title: Apolipoproteins A-I, A-II and E are independently distributed among intracellular and newly secreted HDL of human hepatoma cells.
abstract: Whereas hepatocytes secrete the major human plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL)-protein, apo A-I, as lipid-free and lipidated species, the biogenic itineraries of apo A-II and apo E are unknown. Human plasma and HepG2 cell-derived apo A-II and apo E occur as monomers, homodimers and heterodimers. Dimerization of apo A-II, which is more lipophilic than apo A-I, is catalyzed by lipid surfaces. Thus, we hypothesized that lipidation of intracellular and secreted apo A-II exceeds that of apo A-I, and once lipidated, apo A-II dimerizes. Fractionation of HepG2 cell lysate and media by size exclusion chromatography showed that intracellular apo A-II and apo E are fully lipidated and occur on nascent HDL and VLDL respectively, while only 45% of intracellular apo A-I is lipidated. Secreted apo A-II and apo E occur on small HDL and on LDL and large HDL respectively. HDL particles containing both apo A-II and apo A-I form only after secretion from both HepG2 and Huh7 hepatoma cells. Apo A-II dimerizes intracellularly while intracellular apo E is monomeric but after secretion associates with HDL and subsequently dimerizes. Thus, HDL apolipoproteins A-I, A-II and E have distinct intracellular and post-secretory pathways of hepatic lipidation and dimerization in the process of HDL formation. These early forms of HDL are expected to follow different apolipoprotein-specific pathways through plasma remodeling and reverse cholesterol transport.
authors.affiliation: Section of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, MS-A601, Houston, TX 77030, USA. baibag@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Baiba K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Gillard
authors.forename: Hu-Yu Alice
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Massey
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Pownall
mesh_terms: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000378:metabolism*; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II / Q000378:metabolism*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011485:Protein Binding; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D012685:Sepharose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013997:Time Factors; D014461:Ultracentrifugation
chemical_list: C505693:APOA1 protein, human; C115794:APOA2 protein, human; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; C035872:thiopropyl-sepharose; D012685:Sepharose