Utility and importance of gene knockout animals for nutritional and metabolic research.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
D Y Hui
Publications and source records attributed to D Y Hui.
Apolipoprotein AIV: a potent endogenous inhibitor of lipid oxidation.
Overexpression of apolipoprotein (apo) AIV in transgenic mice confers significant protection against atherosclerosis in apoE knockout animals even in the presence of a more severe atherogenic lipid profile. Because lipoprotein oxidation has been recognized to be pivotal in development of atherosclerosis, the antioxidative activity of apoAIV was investigated. Fasting intestinal lymph was used to mimic conditions in the interstitial fluid, the potential site for lipoprotein oxidation in vivo. ApoAIV (10 micrograms/ml) significantly inhibited copper-mediated oxidation of lymph. This inhibitory effect was further evaluated using purified low-density lipoprotein. Addition of apoAIV (2.5 micrograms/ml) increased the time of 50% conjugated diene formation by 2.4-fold, whereas apoE or BSA did not show such a protection even at 20 micrograms/ml. Addition of apoAIV during the propagation phase also resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition. ApoAIV also protected macrophage-induced oxidation of fasting lymph. These results provide the first evidence that apoAIV is a potent endogenous antioxidant.
Animals↗
Modified low density lipoprotein enhances the secretion of bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase by human monocyte-macrophages. species-specific difference in macrophage cholesteryl ester hydrolase.
Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to study the biosynthesis of two different cholesteryl ester hydrolases by human and mouse macrophages. Oligonucleotide primers for bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase yielded positive reactions with RNA isolated from human peripheral blood monocytes, monocyte-derived macrophages, the human monocytic THP-1 cells, and phorbol ester-induced THP-1 macrophages. In contrast, oligonucleotide primers for hormone-sensitive lipase yielded positive reactions only with RNA isolated from non-differentiated human THP-1 monocytic cells and peripheral blood monocytes, but not those obtained from differentiated THP-1 macrophages or monocyte-derived macrophages. Thus, while human monocytes were capable of synthesizing both enzymes, human macrophages synthesized only bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase and not the hormone-sensitive lipase. The synthesis of bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase by human macrophages was confirmed by detection of bile salt-stimulated cholesteryl ester hydrolytic activity in conditioned media of differentiated THP-1 cells and human peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages. Moreover, incubating human macrophages with oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) or acetylated LDL increased bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase activity in the conditioned media of these cells. These results with human macrophages were contrasted with results of studies with mouse macrophages, which showed the presence of hormone-sensitive lipase mRNA but not the bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase mRNA. Taken together, these results demonstrated species-specific differences in expression of cholesteryl ester hydrolytic enzymes in macrophages. The expression of bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase by human macrophages, in a process inducible by modified LDL, suggests a role of this protein in atherogenesis.
Animals↗
Use of gene knockout mice to establish lipase function.
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Animals↗
Genetic variation in cholesterol absorption efficiency among inbred strains of mice.
The initial study utilized the outbred Black Swiss, the inbred 129/SvEv and their hybrid mice to test for possible genetic difference in cholesterol absorption efficiency. Female mice (10-12 wk old) were fed a lipid test meal containing [3H]cholesterol and beta-[14C]sitosterol by stomach tube. The amount of [3H]cholesterol excreted in the feces was determined as nonabsorbed cholesterol and was normalized based on the recovery of the nonabsorbable beta-[14C]sitosterol. The Black Swiss mice absorbed significantly less cholesterol than the 129/SvEv mice within a 24-h period. Cholesterol absorption efficiency of the hybrid mice varied widely and did not segregate with either parental group. Differences in cholesterol absorption efficiency were also observed among six different inbred strains of mice fed either a basal low fat diet or a high fat/high cholesterol diet for 3 wk. Cholesterol absorption efficiency did not differ among DBA/2, C57BL/6, C3H/He, BALB/c and AKR/J mice under basal dietary conditions. However, cholesterol absorption was significantly lower in the DBA/2 mice than in C57BL/6 and C3H/He mice after mice were fed a high fat/high cholesterol diet. Cholesterol absorption by the C57L/J mice did not differ from that of C57BL/6, C3H/He, BALB/c and AKR/J mice under basal diet conditions, but was significantly lower when mice were fed a high fat/high cholesterol diet. Cholesterol absorption efficiency differed between DBA/2 and C57L/J mice under both dietary conditions. These results suggest that cholesterol absorption is controlled by multiple genetic factors.
