Lipoproteínas remanentes aterogénicas en humanos / Atherogenic lipoprotein remnants in humans

La lipoproteínas remanentes (RLPs) son el producto de la lipólisis de los triglicéridos transportados por las lipoproteínas de baja densidad (VLDL) de origen hepático e intestinal y de los quilomicrones intestinales. Dicha lipólisis es catalizada por la lipoproteína lipasa y se produce en pasos sucesivos, de manera que los productos son heterogéneos. Su concentración plasmática en ayunas es pequeña en pacientes normolipémicos y aumenta en el estado post-prandial. Las alteraciones genéticas en subtipos de su componente Apo-E aumentan notablemente su concentración plasmática y producen el fenotipo de disbetalipoproteinemia. Se las considera aterogénicas porque injurian el endotelio, sufren estrés oxidativo, son captadas por los macrófagos en el subendotelio vascular y generan las células espumosas que son precursoras de ateromas. Su origen metabólico, como productos de varios tipos de lipoproteínas, explican su estructura heterogénea, sus concentraciones plasmáticas variables y las dificultades metodológicas que dificultan su inclusión en el perfil lipoproteico como parte de los estudios epidemiológicos. Los últimos avances en los estudios metabólicos y la actualización de su papel clínico, justifican una revisión de los conocimientos actuales.

Remnant lipoproteins (RLPs) are the lipolytic product of triglycerides transported by very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) of hepatic and intestinal origin and intestinal chylomicrons. Lipoprotein lipase activity hydrolyse triglycerides in several steps, producing heterogeneous particles. Fasting plasma concentration in normolipidemic subjects is low, but it increases in post-prandial states. Genetic alterations in Apo-E subtypes increases RLPs plasma concentration and produce dyslipoproteinemia phenotype. RLPs atherogenicity depends on their role as endothelial injuring factors, their impaired recognition by lipoprotein receptors, and their susceptibility to oxidative stress. They also promote the circulation of molecular adhesion molecules, the internalization in subendothelial macrophages via scavenger receptors and the accumulation in foam cells, all of them early mechanisms of atheromatosis. RLPs metabolism has been a subject of controversial studies. Their origin from different lipoproteins may explain their structural heterogeneity, therefore increasing the methodological difficulties to include RLPs in the atherogenic lipoprotein profile in the epidemiological studies of the field. Last advances on metabolism of RLPs and their emergent clinical role justifies an up dated revision of RLPs.

Lipoproteína de baja densidad rica en triglicéridos y actividad de lipasa hepática en pacientes diabéticos insulino-dependientes / Low density lipoprotein rich in triglycerides and hepatic lipose activity in insulin-dependent diabetic patients

