Lipolytic activity of whole isolated liver cells in aqueous suspension

1. Liver contains a lipase which catalyzes in vitro the hydrolysis of esters of short-chain normal primary alcohols and fatty acids. It is shown that this enzymatic activity can be measured by using intact liver cells as source of enzyme. During short-term incubations of suspensions of cells isolated from rat liver, the lipase acts as a membrane-bound enzyme and readily attacks [3H] oleoylethanol added as an emulsion into the bathing medium. The lipolytic reaction proceeds linearly for at least 20 min at 37 degrees C, at the pH optimum of 8.5. [3H] Oleic acid, a reaction product, is mostly retained in the medium and is used to monitor the lipolytic process. 2. In the presence of heparin, the bound lipase is released in the medium in amounts representing one-third to one half the total activity contained in the cells. This release is very rapid and associated in all cases with a concomitant release of lactate dehydrogenase activity. Such effects are consistent with the interpretation that heparin, at concentrations comprised between 10 and 100 mug per ml, causes alterations of the plasma membrane of the isolated cells, resulting in the dispersion of membrane-bound and cytoplasmtic material. This action of heparin is totally blocked by protamine sulfate (1 mg/ml). No specific effect of heparin directed towards the selective release of lipase could be demonstrated under these conditions. 3. During incubations in the presence of heparin, it was observed that the release of monoester lipase was quantitatively related to a simultaneous decrease in membrane-bound as well as in total monoester lipase activity measureable in the cells after homogenization. This, along with the reappearance of membrane-bound activity immediately after heparin withdrawal, suggest that under the experimental conditions, the membrane-bound enzyme is replaced from inside the cell in proportion of its release by heparin.