Hypertriglyceridemia caused by the autoantibody to lipases for plasma lipoproteins: a case report

A 41-year-old female patient with muscle dystrophy, hepatosplenomegaly and tendinous xanthoma showed mild hypertriglyceridemia. The lipoprotein profile in blood showed increases in triglycerides in VLDL and LDL, and a marked decrease of cholesterol in HDL. Chylomicronemia was found, but was not severe. Both lipoprotein lipase and hepatic triglyceride lipase activities were reduced to a level that was only a few percent of the control. Immunoblotting study revealed that the IgG autoantibody in her serum was apparently reactable with hepatic triglyceride lipase and weakly with lipoprotein lipase. Hypertriglyceridemia in this patient is suggested to be due to the autoantibody to these lipases.