Lipoproteins Flashcards
Basic Principles of Lipoproteins
- blood or plasma lipoproteins are spherical complexes of lipids and specific proteins called apoproteins
- the lipoprotein complexes include chylomicrons, very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), intermediate density lipoproteins (IDLs) that are transiently formed, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and high density lipoproteins (HDLs)
- lipoprotein particles protect their hydrophobic cargo from their aqueous environment while shuttling them from tissue to tissue
- when lipid deposition occurs this leads to plaque formation which causes narrowing of blood vessels (atherosclerosis)
Structure of Lipoproteins
- contain an inner hydrophobic core composed of triacyl-glycerol (TAG) and cholesterol esters
- this hydrophobic lipid core is surrounded by a shell containing amphipathic phopsholipids with their fatty acid chains facing the inner core and polar head groups facing the aqueous exterior; unesterified cholesterol; and apolipoproteins
- TAG and cholesterol carried by the lipoproteins are obtained by diet (exogenous source) or de novo synthesis (endogenous source)
Size and Density of Blood Lipoproteins
- lipoprotein particles differ in size and density ranging from the largest chylomicron which have the lowest density to the smallest HDLs which have the highest density
- the density is determined by the proteins to lipid ratio. Chylomicrons contain the highest % of lipid (primarily TAG) and the lowest % proteins
- can be separated based on electophoretic mobility or based on their density by ultracentifugation
Ultracentifugation of Lipoproteins
- the top is chylomicrons
- followed by VLDL and chylomicron remnants
- IDL
- LDL
- HDL2
- ending with HDL3
- there are families of similar density
Electrophoresis of Lipoproteins
- chylomicron is the origin
- LDL moves least (B-lipoprotein)
- VLDL moves slightly more (pre-B-lipoprotein)
- HDL moves the most (alpha-Lipoprotein)
Composition of Lipoproteins
- has characteristic combination of lipids and proteins which determines density and function
- chylomicron- 90% triacylglycerol and little protein, phospholipids, and cholesterol
- VLDL- 60% triacylglycerol, 5% protein, 15% phospholipids, 20% cholesterol
- LDL- 8% triacylglycerol, 20% protein, 22% phospholipids, 50% cholesterol
- HDL-5% triacylglycerol, 40% protein, 30% phospholipids, 25% cholesterol
Functions of apoliproteins
- providing recognition sites for cell surface receptors
- serving as activators for enzymes involved in lipoprotein metabolism
- some are required as strutural components of the lipoprotein
- others are transferred between lipoproteins
- apolipoproteins are divided based on structure and function into classes denoted by letters, and subclasses denoted by roman numerals
Apo A-I
- most abundant apo-LP in HDL
- synthesized by liver and intestine
- activates LCAT, which transfers a fatty acid from lecithin to cholesterol to generate cholesterol esters- an activity involved in the maturation of HDL
- involved in ACT( facilitates both the transfer of cell cholesterol by ABCA1 to nascent HDL and the delivery of cholesterol esters and free cholesterol on HDL to the liver through SR-B1)
- considered to be an antiatherogenic protein, but genetic defects not always associated with CVD
Apo A-II
- synthesized in liver
- present with Al in some HDL (more on HDL3)
- activates LPL and inhibits LCAT- may be proatherogenic
Apo B-100
- produced in liver and binds to lipids provided by MTP (microsomal triglyceride transfer protein) to assemble VLDL
- one body of apoB-100 for each VLDL particle, and this relationship is retained as the LPs are metabolized to IDL and then LDL
- measurements of apoB-100 in the plasma reflect particle number, and higher levels of apooB are associated with CVD
- LDLR binding
ApoB-48
- produced in intestine and is truncated form of apoB100 (48%)
- involved in chylomicron metabolism- not recognized by the LDLR
Apo CI, CII, and CIII
- ApoCs which can exchanged freely among LP particles are important for TG metabolism because they either interfere with the recognition of apoE by LP receptors or displaces apoE from lipoproteins
- ApoCII activates lipoprotein lipase
- ApoCIII inhibits lipoprotein lipase
ApoE
- associated with all LPs except LDL
- recognized by LDLR and also by the LRP (LDL receptor-related protein: also known as the Remnant Receptor) which mediates the hepatic uptake of chylomicron and VLDL remnants as well as IDL
- it is apoE that is primarily responsible for clearance of intestinal-derived LPs after a meal and for the clearance of VLDL and IDL before they are converted to LDL
- ApoE has 3 isoforms (E2, E3,E 4)
- Apo E3 is most common varient
- Apo E2 is a risk factor for Type II hyperlipidemia which is characterized by elevation of chylomicron and VLDL remants in the plasma becayse binds poorly to receptors so hypercholesterolemia and premature atherosclerosis
- Apo E4 associated with Alzheimer’s
Chylomicron Metabolism
- assembled in intestinal mucosal cells
- carry dietary (exogenous pathway) TAG, cholesterol, fat soluble vitamins and cholesterol esters to the peripheral tissues
Steps of chylomicron metabolism
Step 1- Apo B-48 just in chylomicrons, from intestinal mucosal cells, shorter because of posttranscriptional editing. Enzymes involved in synthesis of TAG, cholesterol and phospholipids are found in the SER
- assembly of the nascent chylomiron requires microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) which loads Apo B-48 with lipid
- particles are then transferred from ER to Golgi and packaged in secretory vesicles
- these fuse with plasma membrane and release nascent chylomicrons to enter lymphatic system and then blood
Step 2-when nascent chylomicron reaches blood it receives Apo-E and Apo-C including apo CII from HDL particles
Step 3-lipoprotein lipase is an extracellular enzyme attached by heparin sulfate to capillary walls in most tissues
-when activated by apo C-II it hydrolyzes TAG yielding fatty acids or glycerol
Step 4- once acted upon by lipoprotein lipase the particle decreases in size and increases in density. APo-C including C-II, are retured to the HDL creating a chylomicron remnant
Step 5- the chylomicron remnant is then taken up by the liver by Apo-E binding to specific Lipoprotein Receptors followed by endocytosis; lysosomal hydrolytic enzymes degrading the remnant components to cholesterol, amino acids and fatty acids and recycling of receptors
Lipoprotein Lipase
- anti-parallel homodimer
- N terminal domain- lypolytic site
- C terminal domain binds to the lipoprotein particle and gives substrate specificity
- upon bind of Apo-C-II the N terminal region supplies the lipid in the lipoprotein to a lid covering a hydrophobic active site in C terminal domain. The lid moves so that the TAG can be degraded
- Fed (elevated insulin) - adipose tissue LPL expression is increased and muscle LPL is decreased, opposite in fasted
- patients with a deficiency of LPL or Apo C-II (type I hyperlipoproteinemia) accumulate chylomicron TAG in the plasma and are at higher risk for pancreatitis