Submitted on March 18, 2008
Revised on May 13, 2008
Accepted on June 3, 2008
Kinetic imaging of NPC1L1 and sterol trafficking between plasma membrane and recycling endosomes in hepatoma cells
Nicole Hartwig Petersen, Nils J. Færgeman, Liqing Yu, and Daniel Wüstner
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Fyn DK-5230
Corresponding Author: wuestner{at}bmb.sdu.dk
Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) is a recently identified protein that mediates intestinal cholesterol absorption and regulates biliary cholesterol excretion. The itineraries and kinetics of NPC1L1 trafficking remain uncertain. In this study, we have visualized movement of NPC1L1-enhanced green fluorescent protein (NPC1L1-EGFP) and cholesterol analogues in hepatoma cells. At steady state about 42% of NPC1L1 resided in the transferrin (Tf) positive, sterol enriched endocytic recycling compartment (ERC), while time-lapse microscopy demonstrated NPC1L1 traffic between plasma membrane and ERC. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) revealed rapid recovery (half-time t1/2 ~2.5 min) of about 35% of NPC1L1 in the ERC probably replenished from peripheral sorting endosomes. Acute cholesterol depletion blocked internalization of NPC1L1-EGFP and Tf and stimulated recycling of NPC1L1-EGFP from the ERC to the plasma membrane. NPC1L1-EGFP facilitated transport of fluorescent sterols from the plasma membrane to the ERC. Insulin induced translocation of vesicles containing NPC1L1 and fluorescent sterol from the ERC to the cell membrane. Upon polarization of hepatoma cells NPC1L1 resided almost exclusively in the canalicular membrane, where the protein is highly mobile. Our study demonstrates dynamic trafficking of NPC1L1 between cell surface and intracellular compartments and suggests that this transport is involved in NPC1L1 mediated cellular sterol uptake.
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