Influence of development, estrogens, and food intake on apolipoprotein A-I, A-II, and E mRNA in rat liver and intestine.

UNLABELLED The influence of development and ethinylestradiol (EE) on apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, A-II, and E mRNA in rat liver and intestine was studied by dot blot hybridization and Northern blot analysis. ApoA-I mRNA levels were maximal in the perinatal period and declined after day 15. An opposite trend was noted for the apoA-II mRNA levels, whereas apoE mRNA remained fairly constant. Liver apoA-I mRNA levels increased after ovariectomy (OVX). A further rise was observed when EE was given at 2000 micrograms/day. When the influence of OVX and EE was controlled for food intake by pair-feeding, OVX still increased hepatic apoA-I mRNA. The rise in liver apoA-I mRNA after EE, however, was no longer significant. Under the same conditions OVX slightly increased intestinal apoA-I mRNA. EE (2000 micrograms/day) decreased intestinal apoA-I mRNA to 80% of the pair-fed controls. Liver apoA-II mRNA levels did not change after OVX when the animals were fed ad libitum, but decreased slightly when the rats were pair-fed. EE caused a dose-dependent decrease in liver apoA-II mRNA, irrespective of food intake. None of these treatments caused any change in liver apoE mRNA levels. Serum apoA-I levels increased upon OVX, while serum apoE did not change. EE provoked a dose-dependent decrease of both apolipoproteins in serum. IN CONCLUSION 1) Changes in food intake play an important role in the in vivo effects of estrogens on apolipoprotein mRNA levels. 2) The stimulatory effect of OVX on hepatic apoA-I mRNA as well as the inhibitory effect of EE on hepatic apoA-II mRNA are independent of food intake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)