High-density lipoprotein (HDL) subclass LpA-I has been reported to promote cholesterol efflux from mouse adipose cells in vitro, whereas subclass LpA-I/A-II has no effect. To investigate whether the apolipoprotein composition of HDL plays a role in the selective delivery of cholesterol esters to the liver in vivo, we labelled HDL in its cholesterol ester moiety and separated [3H]cholesterol oleate-labelled HDL into subclasses LpA-I and LpA-I/A-II by immuno-affinity chromatography. Serum decay and liver association of LpA-I and LpA-I/A-II were compared for the apoprotein and cholesterol ester moieties. Both LpA-I and LpA-I/A-II selectively delivered cholesterol esters to the liver with similar kinetics. The kinetics of biliary secretion of processed cholesterol esters, initially associated with LpA-I or LpA-I/A-II, were studied in rats equipped with permanent catheters in bile, duodenum and heart. For both LpA-I and LpA-I/A-II, liver association was coupled to bile acid synthesis, with an increase in secretion rate during the night. During the first night period, the biliary secretion of LpA-I-derived radio-activity was significantly greater than for LpA-I/A-II. The data indicate that with both LpA-I and LpA-I/A-II selective delivery of cholesterol esters from HDL to the liver occurs, but that cholesterol esters delivered by LpA-I are more efficiently coupled to bile acid synthesis.