The mechanisms by which insulin and catecholamines affect low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-receptor activity were studied in freshly isolated human mononuclear leukocytes. Incubation of cells for up to 24 h in a lipid-free medium resulted in an increase in the specific binding, accumulation, and degradation of 125I-labeled LDL. Insulin stimulated the ability of the cells to bind, accumulate, and degrade the lipoprotein with high affinity, which may be caused by an increase in the LDL-receptor number without altering binding affinity. (-)-Epinephrine inhibited the specific binding, accumulation, and degradation of 125I-LDL. This effect appears to be mediated by a decrease in the number of LDL receptors and not by a change in the binding affinity. (-)-Norepinephrine, the unspecific beta-adrenergic agonist (-)-isoproterenol, and the beta 2-specific agonist terbutaline mimicked the effect of epinephrine on LDL-receptor activity. Catecholamines and beta-adrenergic agonists yielded sigmoidal log-concentration effect curves. The action of epinephrine was attenuated by the beta-antagonist (dl)-propranolol. These results demonstrate that insulin stimulates and catecholamines suppress the specific binding, accumulation, and degradation of 125I-LDL in human mononuclear leukocytes. The catecholamine action appears to be mediated by beta 2-adrenergic receptors. A suppression of LDL-receptor activity resulting from deficiency of insulin and elevated plasma catecholamine concentrations in uncontrolled insulin-dependent diabetic patients may contribute to the increased levels of LDL cholesterol observed in these patients.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Krone et al. (1988) studied this question.