LIPID TRANSPORT
& STORAGE
Abdul Salam M. Sofro
Faculty of Medicine
YARSI University
Learning objectives
By the end of lectures, the students
are expected to:
Understand lipid transport in the body
(or the blood plasma)
Recognize various lipoprotein and the
role of liver in lipid transport and
metabolism
Understand lipid storage for energy
reserve
Lipid are insoluble in water
How to transport in the blood
plasma?
Solved by associating non-polar
lipid (TAG & cholesteryl ester)
with amphipathic lipids
(phospholipids & cholesterol) and
protein to make water-miscible
lipoprotein
Four major lipid classes are
present in lipoprotein
Triacylglycerol (TAG)
Phospholipids
Cholesterol
Cholesteryl ester
Another plasma lipid: Free Fatty Acids (FFA)
only 5% of the total FA present in the plasma
and the most metabolically active plasma lipid
Sites of action of the phospholipases A1, A2, C and D.
Phospholipid Structures
Phosphatidylcholine (PC)
Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)
Phosphatidylserine (PS)
Cont.
Chylomicron derived from intestinal
absorption of TAG
Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL of pre-lipoproteins) derived from the liver for
export of TAG
Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL or lipoproteins) representing the final stage
in the catabolism of VLDL
High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) or lipoproteins) involved in VLDL &
chylomicron metabolism and also in
cholesterol transport
Function of lipoproteins
Chylomicrons
Transport triacylglycerols from intestines
to other tissue except kidneys
VLDL
Bind triacylglycerols in liver and carry
them to fat tissue
LDL
Carry cholesterol to peripheral tissues
HDL
Bound to plasma cholesterol. Transport
cholesterol to liver
Composition of lipoproteins in human
plasma
Fraction
Source
Chylomicro
ns
Chylomicro
n
remnants
VLDL
IDL
LDL
Intestine
Chylomicrons
1-2
6-8
98-99
92-94
88
80
Liver
(intestine)
VLDL
VLDL
7-10
11
21
90-93
89
79
56
29
13
32
33
57
70
68
67
43
30
2
16
13
-
HDL1
HDL2
HDL3
Pre--HDL
Liver &
intestine
VLDL
Chylomicrons
Protein Total lipid
(%)
(%)
TAG
(%)
Protein moiety of a lipoprotein
is known as apolipoprotein or
apoprotein
One or more apolipoproteins are
present in each lipoprotein:
Apo A is major apoprotein of HDL
Apo B is major apoprotein of LDL (Apo B100), but is found also in VLDL (Apo B100) & chylomicrons (Apo B-48)
Apo C-I, C-II & C-III are smaller
polypeptides freely transferable between
several different lipoproteins
Apo E (arginine rich) are present in VLDL
& HDL
Apolipoproteins of human plasma
lipoproteins
Apolipoprotein
s
Lipoproteins
Molecular
Mass (Da)
Apo A-I
HDL, Chylomicrons
28,000
Apo A-II
HDL, Chylomicrons
17,000
Apo A-IV
Secreted with chyomicrons
but
Transfer to HDL
46,000
Apo B-100
LDL, VLDL, IDL
550,000
Apo B-48
Chyloicrons, chylomicron
remnants
260,000
Apo C-I
VLDL, HDL, chylomicrons
7,6000
Apo C-II
VLDL, HDL, chylomicrons
8,916
Apo C-III
VLDL, HDL, chylomicrons
8,750
Apo D
Subfraction of HDL
19,300
Apo E
VLDL, IDL, HDL,
34,000
Note:
FFAs in the plasma arise from
lipolysis of TAG in adipose tissue or
as a result of the action of
lipoprotein lipase during uptake of
plasma TAG into tissues. They found
in combination with albumin, rapidly
metabolized to form energy or
esterified, the level may arise in
uncontrolled DM
TAG is transported from the intestines in
chylomicrons and from the liver in
VLDL.
Chylomicrons are found in chyle formed
by the lymphatic system draining the
intestine and responsible for the transport
of all dietary lipids into the circulation.
Smaller & denser particles having the
physical characteristics of VLDL are also
to be found in chyle. Their formation
occurs even in the fasting state, their
lipids originating mainly from bile &
intestinal secretion
Chylomicrons & VLDL are rapidly
metabolized. Larger particles are
catabolized more quickly than smaller
ones.
Liver does not metabolize native
chylomicrons or VLDL significantly
TAG of chylomicrons & VLDL are
hydrolyzed by lipoprotein lipase
located on the walls of blood
capillaries
The action of lipoprotein lipase
(results in the loss of approx. 90% of
TAG of chylomicron & the loss of Apo
C) forms remnant lipoproteins or
chylomicron remnant.
Liver is responsible for the uptake of
remnant lipoproteins, mediated by a
receptor specific for Apo E.
LDL is metabolized via the LDL
receptor
HDL takes part in both lipoprotein
TAG & cholesterol metabolism
Liver plays a central role in lipid
transport & metabolism:
Facilitate digestion & absorption of
lipids by the production of bile
It has active enzyme systems for
synthesizing & oxidizing FA aand
synthetizing TAGs & phospholipids
It converts FA to ketone bodies
(ketogenesis)
It plays an integral part in the
synthesis & metabolism of plasma
lipoprotein.
Clinical aspects & others
Imbalance in the rate of TAG formation
& export causes fatty liver when
accumulation of lipid in the liver
becomes chronic, fibrotic changes occur
in the cell that progress to cirrhosis &
impaired liver function.
Ethanol also causes fatty liver.
Adipose tissue is the main store of TAG
in the body.
Lipolysis is controlled by hormonesensitive lipase
Increased glucose metabolism reduces the
output of FFA
Insulin reduces the output of FFA fall in
circulating plasma FFA.
Several hormones promote lipolysis:
Glucocorticoids
Thyroid hormones
Catecholamines
Brown adipose tissue promotes
thermogenesis.
