ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to determine whether mouse serum amyloid A (SAA) 2.1 exerts these effects on a human derived monocytic cell line, THP-1. THP-1 macrophages, cholesterol loaded with red blood cell membrane fragments and then exposed to liposomes containing individual peptides that span the entire length of mouse SAA2.1. Experiments were also carried out to identify the domains in SAA2.1 that are responsible for enhancing cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) activity in J774 cells that had been pre-loaded and radio-labeled with cholesteryl esters. The chapter also determine the domains of SAA2.1 that are responsible for its inhibitory effect on macrophage cholesterol acyl transferase activity, its promotion of CEH activity and the enhancement of cholesterol efflux from cholesterol-laden macrophages. For the purpose of pool equilibration of the added cholesterol, cell cultures were rinsed twice with PBS-BSA and incubated overnight in RPMI containing 5% LPDS.
