Spherical high density lipoproteins (HDL) † predominate in human plasma. However, little information exists on the structure of the most common HDL protein, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, in spheres vs. better studied discoidal forms. We produced spherical HDL by incubating reconstituted discoidal HDL with physiological plasmaremodeling enzymes and compared apoA-I structure in discs and spheres of comparable diameter (79 -80 and 93-96 Å). Using cross-linking chemistry and mass spectrometry, we determined that the general structural organization of apoA-I was overall similar between discs and spheres, regardless of diameter. This was the case despite the fact that the 93 Å spheres contained three molecules of apoA-I per particle compared with only two in the discs. Thus, apoA-I adopts a consistent general structural framework in HDL particles-irrespective of shape, size and the number of apoA-Is present. Furthermore, a similar cross-linking pattern was demonstrated in HDL particles isolated from human serum. We propose the first experiment-based molecular model of apoA-I in spherical HDL particles. This model provides a new foundation for understanding how apoA-I structure modulates HDL function and metabolism.sphere ͉ disk G iven the inverse correlation between high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and cardiovascular disease, a key question in vascular biology relates to how apolipoproteins modulate the metabolism and function of HDL. Significant evidence supports a role for HDL in the process of reverse cholesterol transport whereby lipids and cholesterol in the vessel wall are transported to the liver for catabolism. However, because of a lack of information on HDL structure and the molecular basis of its interactions with other proteins, our understanding of HDL metabolism and function is at a basic stage.The ''glue'' that holds most HDL particles together is apolipoprotein (apo)A-I, a highly ␣-helical, 28-kDa polypeptide. It comprises some 70% of HDL protein mass, making it the clear starting point for deriving a basic understanding of HDL structure. In humans, apoA-I is primarily present in two major spherical HDL species, HDL 2 (d ϭ 1.063-1.125 g/ml) and HDL 3 (d ϭ 1.125-1.210 g/ml) with diameters ranging from 70 to 120 Å. More minor, but clearly important, HDL subspecies include lipid-poor apoA-I and nascent discoidal particles (reviewed in ref. 1). Highly reactive but low abundance discoidal HDLs are critical intermediates between lipid-poor apoA-I and mature spherical HDL. Easily produced in vitro, they have been heavily used for structural studies (2). Despite some debates on details of certain regions of apoA-I in discs, the majority of recent theoretical and experimental data supports the so-called ''double belt'' model (3). In this scheme, each of two ring-shaped apoA-I molecules wrap around a leaflet of a disk-like patch of lipid bilayer in an anti-parallel orientation.Despite their abundance in plasma, much less is known about the structure of apoA-I in spherical particles. They contain a neutral lipid...

It is expected that the attendant structural heterogeneity of human high density lipoprotein (HDL) complexes is a determinant of its varied metabolic functions. To determine structural heterogeneity of HDL, major apolipoprotein stoichiometry profiles in human HDL were determined. First, HDL was separated into two main populations, with and without apolipoprotein (apo) A-II, LpA-I and LpA-I/A-II respectively. Each main population was further separated into six individual subfractions using size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Protein proximity profiles (PPP) of major apolipoproteins in each individual subfraction was determined by optimally cross-linking apolipoproteins within individual particles with bis(sulfosuccinimidyl)suberate (BS3), a bifunctional cross linker, followed by molecular weight determination by MALDI-MS. The PPPs of LpA-I subfractions indicated that the number of apoA-I molecules increased from two to three to four upon increase in the LpA-I particle size. On the other hand, the entire population of LpA-I/A-II demonstrated the presence of only two proximal apoA-I molecules per particle, while the number of apoA-II molecules varied from one dimeric apoA-II to two and then to three. For most of the above PPP profiles, an additional population that contained a single molecule of apoC-III in addition to apoA-I and/or apoA-II was detected. Upon composition analyses of individual subpopulations, LpA-I/A-II displayed comparable proportions for total protein (~58%), phospholipids (~21%) total cholesterol (~16%), triglycerides (~5%) and free cholesterol (~4%) across subfractions. LpA-I components, on the other hand, showed significant variability. This novel information on HDL subfractions will form a basis for better understanding particle specific functions of HDL.

