Antibodies to oxidized lipoproteins and their relationship to myocardial infarction

The inflammatory process and autoimmunity in the form of antibodies to oxidized LDL are important factors in the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque. We examined the time relationship of oxidized lipoprotein antibodies to the acute oxidative stress of myocardial infarction (MI). We also examined the relationship of C-reactive protein, an index of inflammation, and therefore of free radical production, to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) antibodies. We examined five groups of patients in a cross-sectional study: group 1, within 48 h of MI; group 2, two days to 1 week; group 3, 1-4 weeks; group 4, 1-3 months; and group 5, 3-6 months post MI. Nine patients with high antibody levels were re-examined 12 months after their first assessment. Malondialdehyde (MDA)-LDL and MDA-HDL antibodies were determined by an ELISA method. The highest MDA-LDL antibodies were found within 48 h of MI, but there was no significant difference in MDA-HDL antibodies between the groups. When 9/10 patients with LDL antibodies greater than the mean of 2.7 were re-examined 1 year later, there was a significant decrease in the mean antibody levels (5.2 +/- 1.7 vs. 3.2 +/- 0.6, p < 0.02). There was no correlation between antibodies to MDA-LDL and antibodies to MDA-HDL. There was a positive correlation between serum HDL cholesterol and antibodies to MDA-LDL (r = 0.4, p < 0.02) and a positive correlation between serum triglycerides and MDA-HDL antibodies (r = 0.39, p < 0.02). Acute MI appears to be associated with significantly higher C-reactive protein and antibodies to MDA-LDL, suggesting a possible acceleration of the atherosclerotic process immediately prior to MI.