Lipid metabolism

Lecture 2

Plasma Lipoproteins
 Plasma Lipoproteins
 All Lipids in plasma are transported
in the form lipoproteins.
 Any lipoprotein has:
 Central core formed of:
 Nonpolar lipids: triacylglycerol
& cholesterol esters
 Outer layer formed of:
 Polar lipids: phospholipids &
free cholesterol.
 Proteins (called apoproteins)
 General Functions of Lipoproteins

1. Keep lipids soluble in plasma

2. Transport of lipids in plasma

3. Transport of lipids to tissues

Plasma lipoproteins are separated into
different fractions by electrophoresis.
 Lipoproteins Lipid Content Origin

• TAG 90% (Main lipid)

Chylomicrons • Cholesterol (free & esters) 5% Intestine
• Phospholipids 3%

VLDL • TAG 60% (Main lipid)

(very low density • Phospholipids 15% Liver
lipoproteins) • Cholesterol ( free & esters)15%

IDL • Cholesterol (free & esters) 45%

(intermediate (Main lipid)
VLDL
density • Phospholipids 25 %
lipoproteins) • TAG 30 %

• Cholesterol (free & esters) 50%

LDL
(Main lipid)
(low density • Phospholipids 22 %
IDL
lipoproteins) • TAG 8 %

HDL • Cholesterol
(free & esters) 15%
(high density • Phospholipids 30% (Main lipid) Liver
lipoproteins) • TAG 5 %
Lipoprotein Functions
•Transport dietary TAG (mainly), cholesterol
Chylomicrons & cholesterol esters from the intestine to
the peripheral tissues

•Transport endogenous TAG from the liver

VLDL to the peripheral tissues (Mobilize fat from
liver)
•Transport cholesterol from the liver to the
LDL
peripheral tissues
•Remove free cholesterol from peripheral
tissues & esterifies it
HDL •Transport cholestrol esters to the liver to
be eliminated.
•Transfer cholesterol esters to VLDL and LDL
 Metabolism of chylomicrons
 Chylomicrons formed in intestine are called nascent
chylomicrons with apolipoprotein B-48 (apoB-48).
 In blood, nascent chylomicrons acquire apoC-II & apoE
from HDL.
 Lipoprotein lipase in walls of capillaries of adipose tissue &
muscles hydrolyzes TAG of chylomicrons to fatty acids &
glycerol.
 apoC-II is transferred back to HDL.
 Chylomicron remnants which contain cholesterol, apoE &
apoB-48 are taken by liver to be degraded.
 Thus, chylomicrons deliver dietary triacylglycerol to adipose
tissue & muscle & dietary cholesterol to liver.
Metabolism of chylomicrons
 Metabolism of VLDL

 Nascent VLDL formed in the liver contain apo B-100.

 In blood Nascent VLDL acquire apo C-II and apo E from
HDL.
 Lipoprotein lipase hydrolyzes TAG of VLDL to fatty acids
and glycerol.
 VLDL is converted to IDL
 apoC-II and apo E are returned to HDL
 IDL is converted to LDL
Metabolism of VLDL & LDL
 Metabolism of LDL
 LDL is the main plasma carrier of cholesterol for delivery to all
tissues or return it to the liver.
 The only apolipoprotein of LDL is apoB-100.
 LDL is taken up by liver & extrahepatic tissues by LDL
receptor-mediated endocytosis.
 LDL receptors recognize apo B-100 & can also bind apo E.
 The endocytosed membrane vesicles fuse with lysosomes,
 In lysosomes, apoproteins are degraded and the cholesterol
esters are hydrolyzed to yield free cholesterol.
Endocytosis of LDL
 Metabolism of HDL
 Nascent HDL are disk-shaped containing phospholipids
(mainly) and apo A-I, apo CII & apo E.
 HDL collects cholesterol from membranes and converts
it to cholesterol esters.
 Accumulation of cholesterol esters converts nascent HDL to
HDL3 & then to HDL2.
 HDL2 (cholesterol-rich HDL) return to the liver where they
are taken up by receptor-mediated endocytosis.
 Cholesterol esters are then transferred into liver cells & the
lipid-depleted HDL are released into blood.
Metabolism of HDL