Regulation of plasma lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase. II. Activation during alimentary lipemia.

The effect of dietary fat on plasma lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity has been investigated in 14 normal male subjects. After determination of postabsorptive lipid and LCAT levels, a high-fat liquid test meal (1 to 2 gm./kg. body weight) was fed, followed by lipid and LCAT determinations at 2.5 hour intervals. Plasma triglycerides were elevated by 2.5 hours, peaked at 5.0 hours, fell at 7.5 hours, and were normalized by 10 hours. LCAT was unchanged at 2.5 hours but was elevated by 5.0 hours, exhibiting a broad plateau through 10 hours. Most subjects manifested peak responses at 7.5 hours. The mean maximal increase in individual subjects was 37.2 +/- 13.3 (S.D.) percent. LCAT changes similarly followed the elevation and recession of chylomicrons (Sf greater than 400) and very-low-density lipoprotein triglycerides, both of which closely paralleled plasma triglycerides. Enzyme responses were proportional to percentage elevations of plasma triglycerides (r = 0.93, p less than 0.01) and related to quantity of fat in the test diet. Three subjects who ingested the test diet devoid of the fat component showed no significant change in enzyme activity. Enzyme progress curves revealed linearity for 3 hours for both postabsorptive and lipemic (7.5 hour) plasma from the same subjects, supporting the validity of the assay as a measure of enzyme rate. These studies demonstrate an increase in cholesterol esterifying activity temporally related to the clearance of alimentary particles, suggesting a physiologic role in the clearance process.