Absorption↗
A role for retrosomes in intracellular cholesterol transport from endosomes to the plasma membrane.
The recycling component (retrosome) of the endocytic pathway was evaluated as a potential vehicle for the recycling of lipoprotein-derived cholesterol and the maintenance of a high concentration of free cholesterol in plasma membranes. Receptor-to-ligand ratios were established in three distinct endosomal compartments using a recycling receptor (apolipoprotein B/E) to confirm isolated retrosomes as recycling vesicles. Compositional studies showed that retrosomes have twice the free cholesterol in their limiting membranes as do the endosomal compartments from which they derive. Furthermore, of the three isolated endosomal fractions, retrosomes showed the highest ratio of free to esterified cholesterol derived from injected very low density lipoprotein as well as the highest free-to-esterified cholesterol mass ratio overall, confirming endosomal cholesteryl ester hydrolysis and sorting. Endosomal neutral cholesterol esterase was identified by immunoblot, whereas electron microscopy employing membrane cholesterol-specific filipin revealed a high concentration of cholesterol in appendages that appear to be the formative stage of retrosomal biogenesis.
Animals↗
Molecular recognition by cholesterol esterase of active site ligands: structure-reactivity effects for inhibition by aryl carbamates and subsequent carbamylenzyme turnover.
Interactions of mammalian pancreatic cholesterol esterases from pig and rat with a family of aryl carbamates CnH2n+1NHCOOAr [n = 4-9; Ar = phenyl, p-X-phenyl (X = acetamido, bromo, fluoro, nitro, trifluoromethyl), 2-naphthyl, 2-tetrahydronaphthyl, estronyl] have been investigated, with an aim of delineating the ligand structural features which lead to effective molecular recognition by the active site of the enzyme. These carbamates inhibit the catalytic activity of CEase by rapid carbamylation of the active site, a process that shows saturation kinetics. Subsequent slow decarbamylation usually leads to full restoration of activity, and therefore aryl carbamates are transient inhibitors, or pseudo-substrates, of CEase. Structural variation of carbamate inhibitors allowed molecular recognition in the fatty acid binding and steroid binding loci of the extended active site to be probed, and the electronic nature of the carbamylation transition state to be characterized. Optimal inhibitory activity is observed when the length of the carbamyl function is n = 6 and n = 7 for porcine and rat cholesterol esterases, respectively, equivalent to eight- and nine-carbon fatty acyl chains. In contrast, inhibitory activity increases progressively as the partial molecular volume of the aromatic fragment increases. Hammett plots for p-substituted phenyl-N-hexyl carbamates indicate that the rate-determining step for carbamate inhibition is phenolate anion expulsion. Effects of the bile salt activator taurocholate on the kinetically resolved phases of the pseudo-substrate turnover of aryl carbamates were also studied. Taurocholate increases the affinity of the carbamate for the active site of cholesterol esterase in the reversible, noncovalent complex that precedes carbamylation and increases the rate constants of the serial carbamylation and decarbamylation steps. Structural variation of the N-alkyl chain and of the aryl fused-ring system provides an accounting of bile salt modulation of the fatty acid and steroid binding sites, respectively. In that pseudo-substrate turnover of aryl carbamates proceeds by a three-step mechanism that is analogous to that for rapid turnover of lipid ester substrates, these investigations illuminate details of ligand recognition by the extended active site of cholesterol esterase that are prominent determinants of the substrate specificity and catalytic power of the enzyme.
Animals↗
Molecular biology of enzymes involved with cholesterol ester hydrolysis in mammalian tissues.
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Animals↗
Bile salt stimulated cholesterol esterase increases uptake of high density lipoprotein-associated cholesteryl esters by HepG2 cells.
Bile salt stimulated cholesterol esterase is predominantly synthesized in the pancreas. However, this enzyme is also synthesized by the liver and was found to be present in plasma. The physiologic role of the systemic cholesterol esterase has not been clearly defined. In the current study, the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 was used as a model to determine the role of cholesterol esterase on hepatic uptake of high density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated cholesteryl esters. The results showed that hepatic uptake of the cholesteryl esters analog [3H]cholesteryl ether on reconstituted HDL was inhibited by anti-cholesterol esterase antibodies. The HDL-associated cholesteryl ester transported to HepG2 cells was also increased 2-fold in the presence of taurocholate, an activator of the cholesterol esterase. These results suggest that liver-derived cholesterol esterase may play an important role in cellular uptake of cholesteryl esters from HDL. This hypothesis was supported by demonstrating the ability of exogenously added cholesterol esterase to further enhance hepatic uptake of HDL-associated cholesteryl esters. The results of the current study also showed that cholesterol esterase increased free-to-esterified cholesterol ratio in the lipoprotein. Thus, alteration of HDL structure and composition contributes to the cholesterol esterase-induced cellular uptake of HDL-associated cholesteryl esters. On the basis of these observations, we propose that liver-derived cholesterol esterase may play an important role in lipoprotein metabolism.
