CD36 is not involved in scavenger receptor-mediated endocytic uptake of glycolaldehyde- and methylglyoxal-modified proteins by liver endothelial cells.

Circulating proteins modified by advanced glycation end-products (AGE) are mainly taken up by liver endothelial cells (LECs) via scavenger receptor-mediated endocytosis. Endocytic uptake of chemically modified proteins by macrophages and macrophage-derived cells is mediated by class A scavenger receptor (SR-A) and CD36. In a previous study using SR-A knockout mice, we demonstrated that SR-A is not involved in endocytic uptake of AGE proteins by LECs [Matsumoto et al. (2000) Biochem. J. 352, 233-240]. The present study was conducted to determine the contribution of CD36 to this process. Glycolaldehyde-modified BSA (GA-BSA) and methylglyoxal-modified BSA (MG-BSA) were used as AGE proteins. 125I-GA-BSA and 125I-MG-BSA underwent endocytic degradation by these cells at 37 degrees C, and this process was inhibited by several ligands for the scavenger receptors. However, this endocytic uptake of 125I-GA-BSA by LECs was not inhibited by a neutralizing anti-CD36 antibody. Similarly, hepatic uptake of (111)In-GA-BSA after its intravenous injection was not significantly attenuated by co-administration of the anti-CD36 antibody. These results clarify that CD36 does not play a significant role in elimination of GA-BSA and MG-BSA from the circulation, suggesting that the receptor involved in endocytic uptake of circulating AGE proteins by LEC is not SR-A or CD36.