Update on the Role of Endothelial Lipase in High-Density Lipoprotein Metabolism, Reverse Cholesterol Transport, and Atherosclerosis

Abstract

Endothelial lipase (EL) is a phospholipase that belongs to the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) family, which includes LPL and hepatic lipase (HL). Similar to LPL and HL, EL regulates lipoprotein metabolism, mainly high-density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in humans and mice. Existing data strongly suggest that inhibition of EL in humans would be expected to increase the HDL-C level. However, it has not been definitively established whether the effect of EL activity on HDL-C levels translates into effects on reverse cholesterol transport or atherosclerosis. The available data regarding the impact of EL expression and activity on HDL metabolism, reverse cholesterol transport, and atherosclerosis are reviewed. (Circ J 2010; 74: 2263 - 2270

The Impact of Partial and Complete Loss-of-Function Mutations in Endothelial Lipase on High-Density Lipoprotein Levels and Functionality in Humans

“…Plasma EL concentrations are significantly increased in a cohort with metabolic syndrome and subclinical coronary heart disease, 24 as well as in cultured endothelial cells in response to proinflammatory cytokines and in humans during acute inflammation, 25 suggesting a correlation between EL levels and the development of atherosclerosis. However, EL enhances the selective uptake of HDL-C, although it is a scavenger receptor class B member 1-mediated pathway, 26 suggesting an atheroprotective role.…”

Proprotein convertase furin/PCSK3 and atherosclerosis: New insights and potential therapeutic targets

“…Several triglyceride lipases, such as EL and LPL, are responsible for the plasma lipoprotein metabolism. LPL is almost exclusively a triglyceridase, whereas EL possesses high phospholipase, but very little triglyceridase, activity [14]. Both EL and LPL are cleaved by furin-like PCs at a conserved recognition motif (RXKR).…”

Emerging Approaches for the Treatment of Fat Malabsorption Due to Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

“…Mature endothelial lipase is a 68 kDa glycoprotein with five potential N-linked glycosylation sites (Yasuda & al., 2010). It has 44% primary sequence homology with lipoprotein lipase, 41% with hepatic lipase and 27% with pancreatic lipase (Choi & al., 2002).…”