Reverse Cholesterol Transport in Plasma of Patients With Different Forms of Familial HDL Deficiency

Abstract HDLs encompass structurally heterogenous lipoproteins that fulfill specific functions in reverse cholesterol transport. Two-dimensional nondenaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGGE) of normoalphalipoproteinemic plasma and subsequent immunoblotting with anti–apoA-I-antibodies differentiates pre-β1-LpA-I, pre-β2-LpA-I, pre-β3-LpA-I, α-LpA-I2, and α-LpA-I3. Immunodetection with anti-apoE antibodies differentiates γ-LpE and α-LpE. Pulse-chase incubations of plasma with [3H]unesterified cholesterol ([3H]UC)–labeled fibroblasts and subsequent 2D-PAGGE revealed that cell-derived [3H]UC is taken up by pre-β1-LpA-I and γ-LpE. From these initial acceptors, [3H]UC is transferred to LDL via pre-β2-LpA-I→pre-β3-LpA-I→α-LpA-I. Some UC is esterified in pre-β3-LpA-I, and some is esterified in α-LpA-I after its retransfer from LDL. In this study we investigated the effect of various forms of familial HDL deficiency on reverse cholesterol transport. Plasma samples of patients with various forms of HDL defi...