Objective: Hepatic lipase (HL) is involved in the metabolism of several lipoproteins and has a key role in reverse cholesterol transport and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of HL -514C/T polymorphism on sub-clinical and established carotid atherosclerotic in hyperalphalipoproteinemic and control individuals. Methods: One hundred and sixty nine asymptomatic individuals (aged 47 ± 16 years), 71 hyperalphalipopro-teinemic (Hyper-A, HDL-C = 68mg/dL) and 98 controls (CTL, HDL-C< 68mg/dL) were selected by clinical and laboratory evaluations. Lipids and lipoproteins were measured by enzymatic methods. HL activity was measured in post-heparin plasma by a radiometric assay and HL-514C/T genotypes were analyzed by PCR. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) was measured by Doppler ultrasonography. Results: No differences in HL -514C/T genotype frequencies were observed between the groups. HL -514C/T polymorphism did not contribute to variations in cIMT or atherosclerotic lesion frequencies in Hyper-A and controls. Furthermore, no interactions between HL-514C/T polymorphism and cIMT or atherosclerotic lesions were found. Conclusions: In hyperalphalipoproteinemic individuals the -514C/T polymorphism is not associated with significant variations in HDL-Cholesterol concentrations. Besides, it has no repercussions on carotid atherosclerosis, although hepatic lipase activity is significantly reduced. No financial conflicts of interest exist.

Objetivo: La Lipasa Hepática (HL) está implicada en el metabolismo de las lipoproteínas distintas y desempeña un papel en el transporte inverso del colesterol y la aterosclerosis. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los efectos del polimorfismo HL-514 C/T en la aterosclerosis carotídea subclínica en los individuos e hiperalfalipoproteinémicos y controles establecidos. Métodos: Ciento sesenta y nueve sujetos asintomáticos (edad 47 ± 16 años), 71 hiperalfalipoproteinémicos (Hyper-A, HDL-C = 68mg/dL) y 98 controles (CTL, HDL-C <68mg/dL) fueron seleccionados por evaluaciones clínicas y de laboratorio. Lípidos y lipoproteínas se midieron por métodos enzimáticos. La actividad de la HL se midió en plasma después de la heparina por el método radiométrico, y los genotipos HL-514C/T se analizaron por PCR. El Grosor íntimo-medial carotídeo (cIMT) se midió mediante ecografía. Resultados: No hubo diferencias en las frecuencias de los genotipos HL-514 C/T se observó entre los grupos. Polimorfismo HL-514 C/T no ha contribuido a los cambios en cIMT o la frecuencia de las lesiones ateroscleróticas en Hyper-A y los controles. Por otra parte, no hay interacción entre el polimorfismo HL-514 C/T y cIMT ni fueron halladas lesiones ateroscleróticas. Conclusiones: El polimorfismo HL -514 C/T no está asociado con cambios significativos en el colesterol HDL en hiperalfalipoproteinémicos particulares y no tiene efecto en la arteriosclerosis carotídea a pesar de que la actividad de la HL ha sido reducida significativamente. Los autores declaran no poseer conflictos de interés.

We determined the influence of fasting (FAST) and feeding (FED) on cholesteryl ester (CE) flow between high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and plasma apoB-lipoprotein and triacylglycerol (TG)-rich emulsions (EM) prepared with TG-fatty acids (FAs). TG-FAs of varying chain lengths and degrees of unsaturation were tested in the presence of a plasma fraction at d > 1.21 g/mL as the source of CE transfer protein. The transfer of CE from HDL to FED was greater than to FAST TG-rich acceptor lipoproteins, 18% and 14%, respectively. However, percent CE transfer from HDL to apoB-containing lipoproteins was similar for FED and FAST HDL. The CE transfer from HDL to EM depended on the EM TG-FA chain length. Furthermore, the chain length of the monounsaturated TG-containing EM showed a significant positive correlation of the CE transfer from HDL to EM (r = 0.81, P < 0.0001) and a negative correlation from EM to HDL (r = -041, P = 0.0088). Regarding the degree of EM TG-FAs unsaturation, among EMs containing C18, the CE transfer was lower from HDL to C18:2 compared to C18:1 and C18:3, 17.7%, 20.7%, and 20%, respectively. However, the CE transfer from EMs to HDL was higher to C18:2 than to C18:1 and C18:3, 83.7%, 51.2%, and 46.3%, respectively. Thus, the EM FA composition was found to be the rate-limiting factor regulating the transfer of CE from HDL. Consequently, the net transfer of CE between HDL and TG-rich particles depends on the specific arrangement of the TG acyl chains in the lipoprotein particle core.

This review provides examples of the fact that different procedures for the measurement of atherosclerosis in mice may lead to interpretation of the extent of atherosclerosis having markedly different biological and clinical significance for humans: 1) aortic cholesterol measurement is highly sensitive for the detection of early and advanced atherosclerosis lesions, but misses the identification of the location and complexity of these lesions that are so critical for humans; 2) the histological analysis of the aortic root lesions in simvastatin-treated and control mice reveals similar lesion morphology in spite of the remarkable simvastatin-induced reduction of the aortic cholesteryl ester content; 3) in histological analyses, chemical fixation and inclusion may extract the tissue fat and also shrink and distort tissue structures. Thus, the method may be less sensitive for the detection of slight differences among the experimental groups, unless a more suitable procedure employing physical fixation with histological sample freezing using optimal cutting temperature and liquid nitrogen is employed. Thus, when measuring experimental atherosclerosis in mice, investigators should be aware of several previously unreported pitfalls regarding the extent, location and complexity of the arterial lesion that may not be suitable for extrapolation to human pathology.

The uptake of lipids and lipoprotein particles by macrophages undergoes phagocytic activation and the formation of foam cells are key events in atherosclerosis. In this study we determined how intact high density lipoproteins (HDL) and apolipoproteins-HDL (removal of the lipid component from HDL, i.e., apoHDL) influence the phagocytosis of zymosan by mouse peritoneal macrophages. Zymosan particles preincubated together with lipoproteins or alone (control) were incubated with the macrophages. Phagocytosis activity was reported as the percent of macrophages that internalized three or more zymosan particles. HDL co-incubated with zymosan did not influence the over-all uptake of zymosan particles compared to apoHDL, which greatly enhanced the ability of the particle to be phagocytized (P<0.001). Part of this effect might be related to a greater binding of apoHDL to the particles compared to that of HDL (P<0.05). We conclude that this can be a useful method to study the ability of lipoproteins, including modified lipoproteins obtained from subjects with genetic forms of hyperlipidemia, to opsonize particles such as red blood cells and thus to investigate the processes that control the formation of foam cells and the mechanisms of atherogenesis.