Vitamin E reduces cholesterol esterification and uptake of acetylated low density lipoprotein in macrophages.

The effects of vitamin E on cholesteryl ester (CE) metabolism in J774 cells were examined. Pretreatment of J774 cells with vitamin E at concentrations above 50 microM significantly decreased acetylated low density lipoprotein (LDL)-induced incorporation of [14C]oleate into CE in cells in a dose-dependent manner. This was partly due to vitamin E also significantly inhibiting the uptake of [3H]CE-labeled acetylated LDL by J774 cells. A trend existed toward suppression of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity in the cell lysate at high vitamin E concentration, but there was no effect on hydrolysis of CE. These data indicate that vitamin E reduces the uptake of modified LDL and suppresses ACAT activity, resulting in less cholesterol esterification in macrophages: a novel mechanism underlying the antiatherogenic properties of vitamin E.