Abstract
The physiological role of liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) has yet to be clarified. An important feature of this member of the family of intracellular lipid-binding proteins is the wide range of compounds that have been identified as potential physiological ligands. By using recombinant L-FABP, the binding of cholesterol, bile salts and their derivatives has been investigated under conditions that allow a direct comparison of the binding affinities of these ligands for fatty acids. The results demonstrate an inability of L-FABP to bind cholesterol, although the anionic derivative, cholesteryl sulphate, will bind under similar assay conditions. Of the bile salts examined, lithocholate and taurolithocholate sulphate showed the greatest binding to L-FABP. It is proposed that an important function of L-FABP is to bind certain physiological amphipathic anions, thus preventing the "free' concentrations of these compounds from exceeding their critical micelle concentration, which could result in cell damage.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Bile Acids and Salts / metabolism*
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Bile Acids and Salts / pharmacology
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Binding, Competitive
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Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
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Cholesterol / analogs & derivatives
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Cholesterol / metabolism*
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Cholesterol / pharmacology
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Dansyl Compounds / metabolism
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Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7
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Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins
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Fatty Acids / metabolism
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Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism
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Liposomes / metabolism
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Liver
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Models, Molecular
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Myelin P2 Protein / metabolism*
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Neoplasm Proteins*
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Nerve Tissue Proteins*
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Protein Binding
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Rats
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Recombinant Proteins / genetics
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Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
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Spectrometry, Fluorescence
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Sterols / metabolism
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Sterols / pharmacology
Substances
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Bile Acids and Salts
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Carrier Proteins
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Dansyl Compounds
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Fabp1 protein, mouse
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Fabp1 protein, rat
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Fabp7 protein, rat
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Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7
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Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins
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Fatty Acids
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Fluorescent Dyes
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Liposomes
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Myelin P2 Protein
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Neoplasm Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Recombinant Proteins
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Sterols
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11-(dansylamino)undecanoic acid
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Cholesterol