Relation of cholesterol esterification rate to the plasma distribution of high-density lipoprotein subclasses in normal and hypertensive women

Milada Dobiásová
Jarmila Stríbrná
Jiri J. Frohlich

Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Czech Republic; Lipoprotein Research Group, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia

(Original manuscript submitted 19/12/94; received in revised form 30/5/95; accepted 12/7/95)

Abstract

We studied the particle size distribution of plasma high-density lipoproteins (HDL) by gradient gel electrophoresis and by assay of cholesterol esterification rate (FER_HDL) in plasma depleted of very low (VLDL) and low-density (LDL) lipoproteins in 32 hypertensive women (53 ą 10 y old) and in an age-matched group of 21 apparently healthy women. There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to their plasma total, HDL and LDL cholesterol. The plasma triglyceride (TG) concentration was significantly higher in the group of hypertensive women, and HDL-free cholesterol was significantly lower in the hypertensive group. There were highly significant differences in the relative proportions of HDL subclasses between the hypertensive and control women: HDL_2b was significantly lower and HDL_3b,c was significantly higher in hypertensive patients compared to controls. FER_HDL was 12 ą 4%/h in the control group and 18 ą 6%/h in patients with hypertension (p < 0.001). There was a strong positive correlation between FER_HDL and the relative content of HDL_3b,c, and a strong negative correlation between FER_HDL and HDL_2b in both groups. Comparison of subgroups of healthy and hypertensive pre- and postmenopausal women revealed, apart from age, no significant differences between the healthy subjects in any of the above parameters.

Clin Invest Med 1995; 18 (6): 449-454

Table of contents: CIM vol. 18, no. 6