Lipoprotein lipase activity in cultured macrophage cell line J774(2) and its increase in variants deficient in adenylate cyclase and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

Three macrophage cell lines, J774(2), CT2 and J7H1 were compared with respect to synthesis and secretion of lipoprotein lipase. The enzyme activity measured was characterized as lipoprotein lipase on the basis of serum dependence and inhibition by 1 M NaCl. Enzyme activity in all three lines increased with time in culture and the highest activity was found in the medium of the CT2 line which is adenylate cyclase deficient while that in the J7H1 line, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase deficient, was intermediate. The half life of the enzyme activity in conditioned medium from all three lines was 30-40 min, suggesting that the different levels of activity observed do represent different levels of enzyme production by the cells. About 80% of the lipoprotein lipase activity from all three lines was present in the medium and 50-70% of cellular activity could be released into the medium by a 3-min exposure to heparin. In addition, 24 h incubation with heparin enhanced enzyme secretion in all three lines. To determine the role of cyclic AMP in the regulation of lipoprotein lipase activity use was made of dibutyryl cAMP, methyl isobutylxanthine (IBMX) and cholera toxin. These agents strikingly depressed lipoprotein lipase activity in the J774(2) line but only dibutyryl cAMP was active in the CT2 line (adenylate cyclase deficient). In the J7H1 (protein kinase deficient) line there was no response to dibutyryl cAMP or IBMX over the first 4 h of incubation. Addition of these agents did not affect total cell protein synthesis. The present findings indicate that in the intact cells changes in cyclic AMP levels are associated with a change in the activity of lipoprotein lipase.