Effect of serum lipoproteins on the adenylate cyclase activity of rat liver plasma membranes.

Four rat lipoprotein classes [lymph chylomicrons, VLD (very-low-density), LD (low-density) and HD (high-density) lipoproteins] were tested for their ability to affect basal adenylate cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1) activity of rat liver plasma membranes. All the lipoproteins, with the exception of lymph chylomicrons, effectively increase the enzyme activity. VLD lipoproteins are the most active class (67% maximal increase), followed by HD lipoproteins (33%) and LD lipoproteins (23%). The effect of VLD lipoproteins is additive to that elicited by GTP or GTP plus glucagon (at least within a certain concentration range). VLD lipoproteins affect only the Vmax. of the enzyme, not the Km.