The relationship between high density lipoprotein subclass profile and plasma lipids concentrations

Area of Science:

• Lipid metabolism and cardiovascular disease research.
• Biochemistry and molecular biology of lipoproteins.
• Clinical diagnostics and risk assessment.

Background:

• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles have crucial antiatherogenic properties.
• Alterations in plasma lipid levels can impact lipoprotein composition and distribution, influencing atherosclerosis risk.
• Understanding HDL subclasses is vital for assessing metabolic changes and disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the relationship between plasma lipid levels and HDL subclasses distribution.
• To identify key lipid ratios as indicators of HDL subclass alterations.
• To explore the role of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) in HDL subclass modulation.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing research on plasma lipids and HDL subclass distribution.
• Analysis of the impact of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels on HDL subclasses.
• Evaluation of the sensitivity of TC/HDL-C and TG/HDL-C ratios in reflecting HDL subclass changes.

Main Results:

• Hypertriglyceridemia, high cholesterol, and mixed hyperlipidemia are associated with a shift towards smaller HDL particles.
• The TG/HDL-C ratio is more sensitive than TC/HDL-C in reflecting HDL subclass distribution changes.
• Elevated apoA-I levels may protect against TG-induced reduction in large HDL particles (HDL(2b)).

Conclusions:

• The TG/HDL-C ratio, along with TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C, can serve as a valuable indicator of HDL subclass distribution.
• Plasma lipids, apolipoprotein concentrations, and their ratios are important for assessing coronary heart disease (CHD) risk.
• Therapeutic strategies targeting the normalization of HDL particle number and distribution are crucial for managing atherosclerosis.