Characterisation of the LDL receptor in Epstein-Barr virus transformed lymphocytes
article
Non-dividing human lymphocytes were transformed upon infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) into lymphoblasts which are capable of continuous growth in culture. We studied the properties of the LDL receptor in EBV-transformed human lymphocytes (EBV-L) by binding experiments and by ligand blotting. EBV-L show a high affinity binding of LDL in the same order of magnitude as found with fibroblasts; EBV-L obtained from a homozygous familial hypercholesterolemic (FH) patient fail to express LDL receptor activity. Similar to that of fibroblasts, the LDL receptor activity in EBV-L is Ca2+-dependent and is down-regulated by the presence of an exogenous source of cholesterol in the medium. The LDL receptor protein of EBV-L has an apparent molecular weight of 130,000. since our results show that EBV-L display a LDL receptor protein similar to the LDL receptor present in fibroblasts, we conclude that in comparison with other cell types the EBV-L offer a suitable model system to investigate LDL receptor protein abnormalities in FH patients.
Topics
TNO Identifier
231162
ISSN
00052760
Source
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Lipids and Lipid Metabolism, 1044(1), pp. 127-132.
Pages
127-132
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