S. Zanlungo et al., Sterol carrier protein 2 gene transfer changes lipid metabolism and enterohepatic sterol circulation in mice, GASTROENTY, 119(6), 2000, pp. 1708-1719
Background & Aims: Sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP-2) enhances sterol cycling
and facilitates cholesterol translocation between intracellular organelles
and plasma membrane in cultured cells, including hepatocytes. We examined
the role of SCP-2 in hepatic cholesterol and lipid trafficking through the
sinusoidal and canalicular secretory pathways of the liver in vivo. Methods
: Recombinant adenovirus-mediated SCP-2 gene transfer was used to obtain he
patic overexpression of SCP-2 in C57BL/6 mice. Results: SCP-2 overexpressio
n in the mouse liver resulted in an 8-fold increase of SCP-2 protein levels
and determined various effects on lipid metabolism. It decreased high-dens
ity lipoprotein cholesterol and increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cho
lesterol concentrations. The expressions of hepatic LDL receptor, apolipopr
otein (apo) A-I, apoB, and apoE were decreased. SCP-2 overexpression also i
ncreased hepatic cholesterol concentration, associated with decreased chole
sterol neosynthesis. Increased biliary cholesterol and bile acid secretion,
bile acid pool size, and intestinal cholesterol absorption were also obser
ved. Conclusions: These results indicate that modulation of SCP-2 expressio
n in the liver determines important modifications on lipoprotein metabolism
, hepatic cholesterol synthesis and storage, biliary lipid secretion, bile
acid metabolism and intestinal cholesterol absorption.