Hepatic scavenger receptor BI promotes rapid clearance of high density lipoprotein free cholesterol and its transport into bile.

The clearance of free cholesterol from plasma lipoproteins by tissues is of major quantitative importance, but it is not known whether this is passive or receptor-mediated. Based on our finding that scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) promotes free cholesterol (FC) exchange between high density lipoprotein (HDL) and cells, we tested whether SR-BI would effect FC movement in vivo using [(14)C]FC- and [(3)H]cholesteryl ester (CE)-labeled HDL in mice with increased (SR-BI transgenic (Tg)) or decreased (SR-BI attenuated (att)) hepatic SR-BI expression. The initial clearance of HDL FC was increased in SR-BI Tg mice by 72% and decreased in SR-BI att mice by 53%, but was unchanged in apoA-I knockout mice compared with wild-type mice. Transfer of FC to non-HDL and esterification of FC were minor and could not explain differences. The hepatic uptake of FC was increased in SR-BI Tg mice by 34% and decreased in SR-BI att mice by 22%. CE clearance and uptake gave similar results, but with much slower rates. The uptake of HDL FC and CE by SR-BI Tg primary hepatocytes was increased by 2.2- and 2.6-fold (1-h incubation), respectively, compared with control hepatocytes. In SR-BI Tg mice, the initial biliary secretion of [(14)C]FC was markedly increased, whereas increased [(3)H]FC appeared after a slight delay. Thus, in the mouse, a major portion of the clearance of HDL FC from plasma is mediated by SR-BI.