Development and Clinical Application of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Oxidized High-Density Lipoprotein

Takeshi Okada1,2, Mizuki Sumida3, Tohru Ohama1,4

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.

Insights

A new assay measures oxidized high-density lipoprotein (Ox-HDL), revealing higher levels in dyslipidemic patients. Probucol treatment was associated with reduced Ox-HDL levels, suggesting a potential therapeutic target.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Biochemistry
  • Clinical Chemistry

Background:

  • High-density lipoprotein (HDL) possesses anti-atherogenic properties.
  • Dysfunctional HDL, often observed in atherosclerotic patients, may result from component oxidation.
  • Investigating oxidized HDL (Ox-HDL) has been hindered by a lack of reliable assay systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a novel sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantifying oxidized HDL (Ox-HDL).
  • To assess serum Ox-HDL levels in healthy individuals and patients with dyslipidemia.
  • To explore the relationship between Ox-HDL levels and specific dyslipidemias and the effect of probucol treatment.

Main Methods:

  • A sandwich ELISA was developed using antibodies specific to oxidized phosphatidylcholine in HDL phospholipids (HDL-PL).
  • Forced oxidation defined the unit of measurement: 1 U/L Ox-HDL equals 1 mg/L oxidized HDL-PL.
  • Serum Ox-HDL levels were measured in 94 healthy subjects and 177 dyslipidemic patients.

Main Results:

  • The developed Ox-HDL ELISA demonstrated good assay precision (CVs 12.5-13.5%).
  • Serum Ox-HDL levels were elevated in dyslipidemic patients (50.4±13.3 U/L) compared to healthy subjects (28.5±5.0 U/L).
  • Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia treated with probucol showed significantly lower Ox-HDL and Ox-HDL/HDL-PL ratios compared to untreated patients.

Conclusions:

  • A novel and reliable sandwich ELISA for Ox-HDL has been established, offering a potential tool for assessing HDL functionality.
  • Elevated Ox-HDL levels are associated with dyslipidemia, particularly hyperalphalipoproteinemia.
  • Probucol treatment appears to reduce Ox-HDL levels, warranting further investigation into its clinical implications for cardiovascular health.
Abstract