Kinetics of rac-1-oleyl-2-[4-(3-pyrenyl)butanoyl]glycerol transfer between high density lipoproteins

The mechanism of transfer of diglyceride between high density lipoproteins (HDL) was investigated with a pyrene-containing analogue whose fluorescent properties depend on the microscopic concentration in the lipoprotein. Transfer rates were first order, rapid (3.5s-1), and invariant over a 100-fold range of HDL concentration and over a 10-fold range of rac-1-oleyl-2-[4-(3-pyrenyl)butanoyl]glycerol concentrations. Similar behavior of the probe was observed with HDL3, although the rate was 40% slower. These results support a mechanism in which rate-limiting dissociation of the diglyceride analogue from one HDL particle into the aqueous phase precedes rapid diffusion and subsequent uptake by another such particle.