High-density lipoprotein metabolism in the kidney.

Abstract

The kidney is believed to play a major role in the clearance and re-absorption of high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles from the blood. Experiments were undertaken to explore the specific sites of renal HDL metabolism in vivo and to investigate in vitro the factors that regulate the renal re-absorption of HDL by HKC-8 human proximal tubule (PT) cells. Perfusion of a rabbit renal artery with [3H]cholesteryl ester (CE) and 125I-protein labeled HDL particles showed that the kidneys are capable of filtering both apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and whole HDL. A fluorescent microscopic study with the HKC-8 cells showed that the PT cells can bind and take up HDL particles. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)