title: Very low density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein isolated from patients with hepatitis C infection induce altered cellular lipid metabolism.
abstract: Several abnormalities of lipid metabolism, including hypo-beta-lipoproteinemia and liver steatosis are associated with infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV). The aim of this study was to determine whether circulating lipoproteins of patients with HCV infection could directly cause alterations of lipid cellular metabolism. To this end the metabolic response of human monocyte-derived macrophages (HMDM) to very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), measuring the cholesteryl ester (CE) and triglyceride (TG) production was analyzed. Lipoproteins were isolated from 18 patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV-VLDL and HCV-LDL) and from normal healthy donors (ct-VLDL and ct-LDL). In comparison to ct-lipoproteins, HCV-lipoproteins induced significant differences in HMDM CE and TG production. HCV-VLDL decreased CE and TG production; while HCV-LDL induced an increased TG synthesis. The present findings suggest that HCV infection modifies VLDL and LDL molecular composition, affecting cellular lipid metabolism, thus promoting intracellular lipid accumulation and hypo-beta-lipoproteinemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.forename: Tonino
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alonzi
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mancone
authors.forename: Gianpiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Offizi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tripodi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bravo
mesh_terms: D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D052439:Lipid Metabolism Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D014280:Triglycerides