LCAT modulates atherogenic plasma lipoproteins and the extent of atherosclerosis only in the presence of normal LDL receptors in transgenic rabbits

Elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations are independent risk factors for coronary heart disease. We have previously demonstrated that overexpression of an enzyme with a well established role in HDL metabolism, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), in New Zealand White rabbits not only raises HDL-C concentrations but reduces those of LDL-C as well, ultimately preventing diet-induced atherosclerosis. In the present study, the human LCAT gene (hLCAT) was introduced into LDL receptor (LDLr)-deficient (Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic) rabbits to (1) investigate the role of the LDLr pathway in the hLCAT-mediated reductions of LDL-C and (2) determine the influence of hLCAT overexpression on atherosclerosis susceptibility in an animal model of familial hypercholesterolemia. Heterozygosity or homozygosity for the LDLr defect was determined by polymerase chain reaction, and 3 groups of hLCAT-transgenic (hLCAT+) rabbits that differed in LDLr status were established: (1) LDLr wild-type (LDLr+/+), (2) LDLr heterozygotes (LDLr+/-), and (3) LDLr homozygotes (LDLr-/--). Data for hLCAT+ rabbits were compared with those of nontransgenic (hLCAT-) rabbits of the same LDLr status. Plasma HDL-C concentrations were significantly elevated in the hLCAT+ animals of each LDLr status. However, LDL-C levels were significantly reduced only in hLCAT+/LDLr+/+ and hLCAT+/LDLr+/- rabbits but not in hLCAT+/LDLr-/- rabbits (405+/-14 versus 392+/-31 mg/dL), Metabolic studies revealed that the fractional catabolic rate (FCR, d(-1)) of LDL apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 was increased in hLCAT+/LDLr+/+ (26+/-4 versus 5+/-0) and hLCAT+/LDLr+/- (4+/-1 versus 1+/-0) rabbits, whereas the FCR of LDL apoB-100 in both groups of LDLr-/-- rabbits was nearly identical (0.16+/-0.02 versus 0.15+/-0.02). Consistently, neither aortic lipid concentrations nor the extent of aortic atherosclerosis was significantly different between hLCAT+/LDLr-/- and hLCAT-/LDLr-/- rabbits. Significant correlations were observed between the percent of aortic atherosclerosis and both LDL-C (r=0.985) and LDL apoB-100 FCR (-0.745), as well as between LDL-C and LDL apoB-100 FCR (-0.866). These data are the first to establish that LCAT modulates LDL metabolism via the LDLr pathway, ultimately influencing atherosclerosis susceptibility. Moreover, LCAT's antiatherogenic effect requires only a single functional LDLr allele, identifying LCAT as an attractive gene therapy candidate for the majority of dyslipoproteinemic patients.