Intestinal lymph and plasma lipoproteins in the preruminant calf: partial resolution of particle heterogeneity in the 1.040-1.090 g/ml interval.

Our previous studies in the preruminant calf have provided evidence for the heterogeneity of lipoprotein particles in the 1.040-1.090 g/ml density interval in both plasma and postprandial intestinal lymph (Bauchart, D. et al., 1989. J. Lipid Res. 30: 1499-1514; and Laplaud, P. M. et al., 1990. J. Lipid Res. 31: 1781-1792). We therefore attempted to resolve this heterogeneity by use of heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography. Experiments were performed on three calves; portal vein plasma and intestinal lymph were obtained simultaneously 10 h after a meal, i.e., at peak lipid absorption. In both fluids, the chromatographic profile presented three fractions, I, II, and III. Fraction I was characterized by the presence of cholesteryl ester-rich particles (approximately 35-37% of lipoprotein mass), which migrated electrophoretically as typical high density lipoproteins and exhibited Stokes diameters in the 130-160 A range; apoA-I was the predominant protein. In addition to this polypeptide, fraction II contained small amounts of a supplementary protein (Mr approximately 51,000), exhibiting heparin-binding properties. In the light of results reported in the literature, we suggest that this latter protein could correspond to beta 2 glycoprotein I. The chemical composition of each fraction II closely resembled that of the corresponding fraction I, while their electrophoretic migrations appeared slightly slower and their Stokes diameters slightly larger (155-165 A). Apart from the presence of small amounts of apoA-I, two high Mr proteins (Mr approx. 560,000 and 300,000) were typical of the apolipoprotein moiety of fractions III. The lower Mr form was present as a trace component only in fraction III originating from plasma; its proportion increased in lymph fraction III so as to approximately match that of the higher Mr (i.e., 560,000) protein. In both plasma and lymph, fraction III was electrophoretically heterogeneous, exhibiting a doublet of bands with migration and Stokes diameters (250 A) typical of low density lipoprotein particles. However, no evidence for the presence of a particle resembling lipoprotein[a] in fraction III could be obtained. In lymph only, fraction III contained a supplementary population of lipoproteins with migration intermediary between those of conventional low and high density lipoproteins and with Stokes diameters in the 190-200 A range. Other specific features of lymph fraction III included a sevenfold increase in its triglyceride content (8.5 +/- 3.4% vs. 1.2 +/- 1.1% in the corresponding fraction from plasma), to the detriment of cholesteryl esters, and a higher proportion of protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)