Rapid purification of detergent-solubilized bovine hormone-sensitive lipase by high performance hydrophobic interaction chromatography

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), the enzyme controlling the rate of adipose tissue lipolysis and also possibly involved in the regulation of steroidogenesis, has been purified from bovine omental adipose tissue. Partially detergent-solubilized, delipidated and purified HSL was obtained through step-elution at conventional DEAE ion-exchange chromatography, followed by concentration on hydroxylapatite. High performance hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HPHIC) on phenylsilica then resulted in an increase of HSL protein purity from 2% to more than 70%. Final purification of the enzyme to apparent homogeneity (greater than 95% protein purity), concentration and removal of most of the detergent was obtained by high performance cation exchange chromatography on Mono S. At least 0.5 mg of highly stable HSL was obtained from 5 kg of bovine omental fat within four working days. The purified lipase had a lower specific activity than previously reported for the corresponding rat enzyme but the preparations have proved very useful for enzyme structure studies and as an antigen.