[Quantification and clinical significance of plasma apolipoproteins]

The apolipoproteins are important determinants of the structure and metabolism of plasma lipoproteins. This paper reviews analytical methods and the clinical significance of plasma apolipoproteins. Our data on apo VLDL and apo HDL analysis using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), monoclonal antibody against apo VLDL, especially apo C-I, apo B isoproteins (apo B-100 and apo B-48) and plasma apolipoprotein concentrations in the patients with diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease, were described. Among the methods of apolipoprotein quantification, single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) is widely used in Japan and plasma concentrations of apo A-I, A-II, B, C-II, C-III and E in healthy adults were reported. We showed the usefulness of FPLC for fractionation of human apo VLDL and apo HDL. We prepared several monoclonal antibodies against human apo VLDL, especially apo C-I, which were used for quantification and structural analysis of plasma apo C-I. Apo B-48 was found to be a good metabolic marker of exogenous lipoproteins (chylomicron and chylomicron remnant) and apo B-48 containing lipoproteins were increased in the poorly controlled diabetic patients.