Animals↗
Dietary free and esterified cholesterol absorption in cholesterol esterase (bile salt-stimulated lipase) gene-targeted mice.
The involvement of pancreatic cholesterol esterase (bile salt-stimulated lipase) in cholesterol absorption through the intestine has been controversial. We have addressed this issue by using homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells to produce mice lacking a functional cholesterol esterase gene. Cholesterol esterase knockout mice and their wild type counterparts were fed a bolus dose of [3H]cholesterol and a trace amount of [beta-14C]sitosterol by gavage. The ratio of the two radiolabels excreted in the feces over a 24-h period was found to be similar in the control and cholesterol esterase-null mice. Similar results were observed when the radiolabeled sterols were supplied in an emulsion with phospholipid and triolein or in lipid vesicles with phosphatidylcholine. Cholesterol absorption results were similar between the control and cholesterol esterase-null mice regardless of whether the animals were fed a low fat diet or a high fat/high cholesterol diet. The rate of [3H]cholesterol appearance in the serum of the gene-targeted mice paralleled that observed in control animals. In contrast to these results, when experiments were performed with [3H]cholesteryl oleate instead of [3H]cholesterol, a higher amount of the 3H radiolabel was found excreted in feces and dramatically less of the radiolabel was detected in the serum of the cholesterol esterase-null mice in comparison with that detected in control animals. Serum cholesterol levels were not significantly different between control and cholesterol esterase-null mice fed either control or an atherogenic diet. These results indicate that cholesterol esterase is responsible for mediating intestinal absorption of cholesteryl esters but does not play a primary role in free cholesterol absorption.
Animals↗
Plasma cholesterol esterase level is a determinant for an atherogenic lipoprotein profile in normolipidemic human subjects.
Plasma cholesterol level is controlled by various factors. In the present study, high plasma activity of cholesterol esterase was found to correlate with plasma total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in normolipidemic human subjects. However, the cholesterol esterase is not elevated in plasma of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. These observations suggest that cholesterol esterase level is not determined by plasma cholesterol level, but elevated cholesterol esterase may be causative in increasing plasma cholesterol and LDL. Additional experiments further demonstrated that cholesterol esterase can convert the larger and less-atherogenic LDL to the smaller and more atherogenic LDL subspecies in vitro. These results suggest that plasma cholesterol esterase contributes to the formation and accumulation of atherogenic lipoproteins, and thus is a major risk factor for premature atherosclerosis in normal human subjects.
Adult↗
Cholesterol esterase: a cholesterol transfer protein.
Rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase was examined for its ability to effect sterol transfer between small unilamellar vesicle (SUV) preparations. Sterol exchange was determined using SUV composed of palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine/sterol (65:35) with or without 10 mol % phosphatidylserine or phosphatidic acid. This recently developed assay does not require separation of donor and acceptor vesicles (Butko et al., 1992). Cholesterol esterase stimulated cholesterol exchange when SUV contained phosphatidylserine and even more so in the presence of phosphatidic acid. Cholesterol esterase increased the initial rate of sterol transfer between phosphatidic acid-containing SUV by approximately 80%. The enzyme increased sterol exchange by significantly decreasing the half-times of sterol transfer and by significantly increasing the initial rates of sterol exchange. In the absence of negatively charged phospholipids, cholesterol esterase was ineffective at increasing sterol transfer. Monolayer studies showed that negatively charged phospholipids seem to play a key role in cholesterol esterase adsorption to lipid interfaces. Finally, a mutant cholesterol esterase lacking a histidine (435) residue essential for esterasic catalysis was found to be equally capable of increasing sterol transfer and binding to charged monolayers. In summary, cholesterol esterase enhances sterol transfer in SUV containing negatively charged phospholipids, independent of esterasic activity.
