We studied the pharmacological potential of retinoids to modulate apolipoprotein (apo) A-I and apoA-II gene expression and production in vitro in the human cell line HepG2 as well as in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes and in vivo in the rat. In HepG2 cells, addition of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) doubled apoA-I mRNA within 24 hours and protein secreted in the culture medium after 48 ...

BACKGROUND Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the major protein for high density lipoprotein, is essential for reverse cholesterol transport. Decreased serum levels of apoA-I have been reported to correlate with subcortical infarction and dementia, both of which are highly related to white matter lesions (WMLs). However, the association between apoA-I and WMLs has never been investigated. In this stu...

OBJECTIVE Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) has been shown to possess several atheroprotective functions, including inhibition of inflammation. Protease-secreting activated mast cells reside in human atherosclerotic lesions. Here we investigated the effects of the neutral proteases released by activated mast cells on the anti-inflammatory properties of apoA-I. APPROACH AND RESULTS Activation of hum...

BACKGROUND The contribution of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk stratification over and above high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is unclear. We studied the associations between plasma levels of HDL-C and apoA-I, either alone or combined, with risk of CHD events and cardiovascular risk factors among apparently healthy men and women. METHODS AND RESULTS...

OBJECTIVE Mast cell chymase is a chymotryptic heparin proteoglycan-bound neutral protease that exerts its activity in extracellular fluids. We studied the effect of chymase on the apolipoprotein compositions and the abilities of plasmas from apolipoprotein (apo)A-I-knockout (A-I-KO) and wild-type (C57BL/6J) mice to stimulate efflux of cellular cholesterol from mouse macrophage foam cells. MET...

Diabetic (DM) patients have exacerbated atherosclerosis and high CVD burden. Changes in lipid metabolism, lipoprotein structure, and dysfunctional HDL are characteristics of diabetes. Our aim was to investigate whether serum ApoA-I, the main protein in HDL, was biochemically modified in DM patients. By using proteomic technologies, we have identified a 26 kDa ApoA-I form in serum. MS analysis r...

Hyperlipoproteinemia contributes both to kidney disease progression and the development of atherosclerosis. Elevated high density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) serum levels are independent factors protective against the atherosclerotic process. We examined the effects in a transgenic rat model of human apoA-I expression on the hyperlipoproteinemia and edema after purom...

We describe two techniques for radioimmunoassay of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) in human plasma, each involving use of a non-ionic detergent, Tween-20, to expose antigenic sites, and one involving "IgG SORB" (a suspension of killed staphylococci) as a solid-phase separator. Tween-20 (3.75 g/L) decreased nonspecific binding and unmasked the antigenic sites on the apoA-I molecule in plasma to the ...

We have generated transgenic mice carrying wild-type promoters of the human apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I)-apoCIII gene cluster or promoters mutated in their hormone response elements. The wild-type cluster directed high levels of apoA-I gene expression in liver and intestine, moderate expression in kidney, and low to minimal expression in other tissues. It also directed high levels of chloramphen...