Cholesteryl Ester Accumulation in Rat Hepatoma Tissue Culture Cells

Abstract

Because of the interest in the relationship between cholesteryl ester (CE) accumulation and atherosclerosis, we have attempted to select an easily grown tissue culture cell which accumulates CE when exposed to hyperlipemia rabbit serum (HRS) and then study the mechanism responsible for such accumulation. When the sterol content of hyperlipemic serum grown cells are compared to normal rabbit serum grown cells, all cells exhibited approximately a 60% increase in free cholesterol, and from a 4 to 20 fold increase in esterified sterol. However, L, W-18, HF and numberous other cells which we have examined have an esterified cholesterol to free cholesterol ratio of 1 or less, even when grown in hyperlipemic serum. By comparison, the Fu5AH rat hepatoma cells have an ester to free cholesterol ratio of approximately 3, thus this cell was selected for more detailed studies.