Animals↗
Calcium mobilization and protein kinase C activation are required for cholecystokinin stimulation of pancreatic cholesterol esterase secretion.
The bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase is a digestive enzyme synthesized by the acinar cells of the pancreas. Previous results have shown that cholesterol esterase biosynthesis and secretion in the AR42J pancreatoma cells could be increased 3-5-fold by intestinal hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK). The purpose of the current study is to explore the signalling mechanism by which CCK stimulation of AR42J cells results in increased biosynthesis and secretion of the cholesterol esterase. The results showed that the CCK-induced cholesterol esterase secretion could be mimicked by addition of the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 or by transient incubation of AR42J cells with the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Cholesterol esterase stimulation by CCK, A23187 and PMA could be abolished by the calcium chelator BAPTA or by specific protein kinase C inhibitors such as chelerythrine. Additionally, prolonged incubation of AR42J cells with PMA to reduce the protein kinase C level, also reduced CCK-stimulated cholesterol esterase secretion to a level similar to that observed in control cells. Taken together, these data suggested that CCK activation of cholesterol esterase secretion may be mediated by a Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase C pathway, requiring increases in calcium mobilization and activation of protein kinase C.
Animals↗
Increased cholesterol esterase level by cholesterol loading of rat pancreatoma cells.
This study used the rat pancreatoma AR42J cells as a model to determine the effects of cholesterol on cholesterol esterase biosynthesis. Incubation of AR42J cells with low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or with the cholesterol-induced beta-very-low-density lipoproteins did not result in changes in cellular cholesterol levels. These cholesterol-rich lipoproteins also had no effect on cholesterol esterase biosynthesis by the AR42J cells. Cellular cholesterol level was found to increase by approx. 2-fold after incubating the AR42J cells with cationized-LDL. The increase in cellular cholesterol level resulted in a higher level of cholesterol esterase secreted into the culture medium. The increased cellular cholesterol also resulted in higher amounts of cholesterol esterase detected in the AR42J cell lysate. The increase in cholesterol esterase level corresponded to a cholesterol-induced increase in steady-state level of cholesterol esterase mRNA. The results of this study, and our previous observation of post-transcriptional activation of cholesterol esterase induced by intestinal hormones (Huang, Y. and Hui, D.Y. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 6720-6725), suggested that cholesterol esterase biosynthesis may be regulated by transcriptional and translational mechanisms in response to hormonal and nutrient stimulation of the pancreatic acinar cells. Additionally, the regulation of cholesterol esterase biosynthesis by cholesterol loading of the pancreatic cells suggested a possible role of this enzyme in cholesterol metabolism.
Animals↗
Exon 11 of the rat cholesterol esterase gene encodes domains important for intracellular processing and bile salt-modulated activity of the protein.
The rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase is a 74,000 molecular weight protein encoded by a gene with 10 introns and 11 exons. The last exon of the cholesterol esterase gene is the largest and is also the least conserved exon among the cholesterol esterase genes of various species. The current study investigates the functional role of the exon 11 domain in rat cholesterol esterase. The transfection of native cholesterol esterase cDNA into COS cells resulted in an enzymatically active cholesterol esterase that was secreted by the cells. In contrast, transfection of cholesterol esterase cDNA with 88% of the exon 11 residues deleted from the sequence resulted in a protein that was not secreted by the cells. The cholesterol esterase with deletions in the exon 11 domain retained the ability to bind bile salt but was found to be enzymatically inactive. The inefficient secretion and the loss of enzyme activity for the truncated protein were not due to deletion of the proline-rich repeating units located in the exon 11 domain at the carboxyl terminus of the cholesterol esterase. The expression of rat cholesterol esterase with zero or one proline-rich units resulted in a truncated protein that was secreted by the transfected COS cells. The cholesterol esterases with reducing numbers of the proline-rich repeating units were also active in hydrolyzing p-nitrophenyl butyrate and cholesteryl oleate. The cholesterol esterase with fewer proline-rich repeating units were more active than the native enzyme in substrate hydrolysis at low bile salt concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Synergistic effects of bombesin and cholecystokinin on cholesterol esterase biosynthesis and secretion by AR42J cells.
