Human apolipoprotein mutants III : diagnosis and treatment

Hopes to develop apolipoproteins for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes are growing. Areas of use may range from arterial disease to AIDS, fertilization programmes, neurological or inflammatory disorders, and the like. However, these young members of the large family of circulating proteins still deserve careful study, both in terms of structural and functional properties and pathological changes. In addition, related molecules, in particular those belonging to the family of enzymes such as lipases and acyltransferases, offer exciting insight into the mechanisms of regulation of lipid transport and exchange. Described here is the use of apolipoproteins and enzymes in the diagnosis of coronary and cerebrovascular disease. Structural and functional changes in apolipoproteins are related to lipid transport and binding to different receptors. Further, the development of apolipoprotein drugs and their possible clinical use for vascular and non-vascular disease are discussed. Finally, an overview of lipoprotein transformation processes, expression systems and natural mutants is provided.