Effect of biliary diversion on rat mesenteric lymph apolipoprotein-I and high density lipoprotein

The effect of biliary diversion on intestinal apolipoprotein (apoA)-I and high density lipoprotein formation was studied in mesenteric lymph fistula rats. Bile diversion was produced by an exteriorized catheter that allowed interruption and reconstitution of the enterohepatic circulation. Bile diversion reduced lymph cholesterol output from 0.47+/-0.05 mumol/h to 0.17+/-0.03 mumol/h (P < 0.025), and lymph triglyceride output from 3.6+/-0.3mumol/h to 0.6+/-0.05 mumol/h (P < 0.025) after 24 h. This was due to depletion of lymph chylomicrons and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). Despite the reduced lipid outputs, lymph apoA-I output was maintained during biliary diversion (basal: 119+/-15 mug/h; diverted 140+/-20 mug/h, n = 12). During biliary diversion, high density lipoprotein (HDL) were maintained in mesenteric lymph as shown by lipoprotein and immunoelectrophoresis. Bile diversion altered the lipid composition of lymph HDL. Bile-diverted lymph HDL was depleted in total cholesterol and has a greater phospholipid/cholesterol ester ratio than basal lymph HDL. Lymph HDL contained discoidal particles when examined by negative stain electron microscopy. Bile diversion was associated with a reduction in the size of discoidal HDL particles (basal, nondiverted, 165+/-7A (n = 112) compared with diverted 126+/-5A (n = 98, P < 0.025). Experiments were then carried out to determine the source of the apoA-I and HDL found in lymph from bile-diverted animals. The transfer of HDL from plasma into lymph was determined by the intravenous infusion of (125)I-apoA-I labeled HDL into lymph fistula rats. In both nonbile-diverted and diverted rats, the specific activity of apoA-I in the HDL fraction of lymph was 23% of the specific activity of apoA-I in plasma HDL, indicating that the major portion (75%) of mesenteric lymph apoA-I did not come from plasma filtration. In other experiments the intraduodenal infusion of [(3)H]leucine to bile fistula, lymph fistula rats resulted in relative fivefold increase in the specific activity in apoA-I in lymph HDL when compared with the specific activity of apoA-I in plasma HDL from the same animal. We conclude that intestinal apoA-I secretion is maintained during biliary diversion and that synthesis of this apoprotein occurs in the absence of chylomicron formation. We also conclude that discoidal HDL are present in mesenteric lymph despite reduced triglyceride absorption and secretion into lymph.