The relationship of protein synthesis to the secretion of the lipid moiety of low density lipoprotein by the liver
The release of low density lipoproteins by the rat has been studied in vivo and in perfused liver, with the use of leucine-1-14C and palmitate-9,10-3H as precursors. There is a delay in the time of appearance of the labelled lipoprotein in the perfusate, the delay being longer for the 14C-protein than the 3H-lipid moiety. In vivo there is a difference of [Formula: see text] h between the times of maximum appearance of labelled lipid and protein, the former appearing first. These delays are not due to a slow entry of the leucine-14C into the amino acid pool, since no delay is seen when incorporation of the isotope into tissue proteins of perfused liver is studied. When bovine serum albumin replaces plasma in the perfusing medium there is a marked decrease in the release of labelled lipoprotein lipid, although net glyceride release and 14C incorporation into lipoproteins is not affected. This suggests an exchange between liver and serum lipids. Puromycin inhibits both the release and the exchange of lipid in the perfused liver system. In the in vivo experiments, puromycin virtually inhibits the release of 14C-labelled lipoprotein, while the inhibition of 3H-labelling, although always noted, is more variable in degree. A model for lipoprotein secretion, based on these results, is discussed.