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Plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is primarily cleared by LDL receptor (LDLR). LDLR can be proteolytically cleaved to release its soluble ectodomain (sLDLR) into extracellular milieu. However, the proteinase responsible for LDLR cleavage is unknown. Here we report that membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) co-immunoprecipitates and co-localizes with LDLR and promotes LDLR cleavage. Plasma sLDLR and cholesterol levels are reduced while hepatic LDLR is increased in mice lacking hepatic MT1-MMP. Opposite effects are observed when MT1-MMP is overexpressed. MT1-MMP overexpression significantly increases atherosclerotic lesions, while MT1-MMP knockdown significantly reduces cholesteryl ester accumulation in the aortas of apolipoprotein E (apoE) knockout mice. Furthermore, sLDLR is associated with apoB and apoE-containing lipoproteins in mouse and human plasma. Plasma levels of sLDLR are significantly increased in subjects with high plasma LDL cholesterol levels. Thus, we demonstrate that MT1-MMP promotes ectodomain shedding of hepatic LDLR, thereby regulating plasma cholesterol levels and the development of atherosclerosis.

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Objective-ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) mediates cholesterol efflux to lipidated lipoproteins. Conflicting data about cellular localization of ABCG1 and its effect on cholesterol efflux have been reported. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanisms for these different observations. Approach and Results-Confocal microscopy and biotinylation were used to assess cell surface localization of ABCG1. We found that mouse ABCG1 (mABCG1) used in one previous study has a substitution of Leu to Pro at position 550 (mG1-L550P). When the corresponding Leu at position 562 in human ABCG1 (hABCG1) was mutated to Pro (hG1-L562P), the mutant hABCG1, like mG1-L550P, mainly resided intracellularly, whereas wild-type mABCG1 and hABCG1 were localized on the plasma membrane. However, replacement of this Leu with Pro had no significant effect on mABCG1-and hABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Conclusions-Leu at position 550/562 in mABCG1/hABCG1 is critical for their plasma membrane localization but not for ABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Our findings indicate that the substitution of Leu to Pro at position 550 in mABCG1 may contribute to the non-cell surface localization of mABCG1 observed in the previous study.