Clinical significance of serum apolipoprotein M level

It is reported that apoM shows a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), and apolipoprotein B (apoB) in plasma, and also that plasma apoM is elevated in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD). However, further evaluation of the clinical significance of apoM might be needed.

Therefore, we measured apoM level by ELISA using sera from patients with hyperlipidemia and CLD.

ApoM showed a significant correlation with triglycerides (r = 0.459, p = 0.003) and apolipoprotein E (r = 0.473, p = 0.002), but not with TC (r = 0.172), HDL-C (r = -0.239), LDL-C (r = 0.118), apoA-I (r = -0.117), or ApoB (r = 0.280) in patients including hyperlipidemia. A few immunofixation studies indicated that apoM was predominantly distributed in prebeta lipoproteins. There were no significant changes in apoM in patients with CLD.

These findings are inconsistent with previously reported findings. Distribution of apoM among lipoproteins may be affected by certain physiological or pathological situations. Elevation of apoM in CLD may be questionable. Further investigation remains necessary.