Both the polysaccharide and lipid A parts of endotoxins are needed for the inhibitory effects of endotoxins on cellular LDL uptake.

We previously reported that endotoxins inhibit low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake and degradation in Hep G2 cells. In the present study, we tried to elucidate which part(s) of the endotoxin molecules contribute(s) to the inhibitory effect of endotoxins on LDL uptake and degradation. The results show that the endotoxin isolated from Salmonella minnesota Re595 (Re mutant), which lacks polysaccharide, had no effect on the uptake and degradation of 125I-labelled LDL in Hep G2 cells. This mutant form also decreased the inhibitory effects of endotoxins which have complete polysaccharides on cellular LDL uptake and degradation. However, the polysaccharide part of endotoxins by itself had no effect on LDL catabolism by the cells. This suggests that both the polysaccharide and the lipid A parts of endotoxins are needed for the inhibitory effects of endotoxins on LDL uptake and degradation.