A newly developed LDL-binding material

Results of in vitro and ex vivo experiments with a newly developed LDL-binding material are presented. This material consists of macroporous bead cellulose which is capable to bind selectively LDL. LDL-cholesterol is considerably decreased after contacts of plasma or serum samples with this bead cellulose. On the other hand high density lipoproteins (HDL) and other plasma components (proteins, enzymes, electrolytes, and metabolic substances) remained high or unchanged. Triglycerides (TG)--transported by very low density lipoproteins--are also bound up to a certain degree. 1 g of the adsorbent wet mass binds at least 20 mg cholesterol. The capacity suffices to decrease two- to threefold increased cholesterol and LDL plasma levels to the low normal range following passage of the sevenfold plasma volume' through two the three LDL adsorbent columns (results of perfusion experiments). In vitro and dog experiments revealed only slight drops of the hemolytic capacities of the classic complement pathway and moderate decreases of the alternative one. But no detectable side effects were noticed in the dog experiments.