Apolipoprotein CI enhances the biological response to LPS via the CD14/TLR4 pathway by LPS-binding elements in both its N- and C-terminal helix

article
Timely sensing of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is critical for the host to fight invading Gram-negative bacteria. We recently showed that apolipoprotein CI (apoCI) (apoCI<sub>1-57</sub>) avidly binds to LPS, involving an LPS-binding motif (apoCI<sub>48-54</sub>), and thereby enhances the LPS-induced inflammatory response. Our current aim was to further elucidate the structure and function relationship of apoCI with respect to its LPS-modulating characteristics and to unravel the mechanism by which apoCI enhances the biological activity of LPS. We designed and generated N- and C-terminal apoCI-derived peptides containing varying numbers of alternating cationic/hydrophobic motifs. ApoCI <sub>1-38</sub>, apoCI<sub>1-30</sub>, and apoCI<sub>35-57</sub> were able to bind LPS, whereas apoCI<sub>1-23</sub> and apoCI<sub>46-57</sub> did not bind LPS. In line with their LPS-binding characteristics, apoCI<sub>1-38</sub>, apoCI<sub>1-30</sub>, and apoCI<sub>35-57</sub> prolonged the serum residence of <sup>125</sup>I-LPS by reducing its association with the liver. Accordingly, both apoCI<sub>1-30</sub> and apoCI<sub>35-57</sub> enhanced the LPS-induced TNFα response in vitro (RAW 264.7 macrophages) and in vivo (C57Bl/6 mice). Additional in vitro studies showed that the stimulating effect of apoCI on the LPS response resembles that of LPSbinding protein (LBP) and depends on CD14/ Toll-like receptor 4 signaling.<sup>jlr</sup> We conclude that apoCI contains structural elements in both its N-terminal and C-terminal helix to bind LPS and to enhance the proinflammatory response toward LPS via a mechanism similar to LBP. Copyright © 2010 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
TNO Identifier
364397
ISSN
00222275
Source
Journal of Lipid Research, 51(7), pp. 1943-1952.
Pages
1943-1952