Biomaterial Database

Effects of bile salts on rat hepatic acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase. 1995

S K Erickson, and P E Van Zuiden

Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.

Acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (EC2.3.1.26, ACAT), responsible for intracellular esterification of cholesterol, may play an important role in cholesterol trafficking within the cell, and thus, in maintenance of cellular cholesterol homeostasis. Bile acids are potential regulators of cholesterol trafficking in the liver. Therefore, the effect of bile salts on hepatic ACAT activity was studied in the perfused rat liver. ACAT activity was increased after liver perfusion with either taurocholate or taurochenodeoxycholate. However, addition of these bile salts at physiological concentrations in vitro had little effect on microsomal ACAT activity. The increase in hepatic ACAT activity due to perfusion with bile salts was accompanied by reduced accumulation of very low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the perfusate, but there was no effect on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity. Hepatic ACAT activity was decreased after bile diversion for four hours in the intact animal. This treatment had no statistically significant effect on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity. These data suggest that bile salts induce changes in hepatic compartmentation and traffic of cholesterol within the hepatocyte accompanied by response of ACAT activity to maintain cellular cholesterol homeostasis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008079	Lipoproteins, VLDL	A class of lipoproteins of very light (0.93-1.006 g/ml) large size (30-80 nm) particles with a core composed mainly of TRIGLYCERIDES and a surface monolayer of PHOSPHOLIPIDS and CHOLESTEROL into which are imbedded the apolipoproteins B, E, and C. VLDL facilitates the transport of endogenously made triglycerides to extrahepatic tissues. As triglycerides and Apo C are removed, VLDL is converted to INTERMEDIATE-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS, then to LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS from which cholesterol is delivered to the extrahepatic tissues.	Pre-beta-Lipoprotein,Prebeta-Lipoprotein,Prebeta-Lipoproteins,Very Low Density Lipoprotein,Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein,Very-Low-Density Lipoproteins,Lipoprotein VLDL II,Lipoproteins, VLDL I,Lipoproteins, VLDL III,Lipoproteins, VLDL1,Lipoproteins, VLDL2,Lipoproteins, VLDL3,Pre-beta-Lipoproteins,Lipoprotein, Very-Low-Density,Lipoproteins, Very-Low-Density,Pre beta Lipoprotein,Pre beta Lipoproteins,Prebeta Lipoprotein,Prebeta Lipoproteins,VLDL Lipoproteins,VLDL1 Lipoproteins,VLDL2 Lipoproteins,VLDL3 Lipoproteins,Very Low Density Lipoproteins
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008297	Male		Males
D008862	Microsomes, Liver	Closed vesicles of fragmented endoplasmic reticulum created when liver cells or tissue are disrupted by homogenization. They may be smooth or rough.	Liver Microsomes,Liver Microsome,Microsome, Liver
D010477	Perfusion	Treatment process involving the injection of fluid into an organ or tissue.	Perfusions
D002785	Sterol O-Acyltransferase	An enzyme that catalyzes the formation of cholesterol esters by the direct transfer of the fatty acid group from a fatty acyl CoA derivative. This enzyme has been found in the adrenal gland, gonads, liver, intestinal mucosa, and aorta of many mammalian species. EC 2.3.1.26.	Acyl-CoA-Cholesterol Acyltransferase,Cholesterol Acyltransferase,Cholesterol Esterifying Enzyme,Acyl CoA Cholesterol Acyltransferase,Acyltransferase, Acyl-CoA-Cholesterol,Acyltransferase, Cholesterol,Enzyme, Cholesterol Esterifying,Esterifying Enzyme, Cholesterol,O-Acyltransferase, Sterol,Sterol O Acyltransferase
D002788	Cholesterol Esters	Fatty acid esters of cholesterol which constitute about two-thirds of the cholesterol in the plasma. The accumulation of cholesterol esters in the arterial intima is a characteristic feature of atherosclerosis.	Cholesterol Ester,Cholesteryl Ester,Cholesteryl Esters,Ester, Cholesterol,Ester, Cholesteryl,Esters, Cholesterol,Esters, Cholesteryl
D004951	Esterification	The process of converting an acid into an alkyl or aryl derivative. Most frequently the process consists of the reaction of an acid with an alcohol in the presence of a trace of mineral acid as catalyst or the reaction of an acyl chloride with an alcohol. Esterification can also be accomplished by enzymatic processes.	Esterifications
D006706	Homeostasis	The processes whereby the internal environment of an organism tends to remain balanced and stable.	Autoregulation