HDL biology
Lipoprotein lipase and CETP together boost cholesteryl ester transfer 2 to 8 fold beyond CETP alone (J Biol Chem 1984)
Original title: Lipoprotein lipase enhances the cholesteryl ester transfer protein-mediated transfer of cholesteryl esters from high density lipoproteins to very low density lipoproteins
Human or rat VLDL was incubated with human HDL in the presence of partially purified CETP, bovine milk lipoprotein lipase (LPL), or both, to test their combined effect on cholesteryl ester transfer from HDL to VLDL. CETP alone stimulated both isotopic and mass transfer of cholesteryl esters from HDL to VLDL, while LPL alone caused only slight stimulation. When both CETP and LPL were present, transfer into VLDL remnants was enhanced 2- to 8-fold compared with CETP alone, an effect more pronounced at higher VLDL to HDL ratios and greater CETP amounts. The stimulation occurred during active triglyceride hydrolysis, and inhibiting lipolysis with 1 M NaCl or 2 mM diethylparanitrophenyl phosphate reduced or abolished the CETP-LPL synergism, with LPL alone then showing no stimulation. The authors conclude that LPL enhances CETP-mediated cholesteryl ester transfer from HDL to VLDL through a mechanism tied to lipolysis.
Original abstract
These studies were undertaken to examine the effects of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) on the transfer of cholesteryl esters from high density lipoproteins (HDL) to very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). Human or rat VLDL was incubated with human HDL in the presence of either partially purified CETP, bovine milk LPL or CETP plus LPL. CETP stimulated both isotopic and mass transfer of cholesteryl esters from HDL into VLDL. LPL caused only slight stimulation of cholesteryl ester transfer. However, when CETP and LPL were both present, the transfer of cholesteryl esters from HDL into VLDL remnants was enhanced 2- to 8-fold, compared to the effects of CETP alone. The synergistic effects of CETP and LPL on cholesteryl ester transfer were more pronounced at higher VLDL/HDL ratios and increased with increasing amounts of CETP. In time course studies the stimulation of cholesteryl ester transfer activity occurred during active triglyceride hydrolysis. When lipolysis was inhibited by incubating LPL with either 1 M NaCl or 2 mM diethylparanitrophenyl phosphate, the synergism of CETP and LPL was reduced or abolished, and LPL alone did not stimulate cholesteryl ester transfer. These experiments show that LPL enhances the CETP-mediated transfer of cholesteryl esters from HDL to VLDL. This property of LPL is related to lipolysis.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.