Endotoxin and interleukin-1 decrease hepatic lipase mRNA levels.

The acute phase response induces a multitude of changes in lipoprotein metabolism including hypertriglyceridemia, triglyceride enriched LDL, and decreased HDL levels accompanied by changes in HDL composition including increased free cholesterol and triglycerides and a decrease in esterified cholesterol. Here we demonstrate that endotoxin (LPS) induces a 56% decrease in hepatic lipase activity in liver and a 45% decrease in hepatic lipase activity in post heparin plasma in Syrian hamsters. LPS treatment also produces a marked decrease in hepatic lipase mRNA levels in the liver. Half maximal reduction in hepatic lipase mRNA levels occurred at approximately 0.2 microg LPS/100 g BW with a maximal decrease at 1.0 microg/100 g BW ( > 90% decrease), indicating that inhibition of hepatic lipase is a sensitive host response to LPS. Additionally, IL-1 produced a marked decrease in hepatic lipase mRNA levels while TNF had no effect. Moreover, IL-1 treatment of HepG2 cells in vitro also decreased hepatic lipase mRNA levels suggesting that IL-1 can directly regulate hepatic lipase expression in liver cells. LPS decreased hepatic lipase mRNA levels in control as well as IL-1 type 1 receptor deficient mice indicating that IL-1 action is not absolutely essential and that several cytokines and/or small molecular mediators can regulate hepatic lipase during the acute phase response. The LPS and IL-1 induced decrease in hepatic lipase could have several consequences including decreasing the clearance of triglyceride rich lipoprotein particles and producing an increase in triglyceride rich HDL. The decrease in hepatic lipase activity and mRNA levels may be part of a series of coordinated changes in lipoprotein metabolism that occur during the acute phase response. These changes may be initially beneficial to the host but if present for an extended period may be proatherogenic.