Objective: Our purpose was to determine the relationship between apolipoprotein (apo) A-I and apoB-48 and apoB-100 metabolism in moderately hypercholesterolemic humans.
Methods and results: The kinetics of apoA-I within high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apoB-48 and apoB-100 within triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, and apoB-100 within intermediate-density lipoprotein and low density-lipoprotein (LDL) were examined with a primed constant infusion of [5,5,5-(2)H(3)] leucine in the fed state (hourly feeding) in 23 subjects after consumption of a 36% total fat diet. Lipoproteins were isolated by ultracentrifugation; apolipoproteins by SDS-PAGE gels; and isotope enrichment assessed by gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry. Kinetic parameters were calculated by multicompartmental modeling of the data with SAAM II. ApoA-I production rate (PR) was correlated with LDL apoB-100 pool size (PS; r=0.49; P=0.017) and LDL cholesterol (r=0.61; P=0.002), whereas apoA-I fractional catabolic rate (FCR) was inversely correlated with apoB-48 FCR (r=-0.40; P=0.05) but not with very low-density lipoprotein apoB-100 FCR.
Conclusions: Two links exist between apoA-I and apoB kinetics: 1) when LDL apoB-100 PS is high, there is increased apoA-I PR; and 2) delayed chylomicron remnant clearance (represented by apoB-48 FCR) is associated with enhanced apoA-I FCR, a finding indicating that alterations in intestinal lipoproteins may be more important in determining HDL cholesterol levels than changes in liver lipoproteins. Using stable isotopes in humans, 2 links were observed between apoA-I and apoB kinetics: (1) when LDL apoB-100 PS is high, there is increased apoA-I PR; and (2) delayed chylomicron remnant clearance is associated with enhanced apoA-I FCR, indicating that alterations in intestinal lipoproteins may be more important in determining HDL-C levels than changes in liver lipoprotein particles.