Very low density lipoprotein. Dissociation of apolipoprotein C during lipoprotein lipase induced lipolysis.

The fate of apo C in rat plasma very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) during lipolysis was studied using VLDL labeled specifically with 125I-labeled apo C and purified bovine milk lipoprotein lipase. Incubations were carried out in vitro and included serum-containing systems and albumin containing systems. Free fatty acids generation proceeded with time of incubation in the two systems. It, however, was enhanced 1.5--2 fold by the presence of serum. 125I-labeled apo C equilibrated between very low and high density lipoprotein (HDL) in both systems even when enzyme was not present in the incubation medium, or when the incubation was carried out at 0 degrees C. Upon initiation of lipolysis, more 125I-labeled apo C was transferred to HDL and the transfer was proportional to the magnitude of free fatty acids release. 125I-labeled apo C was also progressively removed from VLDL in the albumin-containing system, although no known lipoprotein acceptor to apo C was present in the medium. The 125I-labeled apo C was recovered predominantly with the medium fraction of d greater than 1.21 g/ml (60--70%), and to a lesser degree with that of d= 1.019--1.21 g/ml. However, the relationship between lipolysis (measured as free fatty acids release) and removal of 125I-labeled apo C from VLDL were indistinguinshable in the albumin containing system and the serum containing system. On the basis of these observations, it is postulated that the removal of apo C during lipolysis of VLDL reflects the nature of the partially degraded VLDL particles, and is independent of the presence of a lipoprotein acceptor to apo C.