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Effect of cupric ions on serum and liver cholesterol metabolism
Author(s) -
Tanaka Mitsuo,
Iio Toshihiro,
Tabata Toshikazu
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02536442
Subject(s) - lipidology , clinical chemistry , cholesterol , metabolism , chemistry , biochemistry , lipid metabolism , medicine , endocrinology
Cupric ions were administered subcutaneously to male Sprague‐Dawley rats at a single dose of 200 μmol/kg. At 24 hr after administration, a remarkable increase of total and free cholesterol was seen in the rat serum. Also, when lecithin‐cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) (E.C. 2.3.1.43) activity was expressed as the percentage of the total serum that free cholesterol esterified, the acyltransferase activity in rats treated with cupric ions showed a slight decrease while the triglyceride content in rat serum and liver decreased by 54% and 61%, respectively. However, the content of hepatic cholesterol in rats treated with cupric ions did not show such a marked change. On the other hand, acid cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity (Acid CEH) (E.C. 3.1.1.14) in liver lysosomes of rats treated with cupric ions showed a marked decrease with increasing cupric ion concentration both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, cupric ions caused a marked release of the lysosomal enzymes cathepsin D and β‐glucuronidase into the cytosolic fraction. The changes in acid cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity induced by cupric ions appear to be a direct effect of cupric ions on the enzyme. These results suggest that excessive cupric ion concentrations could cause various disorders in lipid metabolism.