High density lipoprotein promotes nascent apolipoprotein A-V secretion from mRNA transfected cells

Despite its exceptionally low circulating concentration, apolipoprotein (apo) A-V is a potent modulator of plasma triacylglycerol levels. The secretion efficiency of nascent apoA-V was investigated in cultured cells transfected with mRNA. Following transfection of HepG2 cells with wild type apoA-V mRNA, apoA-V protein was detectable in cell lysates by 6 h. At 24 h post transfection, evidence of apoA-V secretion into media was obtained, although most apoA-V was recovered in the cell lysate fraction. By contrast, apoA-I was efficiently secreted into the culture medium. A positive correlation between culture medium fetal bovine serum content and the percentage of apoA-V recovered in conditioned media was observed. When transfected cells were cultured in serum-free media supplemented with increasing amounts of high density lipoprotein, a positive correlation with apoA-V secretion was observed. The data indicate that, following signal sequence cleavage, the bulk of nascent apoA-V remains cell associated. Transit of nascent apoA-V out of cultured cells is enhanced by the availability of extracellular lipid particle acceptors.