Dynamic Feature of Oxidized LDL in Vivo

Atherosclerosis is a pathological condition that leads to cardiovascular disease and cerebral infarction. Oxidatively modified low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as oxidized LDL (oxLDL), is one of the major factors for atherogenesis, because it serves as a ligand for scavenger receptors. We and others developed sensitive methods to measure plasma oxLDL levels in the 1990's, and since then, mounting evidence has accumulated demonstrating the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and oxLDL in vivo. Mechanistic insights into the generation, metabolism, and modified structures of oxLDL in vivo have also been obtained. This review focuses on two key issues regarding oxLDL in vivo; its involvement in the initiation of atheromatous lesion development, and the characterization of its modified structures in vivo.