Uptake of acetylated LDL by peritoneal macrophages obtained from normal and Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits, an animal model for familial hypercholesterolemia.

Acetylated low-density lipoprotein (acetyl-LDL) stimulated the incorporation of [14C]oleate into cholesteryl [14C]oleate in peritoneal macrophages from both normal and Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits. A degradation study showed that macrophages from WHHL rabbits degraded the same amount of 125I-labeled acetyl-LDL as macrophages from normal rabbits. These findings indicate that macrophages of WHHL rabbits have functional acetyl-LDL receptors.