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The effect of old age on apolipoprotein E and its receptors in rat liver

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Abstract

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is associated with aging and some age-related diseases. The majority of apoE is produced by hepatocytes for the receptor-mediated uptake of lipoproteins. Here, the effects of age on the hepatic expression and distribution of apoE and its receptors were determined using immunofluorescence, Western blots, and quantitative PCR in rat liver tissue and isolated hepatocytes. The expression of apoE mRNA and protein was not influenced significantly by aging. Immunofluorescence studies in isolated hepatocytes showed that apoE was more likely to be co-localized with early endosomes, golgi, and microtubules in isolated old hepatocytes. The mRNA expression of the receptor involved in sequestration of apoE, heparan sulfate proteoglycan was reduced in old age, without any significant effect on the expression of either the low-density lipoprotein receptor or low density-lipoprotein receptor-related protein. Old age is associated with changes in hepatic apoE intracellular trafficking and heparan sulfate proteoglycan expression that might contribute to age-related disease.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge funding from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and the Ageing and Alzheimer’s Research Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Tharani Sabaretnam, Jennifer O’Reilly, Leonard Kritharides & David G. Le Couteur

  2. Department of Cardiology, Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia

    Tharani Sabaretnam & Leonard Kritharides

  3. Centre for Education and Research on Aging (CERA), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Tharani Sabaretnam, Jennifer O’Reilly & David G. Le Couteur

  4. Centre for Vascular Research, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Leonard Kritharides

  5. Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord RG Hospital, Hospital Road, Concord, Sydney, NSW, 2139, Australia

    David G. Le Couteur

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  1. Tharani Sabaretnam
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  2. Jennifer O’Reilly
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  3. Leonard Kritharides
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  4. David G. Le Couteur
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Correspondence to David G. Le Couteur.

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Sabaretnam, T., O’Reilly, J., Kritharides, L. et al. The effect of old age on apolipoprotein E and its receptors in rat liver. AGE 32, 69–77 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-009-9115-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-009-9115-2

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