Cellular binding site and membrane binding proteins for triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in human monocyte-macrophages and THP-1 monocytic cells.

Triglyceride- and cholesterol-rich foam cells derived from monocyte-macrophages are commonly associated with some forms of hypertriglyceridemia. In this report, direct binding studies at 4 degrees C demonstrate that human monocyte-macrophages (HMM) 1-6 days after isolation from blood and human THP-1 monocytic cells, before and up to 7 days after differentiation with phorbol ester, exhibit a high affinity (Kd 3-6 nM), saturable, specific, and apolipoprotein (apo) E-independent binding site for the uptake and degradation of certain triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TGRLP). Ligand blotting analysis identified two membrane binding proteins (MBP) of apparent molecular weights of 200 and 235 kDa (MBP 200 and MBP 235) in both cell types that share the same ligand specificity as the cellular site and bind hypertriglyceridemic (HTG) VLDL, trypsinized VLDL devoid of apoE (tryp-VLDL), and dietary plasma chylomicrons from normal subjects but not LDL, acetyl LDL, or normal VLDL with high affinity. Neither lipoprotein lipase nor apoE are required for TGRLP binding to the cells or the isolated MBPs. The cellular binding site and the MBPs are expressed at similar levels at all stages of differentiation, unlike the LDL or the acetyl LDL receptor. TGRLP that bind to the MBPs induce rapid, saturable, cellular triglyceride accumulation in monocytes as well as macrophages; normal VLDL does not. In addition, the cellular high affinity binding site and MBP 200 and 235 are not affected by the media sterol content, unlike the LDL receptor. Taken together, these data indicate that human monocyte-macrophages exhibit a high affinity, saturable, specific, apoE- and lipoprotein lipase-independent binding site and membrane binding proteins for TGRLP that differ in expression, specificity, and molecular size from receptors of the LDL receptor gene family or the acetyl LDL receptor. The shared characteristics of the cellular binding site with MBP 200 and MBP 235 suggest that they are candidates for the receptor-mediated, apoE-independent uptake of HTG-VLDL and chylomicrons by monocytes and macrophages and therefore may be involved in foam cell formation.