Studies on the effect of concanavalin A on the metabolism of low density lipoproteins in skin fibroblasts.

Concanavalin A bound to the cell surface decreased the binding and internalization of low density lipoproteins (LDL) to human skin fibroblasts. However, concanavalin A failed to inhibit the degradation of preinternalized LDL. Concanavalin A inhibited the activation of acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase by LDL. These results strongly suggest that concanavalin A inhibits the metabolism of LDL in human skin fibroblasts by affecting the receptor binding and internalization of LDL.