The Fao Cell. A tissue culture model for lipoprotein synthesis and secretion: II. Modulation by lipid depletion and supplementation

Abstract

We have shown that the Fao cell, a differentiated rat hepatoma line, is an excellent model for the study of the synthesis of lipoproteins (Scarino, M L & Howell, K E, Exp cell res 170 (1987) 1 [1]. Here we demonstrate that variation of the lipid composition of the growth medium significantly modulates the composition and quantity of particles formed. Three growth conditions were compared: normal, lipid-depleted, and lipid-supplemented. The synthesis of both the protein and lipid moieties of the lipoproteins was quantitated using the radioactive metabolic precursors [ 35S]methionine and [ 14C]acetate. The total secretion of the cells was collected and fractionated into four density classes equivalent to plasma lipoproteins and a bottom fraction equivalent to plasma proteins. Each density class was evaluated for the apoprotein distribution after separation by SDS-PAGE and for lipid distribution and composition after lipid extraction. ApoE accounts for approx. 15% of the total protein synthesized and is the major apoprotein. The amount synthesized remains relatively constant under all growth conditions. In contrast, the amount of apoB synthesis varies over 600-fold. In lipid-depleted conditions, only 0.01 times the normal amount was synthesized, while in lipid-supplemented conditions 6.2 times the normal amount was synthesized. ApoB was associated with the lighter fraction; therefore the modulation increased the quantity of low-density particles formed. A similar but far less pronounced variation of the heavier particles and the apoA-I concentration was obtained. Under lipid-depleted conditions, 0.75 times the normal amount was synthesized, while under lipid-supplemented conditions 2.6 times the normal quantity was synthesized.