Genetic hepatic lipase (HL) deficiency is associated with low density lipoprotein (LDL) rich in triglycerides (TG), whose affinity for B:E receptors is decreased. In rats, experimental hypoinsulinemia produces HL deficiency. However, the relation between human insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM), HL activity and the characteristics of LDL have not been studied. The objective of our study is to evaluate the relation between HL activity and the chemical composition of LDL in treated IDDM patients. Subjects were 15 IDDM patients and 15 controls (C), matched for sex and body mass index (BMI). The IDDM patients were classified by the WHO criteria, were free of nephropathy and hypothyroidism, and received no medication except insulin. Controls were clinically healthy and normolipidemic with no family history of diabetes. The IDDM group was divided into two subgroups: subgroup IDDM-A (n = 9) with HL values > 4.3 and IDDM-B (n = 6) with HL < than 4.2 mu-moles glycerol/ml h. The HL in IDDM was lower than in C (p < 0.001). Table 1 shows clinical data. Blood samples were drawn after 12 h fasting. Percentage of HbAlc and plasma concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and TG were assayed. LDL was separated by sequential ultracentrifugation at densities of 1.019-1.063 g/ml and its chemical composition was analyzed. The most relevant results were: plasma TG concentration was higher in IDDM than in C (p < 0.05) (Table 2), although average values DMID not exceed the reference values of 200 mg/dl. The TG-LDL were higher in IDDM than in C: 24.8 +/- 2.7 vs 17.5 +/- 1.1 mg/dl plasma, media +/- SE, (p < 0.02). This difference reflected the values of IDDM-B, whose plasma concentrations of TG-LDL were higher than in C: 32.3 +/- 3.6 vs 17.5 +/- 1.1 mg/dl (p < 0.001), and also higher than in IDDMA (p < 0.02). (Table 3). The chemical composition of LDL in IDDM-B contained a higher percentage of TG than C: 8.5 +/- 0.7 vs 6.8 +/- 0.3 percent (p < 0.05), a lower percentage of cholesterol than IDDM-A: 39.0 +/- 1.7 vs 45.2 +/- 2.2 percent (p < 0.05) and also a larger percentage of proteins than IDDM-A: 28.9 +/- 1.9 vs 20.8 +/- 1.0 percent (p < 0.01). The correlations between TG/cholesterol and HL activity in IDDM were r = -0.53 (p < 0.05) and in IDDM-B, r = -0.81 (p = 0.05). The noteworthy result of this study is the modification of the LDL particle in IDDM, rich in TG in patients with low HL activity. Anomalies in the chemical composition of LDL like those described decrease the uptake of this particle by its physiological B:E receptors. It has recently been demonstrated that LDL is an indissoluble association of lipids and apoproteins, and that both act simultaneously to hold the apoB in a spatial position that expresses normal epitopes. It has been described that particles of LDL rich in TG and poor in cholesterol, shows low affinity for LDL receptors in human fibroblasts. Also in IDDM the interaction of LDL rich in TG with B:E receptors is decreased. This might be one more mechanism contributing to the accelerated atherosclerosis of these patients. Our results suggest that there may be a threshold of HL activity for the complete hydrolysis of the TG of LDL, for the normalization of the TG/cholesterol relation and for the conformation of typical LDL particles.

Colesterol-IDL y/o colesterol-ß-VLDL: un nuevo parámetro en diferentes fenotipos lipoprotéicos / IDL- an/or ß-VLDL cholesterol: a new parameter in different lipoproteic phenotypes

IDL y/o ß-VLDL son consideradas una lipoproteína aterogénica. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar su concentración plasmática en diferentes fenotipos primarios y secundarios de dislipemia (según OMS). Se definió normolipemia de acuerdo a colesterol (C) total *200 mg/dl, triglicéridos *170 mg/dl, C-LDL *160 mg/dl, C-HDL *40 mg/dl y ausencia de "ß-ancha" en el lipodograma electroforético. El percentilo 90 de la concentración de C-IDL previamente hallado en 30 controles sanos fue 12 mg/dl. Los datos obtenidos no reflejan necesariamente la distribución de fenotipos y patologías en la población general, debido a que se obtuvieron en un laboratorio de referencia. Entre 99 pacientes normolipénicos (NL), cuya Xñ DS fue de 8,8 ñ 6,5 mg/dl, se encontró un subgrupo de 22 con C-IDL > 12 mg/dl cuya Xñ DS fue 18,7 ñ 5,3 mg/dl. En el fenotipo IIa la Xñ fue 12,3 ñ 8,3 mg/dl (n=40). En el fenotipo IIb la Xñ DS fue 16,4 ñ 7,9 mg/dl (n=20). Los fenotipos III y V presentaron en todos los casos C-IDL elevado (Xñ DS = 64,6 ñ 28,6 y 19,2 ñ 3,2 mg/dl respectivamente). En el fenotipo IV la Xñ DS fue 22,6 ñ 11,6 mg/dl (n=10). Todos los fenotipos presentaron C-IDL mayor que los NL (p<0.05 o menor, test U-Mann Whitney). El 22%de los pacientes "aparentemente" NL tenían C-IDL > 12 mg/dl, siendo éstos postmenopáusicas, diabéticos u obesos. De estos datos surge la conveniencia de incluir la medida de C-IDL en el seguimiento de estas patologías y de los fenotipos IIb, III, IV y V