I, apoA-II was resistant to degradation. However, when apoA-II was present in rHDL that also contained apoA-I, it was degraded by chymase. We conclude that chymase reduces the ability of apoA-I in discoidal rHDL particles to induce cholesterol efflux by cleaving off either its amino- or carboxy-terminal portion. This observation supports the concept that limited extracellular proteolysis of apoA-I is one pathophysiologic mechanism leading to the generation and maintenance of foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions.
authors.affiliation: Wihuri Research Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Petri T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Kovanen
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tedeschi
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oungre
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calabresi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000032:analysis; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II / Q000032:analysis; D001054:Apolipoproteins A / Q000032:analysis*; D001692:Biological Transport; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D053818:Chymases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010316:Particle Size; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II; D001054:Apolipoproteins A; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002784:Cholesterol; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053818:Chymases