This study used the rat pancreatoma AR42J cells as model to study hormonal regulation of cholesterol esterase biosynthesis. Our previous studies (Y. Huang and D. Y. Hui, 1991, J. Biol. Chem. 266, 6720-6725) have demonstrated that the AR42J cells responded to cholecystokinin (CCK) and secretin challenge by increasing cholesterol esterase biosynthesis. The current investigation showed that another gastric peptide hormone, bombesin, was also effective in stimulation of cholesterol esterase biosynthesis. Cholesterol esterase biosynthesis in AR42J cells increased 2- to 3-fold in the presence of 5 to 10 nM bombesin or 4 nM CCK. More significantly, when both bombesin and CCK were added to the incubation medium at these concentrations simultaneously, a 15-fold induction of cholesterol esterase biosynthesis was observed. Slot-blot analysis of RNA isolated from control and hormone-stimulated cells revealed no change in the level of cholesterol esterase mRNA, suggesting the post-transcriptional activation of cholesterol esterase biosynthesis. The synergism between bombesin and CCK was not restricted to cholesterol esterase biosynthesis as the simultaneous addition of the two hormones also dramatically increased amylase secretion by AR42J. The results of these studies indicated that gastric peptide hormones may act in concert to stimulate maximally digestive enzyme biosynthesis. The synergistic effects of bombesin and CCK also suggest that distinctive signal transduction pathways may be responsible for the bombesin and CCK induction of pancreatic protein secretion.
Amylases↗
Dietary regulation of cholesterol esterase mRNA level in rat pancreas.
This study investigates the effect of a high fat/high cholesterol diet on cholesterol esterase biosynthesis in rat pancreas. Results showed that rats fed a high fat/high cholesterol diet, with or without bile salt supplementation, exhibited increased levels of pancreatic cholesterol esterase mRNA. An average of a 2-fold increase in cholesterol esterase mRNA was observed after 1 day of feeding the atherogenic diet. A maximal 3- to 4-fold induction was observed after 4 days on the special diet. The level of pancreatic cholesterol esterase mRNA declined subsequently, resulting in a new steady state level that remained significantly higher than cholesterol esterase mRNA level in control rat pancreas. The feeding of high fat diet without cholesterol, or high cholesterol diet without high fat content, did not result in significant increase in pancreatic cholesterol esterase mRNA when compared to that observed in control chow-fed animals. The increase in cholesterol esterase mRNA after high fat/high cholesterol feeding paralleled the increased in pancreatic lipase mRNA. The high fat/high cholesterol-induced increase in cholesterol esterase mRNA was due to increase rate of transcription, as demonstrated by nuclear run-on assays. Additionally, in vitro incubation experiments of pancreatic lobules with [35S]methionine showed higher rates of 35S-labeled cholesterol esterase synthesis with lobules from the high fat/high cholesterol-fed animals. Taken together, these results demonstrated that high fat/high cholesterol diets increased cholesterol esterase mRNA level and enzyme biosynthesis in rat pancreas. The coordinated regulation of cholesterol esterase with another lipid digestive enzyme, the pancreatic lipase, suggested an important role for these proteins in dietary lipid absorption through the gastrointestinal tract.
Animals↗
Lipoamidase activity in normal and mutagenized pancreatic cholesterol esterase (bile salt-stimulated lipase).
Purified human milk lipoamidase was digested with endoproteinase Lys-C and the digested peptides were subjected to gasphase microsequence analysis. The sequencing of three isolated peptides of human milk lipoamidase revealed the identity of this protein with human milk bile salt-stimulated lipase (pancreatic cholesterol esterase). The identity of the cholesterol esterase with lipoamidase was confirmed by expressing a recombinant form of rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase and testing for lipoamidase activity of the recombinant protein. The results showed that the recombinant cholesterol esterase displayed both lipolytic and lipoamidase activities and was capable of hydrolysing triacetin and lipoyl-4-aminobenzoate (LPAB). The mechanisms of the esterase and amidase activities of the enzyme were further tested by determining enzyme activity in a mutagenized cholesterol esterase with a His435-->Gln435 substitution. This mutation has been shown previously to abolish enzyme activity against esterase substrates [DiPersio, Fontaine and Hui (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 4033-4036]. We showed that the mutagenized protein was effective in hydrolysing the amidase substrate LPAB and displayed similar enzyme kinetics to those of the native enzyme. These data indicate that the mechanism for the cholesterol esterase hydrolysis of lipoamides is different from that of the hydrolysis of substrates with an ester linkage. The presence of an enzyme in the gastrointestinal tract capable of both ester and amide hydrolysis suggests an important role for this protein in the digestion and absorption processes.
4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