Serum lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity in children with familial hyperbetalipoproteinaemia

Serum (non-fasting) was obtained from 71 healthy school children (12-14 years) and from 16 children with the heterozygous form of familial hyperbetalipoproteinaemia being treated by diet or ion-exchange resin. The activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.43) expressed as nmol cholesterol esterified/hour/ml serum did not change with increasing concentrations of unesterified cholesterol in the healthy children. In children with familial hyperbetalipoproteinaemia, lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity was higher than in the healthy children and this activity increased with increasing concentrations of unesterified cholesterol.