Human apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) is a 46-kDa exchangeable plasma protein with many proposed functions. It is involved in chylomicron assembly and secretion, protection from atherosclerosis through a variety of mechanisms, and inhibition of food intake. There is little structural basis for these proposed functions due to the lack of a solved three-dimensional structure of the protein by x-ray crystallography or NMR. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that lipid-free apoA-IV exists in a helical bundle, like other apolipoprotein family members and that regions near the N and C termini may interact. Utilizing a homobifunctional lysine cross-linking agent, we identified 21 intramolecular cross-links by mass spectrometry. These cross-links were used to constrain the building of a sequence threaded homology model using the I-TASSER server. Our results indicate that lipid-free apoA-IV does indeed exist as a complex helical bundle with the N and C termini in close proximity. This first structural model of lipid-free apoA-IV should prove useful for designing studies aimed at understanding how apoA-IV interacts with lipids and possibly with unknown protein partners.Apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) 2 is a 46-kDa plasma protein with myriad proposed functions. In humans, it is primarily produced in the small intestine in response to lipid-rich meals and seems to be involved in the assembly and secretion of chylomicrons (1, 2). Although the apoA-IV knock-out mouse displayed relatively normal lipid absorption on a normal chow diet (3), the importance of apoA-IV during periods of high lipid intake is beginning to become evident. For example, apoA-IV has been shown to facilitate the assembly of very large chylomicrons during high lipid stress in a cell culture model of lipoprotein secretion (4), possibly by regulating the transit rate of the nascent particles through the endoplasmic reticulum (5). The protein has also been postulated to play many roles in the reverse cholesterol transport system (6), a process important for protection from cardiovascular disease whereby excess cholesterol is removed from the vessel wall. ApoA-IV can accept cholesterol similarly to apoA-I via ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter A1) (7). It can activate lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase and cholesterol ester transfer protein (8, 9) and bind to hepatocellular membranes (10, 11) possibly to deliver high density lipoprotein cholesterol to the liver. ApoA-IV has also been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties (12-15) and may even help modulate food intake (16).Like many of the exchangeable apolipoproteins, apoA-IV can exist in at least two states in plasma, lipid-bound and lipid-free. It is associated with newly secreted chylomicrons in the intestinal lymph, but it rapidly disassociates from these upon the initiation of lipolysis in the plasma compartment (17). Thus, the majority of human plasma apoA-IV is found distributed between high density lipoproteins and a lipid-free (or lipidpoor) fraction. The actual di...

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Fenofibrate and extended-release (ER) niacin similarly raise high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration but their effects on levels of potent plasma antioxidant xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin) and phytosterols obtained from dietary sources, and any relationship with plasma lipoproteins and pre-β1-HDL levels, have not been investigated. We studied these parameters in 66 dyslipidemic patients treated for 6 week with fenofibrate (160 mg/day) or ER-niacin (0.5 g/day for 3 week, then 1 g/day) in a cross-over study. Both treatments increased HDL-C (16 %) and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I (7 %) but only fenofibrate increased apoA-II (28 %). Lutein and zeaxanthin levels were unaffected by fenofibrate but inversely correlated with percentage change in apoB and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and positively correlated with end of treatment apoA-II. ApoA-II in isolated HDL in vitro bound more lutein than apoA-I. Xanthophylls were increased by ER-niacin (each ~30 %) without any correlation to lipoprotein or apo levels. Only fenofibrate markedly decreased plasma markers of cholesterol absorption; pre-β1-HDL was significantly decreased by fenofibrate (-19 %, p < 0.0001), with little change (3.4 %) for ER-niacin. Although fenofibrate and ER-niacin similarly increased plasma HDL-C and apoA-I, effects on plasma xanthophylls, phytosterols and pre-β1-HDL differed markedly, suggesting differences in intestinal lipidation of HDL. In addition, the in vitro investigations suggest an important role of plasma apoA-II in xanthophyll metabolism.