The influence of soluble binding proteins on lipophile transport and metabolism in hepatocytes.

A theory is presented that deals with the involvement of the intracellular binding proteins ligandin and aminoazodye-binding protein A (otherwise known as Z-protein or fatty-acid-binding protein) on the uptake and intracellular transport and metabolism of their ligands. Equations are derived that combine steady-state diffusional fluxes of small molecules that are (a) free in the aqueous phase of the cell, (b) bound to the two proteins and (c) partitioned into intracellular membranes, for model systems that resemble conditions in the rat hepatocyte. These equations are then combined with expressions for the enzyme-catalysed metabolic reactions undergone by these small molecules to assess the influence of diffusion rats on the overall metabolic rates. It is concluded that ligandin and protein A can enhance the rate of intracellular of their ligands by an order of magnitude or more and that this could make the hepatocyte several times more efficient in metabolizing these ligands. Various ways of testing this theory are discussed.