MODULATION OF THE PLASMA CHOLESTERYL ESTER TRANSFER BY STACHYBOTRAMIDE

Plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), which mediates the t ransfer and exchange of neutral lipids (cholesteryl esters (CE) and tr iglycerides (TG)) and phospholipids between plasma lipoproteins, plays an essential role in reverse cholesterol transport system. We have fo und that a fungal metabolite, stachybotramide, modulates the activity of CETP. Stachybotramide stimulated the [C-14]CE transfer from high de nsity lipoprotein (HDL) to very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) by 1.3-to 1.5-fold at 0.2-0.5 mM. This stim ulation was abolished in the presence of anti-CETP antibody. On the ot her hand, the transfer of [C-14]CE from LDL and VLDL to HDL was slight ly reduced by stachybotramide at 0.5 mM. Unlike the transfer of [C-14] CE, the transfer of [H-3]TG from HDL was not significantly affected by stachybotramide. These results suggest that stachybotramide preferent ially stimulate the CETP-mediated transfer of CE from HDL to both VLDL and LDL.