Plasma low density lipoprotein composition in relation to atherosclerosis in nutritionally defined Vervet monkeys

An atherogenic diet (AD) consisting entirely of normal foods for westernized people was fed to female Vervet monkeys for 4 years. The plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol pool was increased and progression of atherosclerosis was enhanced by the AD compared to a more prudent Western diet. The increased LDL-cholesterol was carried by a 3-fold increase in particles of relatively normal composition and not by packing cholesterol esters into the cores of enlarged LDL particles, as has been reported after feeding semisynthetic diets loaded with extra cholesterol. Nevertheless, these LDL particles were atherogenic. The AD changed the fatty acid composition of LDL-cholesterol esters and triacylglycerol, notably by increasing arachidonic and reducing linoleic acid. Multivariate analysis showed that measures and scores of atherosclerosis were significantly dependent on sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine in LDL and on arachidonic acid in LDL-triacylglycerol. Although apolipoprotein B, free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol and lysophosphatidylcholine in plasma LDL and atherosclerosis were significantly positively correlated in bivariate analysis they were not selected by multivariate analysis as the strongest determinants of atherogenesis. Cholesterol in plasma high density lipoprotein was not changed by the AD and lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase activity in plasma was inversely linked to atherosclerosis. Subcutaneous fatty acids reflected dietary fatty acids.