[High density lipoproteins dissociation induced by addition of delta 9-THC (author's transl)]

Delta 9-THC has a structure similar to cholesterol and can be associated to different lipoproteins of the serum. This study concerns the in vitro association of (3H) delta 9-THC with human HDL (1,10 less than 1,19 g/ml). The incubation (1 hour at 37 degrees C) of (3H) delta 9-THC with HDL induces dissociation of HDL into 3 subunits which are characterized by different electrophoretic migration. Immunoelectrophoresis reveals that the slower migrating fraction, poor in lipids, is mainly apo A1; the faster migrating fraction is similar to native HDL; the intermediate migration fraction, rich in lipids, contains mainly C peptides. Two dimensional immuneolectrophoresis confirms these results. These effects could explain the modifications of cells membranes observed in serum of people smoking marihuana.