Isolation and partial characterization of an arginine-rich apolipoprotein from human plasma very-low-density lipoproteins: apolipoprotein E.

A water-insoluble apoprotein was isolated from apo-VLDL by column chromatography on Sephadex G-200 in sodium dodecylsulfate followed by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in a discontinous sodium dodecylsulfate system, or by preparative electrophoresis alone. The protein was similar in amino acid composition to the "arginine-rich protein" reported by Shore and Shore. It represented about 10% of the total protein mass of VLDL. The apoprotein showed one single band with an apparent Mr of 39000 in sodium dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis, and was homogeneous in gel electrophoresis at pH 8.9 In 8M urea. Immunochemical studies also showed homogeneity of this protein, and antisera prepared against it did not react with any other of the well known apolipoproteins, but did react with VLDL and apo-VLDL preparations. Analytical isoelectric focusing in 8M urea resulted in a heterogeneous banding pattern showing three major polypeptides with pI values of 5.5, 5.6 and 5.75. Thus this apolipoprotein clearly differs from the apo-B and apo-C polypeptides of VLDL as well as from apoproteins A and D in its molecular weight, amino acid composition, focusing behavior and immunochemical properties.