[Association between serum lipoprotein-cholesterol levels and HDL subpopulations]

To investigate the influence of serum HDL-C or LDL-C levels on the components of serum HDL subpopulations.

Apolipoprotein (apo) A-I contents of serum HDL subpopulations in 292 subjects were determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in conjunction with immunodection.

With the decrease of serum HDL-C levels, the apoA-I contents of pre beta1-HDL and HDL3b increased and were significantly higher (P<0.01; P<0.05) in the low HDL-C group than in the high HDL-C group. But on the contrary, with the decrease of serum HDL-C levels, the apoA-I contents of HDL2b and HDL2a decreased and were significantly lower (P<0.01) in the middle and low HDL-C groups than in the high HDL-C group. With the increase of serum LDL-C levels, the apoA-I contents of pre beta1-HDL, HDL3C and HDL3b increased; the apoA-I contents of pre beta1-HDL and HDL3b were significantly higher in the high LDL-C group (P<0.05) and very high LDL-C group (P<0.01), and those of HDL3C were also significantly higher in the very high LDL-C group (P<0.01). But on the contrary, with the increase of LDL-C levels, the apoA-I contents of HDL2b decreased and were significantly lower in the high LDL-C group (P<0.05) and very high LDL-C group (P<0.01) when compared with the apoA-I contents of the desirable LDL-C group.

With the decrease of serum HDL-C levels or increase of serum LDL-C levels, the small-sized HDL increased and the large-sized HDL decreased; furthermore, the HDL-C levels were more closely related to the components of the large-sized HDL (HDL2a, HDL2b).