Furin is the primary in vivo convertase of angiopoietin-like 3 and endothelial lipase in hepatocytes

Abstract

Background: Proprotein convertases (PCs) activate overexpressed endothelial lipase (EL) inhibitor angiopoietin-like-3 (ANGPTL3) and inactivate EL. Results: In PC knock-out-mice, analysis of primary hepatocytes and circulating ANGPTL3 and EL fragments revealed that furin is their primary convertase. Conclusion: However, the lack of hepatocyte furin had no major impact on HDL-cholesterol or EL phospholipase activity. Significance: Inhibition/silencing of furin in hepatocytes would not affect lipid profiles. © 2013 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.