ABSTRACT
AIM To study the effects of poly- N -acetylglucosamine on the metabolism of low density lipoprotein and lipoprotein (a). METHODS Poly- N -acetylglucosamine was injected into the body of hedgehogs viathe armpit vein 2 minutes before the 125 I low density lipoprotein ( 125 I-LDL), 125 I lipoprotein(a) 〔 125 I-Lp(a)〕, 125 I desialylated low density lipoprotein ( 125 I-ds-LDL) or 125 I desialylated lipoprotein(a) 〔 125 I-ds-Lp(a)〕 were injected separatively . The animals were put to death in one hour. The radioactivity in the blood, liver, kidney, spleen, gall and adrenal were measured. RESULTS Absorption of ds-LDL and ds-Lp(a) increased in the liver. Later ds-LDL was reutilized and released into blood, but the majority of ds-Lp(a) was excreted out of the body from liver. It was not eliminated that ds-LDL was metabolized via the LDL receptor for the uptake of ds-LDL also increased in the kidney and the adrenal. It is possible that ds-Lp(a) and the part of ds-LDL may be catabolized via the desialylated lipoprotein-related receptor. Poly- N -acetylglucosamine could increase the absorption of LDL in the liver and the adrenal, meanwhile the concentration of LDL decreased in the blood and the absorption of LDL decreased in the spleen. CONCLUSION Poly- N -acetylglucosamine has the effects of lowering lipids through activating LDL receptor.