This article is available online at http://www.jlr.org Apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 is the major protein component of VLDLs. Assembly of VLDL in the liver begins at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with the formation of a primordial lipoprotein. As apoB-100 enters the ER lumen cotranslationally, it must associate with suffi cient lipids for VLDL assembly to proceed. The microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) facilitates transfer of lipids onto nascent apoB-100 ( 1 ). ApoB-100 is somewhat unique in that its secretion can be regulated by degradation ( 2 ), whereas control of expression of most proteins is at the level of mRNA transcription or translation. During conditions that limit lipid supply, such as low MTP activity ( 3 ) or reduced lipid availability ( 4, 5 ), apoB-100 is delivered to and degraded by the cytosolic proteasome in a process termed ER-associated degradation (ERAD). ApoB-100 contains large hydrophobic regions that require lipidation during apoB-100 synthesis or the nascent protein is targeted to ERAD ( 6 ). In a process that remains poorly defi ned, apoB-100 can be secreted only if lipidation/assembly satisfi es the quality control surveillance system in the secretory pathway.The ERAD pathway removes malfolded proteins from the ER lumen or membrane [reviewed in ( 7 )]. ERAD helps reduce the burden on ER-resident chaperones and allows the cell to maintain ER homeostasis. The typical ERAD pathway for a protein in the secretory pathway consists of at least the following steps: substrate recognition, retrotranslocation from the ER into the cytosol and ubiquitination, followed by degradation in the proteasome.Abstract Apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB-100) is degraded by endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) when lipid availability limits assembly of VLDLs. The ubiquitin ligase gp78 and the AAA-ATPase p97 have been implicated in the proteasomal degradation of apoB-100. To study the relationship between ERAD and VLDL assembly, we used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to reduce gp78 expression in HepG2 cells. Reduction of gp78 decreased apoB-100 ubiquitination and cytosolic apoB-ubiquitin conjugates. Radiolabeling studies revealed that gp78 knockdown increased secretion of newly synthesized apoB-100 and, unexpectedly, enhanced VLDL assembly, as the shift in apoB-100 density in gp78-reduced cells was accompanied by increased triacylglycerol (TG) secretion. To explore the mechanisms by which gp78 reduction might enhance VLDL assembly, we compared the effects of gp78 knockdown with those of U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase 1/2 inhibitor that enhances apoB-100 secretion in HepG2 cells. U0126 treatment increased secretion of both apoB100 and TG and decreased the ubiquitination and cellular accumulation of apoB-100. Furthermore, p97 knockdown caused apoB-100 to accumulate in the cell, but if gp78 was concomitantly reduced or assembly was enhanced by U0126 treatment, cellular apoB-100 returned toward baseline. This indicates that ubiquitination commits apoB-100 to p97-mediated retr...