New protein in human blood plasma, rich in proline, with lipid-binding properties

A protein that binds to a lecithin-stabilized triglyceride emulsion has been separated from plasma after removal of major lipoprotein classes by ultracentrifugation at density 1.21 g/ml. This protein, rich in proline, has been purified to electrophoretic and immunochemical homogeneity by subsequent gel and ion-exchange chromatography. In native plasma and after purification, it exists as a large particle exceeding 10(6) daltons, but a single component with a molecular weight of about 74,000 is found upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Although the purified protein contains very little bound lipid and is not present in the major lipoprotein classes from post-absorptive individuals, it is present in chylomicrons. Its concentration in plasma varies from 12 to 41 mg/dl and is significantly correlated with that of cholesterol in lipoproteins of very low and low density but not in those of high denisty.