Enhancement of the human plasma lipid transfer protein reaction by apolipoproteins.

Transfer of cholesteryl ester between triacylglycerol/phospholipid microemulsions catalyzed by human plasma lipid transfer protein was investigated with a pyrene-containing analogue of which fluorescent properties depend on its concentration in the core of the microemulsions. The transfer of pyrene-cholesteryl ester between the emulsions was increased by the transfer protein linearly with its concentration, but maximally only to the extent of twice as much as spontaneous transfer in the given experimental conditions. When human apolipoproteins A-I or A-II are present in the reaction mixture enough to saturate the surface of the emulsion, the enhancement of the pyrene-cholesteryl ester transfer reaction by the transfer protein was 7.5-times more than in the absence of the apolipoproteins while the rate of spontaneous transfer was not affected significantly by the apolipoproteins. Bovine serum albumin did not have such an effect. Furthermore, the enhancement of the lipid transfer protein reaction by apolipoprotein A-I was linearly proportional to the percent saturation of the surface of the microemulsion with the apolipoprotein.