The influence of cafestol, a lipid component found in boiled coffee, on low density lipoprotein (LDL) and lipid metabolism was investigated in CaCo-2 cells cultured on filter membranes. The rate of uptake and degradation of 125I-labeled tyramine cellobiose-LDL was increased 50% in CaCo-2 cells incubated with cafestol (20 micrograms/ml, 63 microM) for 24 h, whereas in cells incubated with 25-hydroxycholesterol (10 micrograms/ml, 25 microM) the rate of uptake and degradation showed a 30% decrease. A mixture of kahweol and cafestol, both natural components of coffee beans, modestly enhanced the rate of LDL uptake and degradation, as compared to pure cafestol. Incubation of cafestol with CaCo-2 cells induced a 3-fold up-regulation of LDL receptor mRNA, as compared to control cells. In contrast, incubation of the cells with 25-hydroxycholesterol produced a 30% decrease of LDL receptor expression. CaCo-2 cells were transfected with a promoter region containing the sterol regulatory element-1 (SRE-1) coupled to the reporter gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). When cells transfected with SRE-1 promoter were incubated with cafestol, there was a 20% up-regulation of CAT activity, whereas 25-hydroxycholesterol abolished this activity. Cafestol contributed to a significantly lowered secretion of cholesteryl ester and triacylglycerol, regardless of the radiolabeled precursor used ([2-14C]acetic acid, [1,2,3-3H]glycerol, [3H]water, and [1-14C]oleic acid). This reduction in secretion of lipids was accompanied by an increase in trichloroacetic acid-soluble activity when radiolabeled oleic acid was used as a tracer. We conclude that cafestol promotes an enhanced rate of uptake and degradation of LDL, probably due to an increase in transcription of LDL receptor mRNA and a reduced secretion of cholesteryl ester and triacylglycerol in CaCo-2 cells.