HDL functionality in South Asians as compared to white Caucasians

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Lipid Metabolism
• Ethnic Health Disparities

Background:

• South Asians possess a disproportionately high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to White Caucasians.
• Dysfunctional high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a potential contributing factor to this ethnic disparity in CVD risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the functionality of HDL, specifically its cholesterol efflux, anti-oxidation, and anti-inflammation properties, across different age groups in South Asian and White Caucasian populations.
• To investigate the impact of dietary interventions (high-calorie diet for adolescents, very-low-calorie diet for adults) on HDL functionality in these ethnic groups.

Main Methods:

• HDL functionality assays were performed on plasma samples from South Asian and White Caucasian neonates, adolescent males, and adult overweight males.
• Dietary interventions included a 5-day high-fat, high-calorie diet (HCD) for adolescents and an 8-day very-low-calorie diet (LCD) for adults.
• (1)H-NMR spectroscopy was used to analyze HDL composition in adolescents and adults.

Main Results:

• South Asian adults exhibited lower HDL anti-oxidative capacity compared to White Caucasians, both before and after the LCD.
• Reduced HDL anti-inflammatory capacity was observed in South Asian neonates and was negatively affected by the LCD in South Asian adults.
• Cholesterol efflux capacity showed varied responses to HCD and LCD in adolescents and adults, with correlations to cholesterol and phospholipid content in small HDL particles.

Conclusions:

• Impaired HDL functionality, including reduced anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, may significantly contribute to the heightened cardiovascular disease risk observed in South Asian populations.
• These findings underscore the need for targeted strategies to address HDL dysfunction in South Asians to mitigate CVD risk.