Lecitina colesterol aciltransferasa en mujeres postmenopáusicas y su relación con factores bioquímicos y antropométricos asociados a riesgo cardiovascular / Lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase in serum of postmenopausal women in relation to biochemical and anthropometric factors associated to cardiovascular risk

Resumen Objetivo: determinar los valores séricos de la enzima lecitina colesterol aciltransferasa en un grupo de mujeres postmenopáusicas, y establecer su relación con factores asociados a riesgo cardiovascular. Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo transversal prospectivo, correlacional, que incluyó 56 mujeres postmenopáusicas en quienes se evaluaron variables antropométricas y bioquímicas (perfil lipídico y glicemia basal) asociadas a riesgo cardiovascular y se correlacionaron con las concentraciones séricas de lecitina colesterol aciltransferasa. Resultados: los valores séricos promedio de dicha enzima fueron 7,89 ± 1,26 (g/ml. Las mujeres con valores de índice de masa corporal superior a 25 tienen niveles séricos de lecitina colesterol aciltransferasa significativamente mayores que aquellas que tienen índice de masa corporal normal. No se observaron relaciones significativas entre los niveles de lecitina colesterol aciltransferasa y las variables bioquímicas evaluadas. Conclusiones: este trabajo es uno de los primeros que evalúa los niveles séricos de lecitina colesterol aciltransferasa en mujeres postmenopáusicas del Caribe colombiano. Se encontró una relación significativa entre los niveles séricos de lecitina colesterol aciltransferasa y los valores de índice de masa corporal elevados. Se requieren nuevos estudios para entender mejor la relación entre los niveles séricos de lecitina colesterol aciltransferasa y el riesgo cardiovascular en mujeres postmenopáusicas.

Abstract Objective: To determine the serum levels of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase in a group of postmenopausal women and to establish their relationship with factors associated with cardiovascular risk. Materials and methods: A descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional study was performed that included 56 postmenopausal women. Anthropometric and biochemical (lipid profile and baseline blood glucose) variables associated with cardiovascular risk were measured, and were correlated with the serum concentrations of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase. Results: The mean serum level of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase was 7.89 ± 1.26 (g/ml. The women with a body mass index greater than 25 had significantly higher serum levels of the enzyme than those that had a normal body mass index. No significant relationships were observed between the levels of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase and the biochemical variables evaluated. Conclusions: This study is one of the first that has evaluated the serum levels of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase in postmenopausal women of the Colombian Caribbean. A significant relationship was found between the serum levels of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase and elevated values of the body mass index. Further studies are required for a better understanding of the relationship between the serum levels of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase and cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women.

Corn silk extract improves cholesterol metabolism in C57BL/6J mouse fed high-fat diets

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Corn silk (CS) extract contains large amounts of maysin, which is a major flavonoid in CS. However, studies regarding the effect of CS extract on cholesterol metabolism is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of CS extract on cholesterol metabolism in C57BL/6J mouse fed high-fat diets. MATERIALS/METHODS: Normal-fat group fed 7% fat diet, high-fat (HF) group fed 25% fat diet, and high-fat with corn silk (HFCS) group were orally administered CS extract (100 mg/kg body weight) daily. Serum and hepatic levels of total lipids, triglycerides, and total cholesterol as well as serum free fatty acid, glucose, and insulin levels were determined. The mRNA expression levels of acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), cholesterol 7-alpha hydroxylase (CYP7A1), farnesoid X receptor (FXR), lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), low-density lipoprotein receptor, 3-hyroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase), adiponectin, leptin, and tumor necrosis factor α were determined. RESULTS: Oral administration of CS extract with HF improved serum glucose and insulin levels as well as attenuated HF-induced fatty liver. CS extracts significantly elevated mRNA expression levels of adipocytokines and reduced mRNA expression levels of HMG-CoA reductase, ACAT, and FXR. The mRNA expression levels of CYP7A1 and LCAT between the HF group and HFCS group were not statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: CS extract supplementation with a high-fat diet improves levels of adipocytokine secretion and glucose homeostasis. CS extract is also effective in decreasing the regulatory pool of hepatic cholesterol, in line with decreased blood and hepatic levels of cholesterol though modulation of mRNA expression levels of HMG-CoA reductase, ACAT, and FXR.

Protective effect of lemongrass oil against dexamethasone induced hyperlipidemia in rats: possible role of decreased lecithin cholesterol acetyl transferase activity

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the anti-hyperlipidemic activity of lemongrass oil against in dexamethasone induced hyperlipidemia in rats.@*METHODS@#Administration of dexamethasone was given at 10 mg/kg, sc. to the adult rats for 8 d induces hyperlipidemia characterized by marked increase in serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels along with increase in atherogenic index.@*RESULTS@#Lemongrass oil (100 and 200 mg/kg, po.) treatment has showed significant inhibition against dexamethasone hyperlipidemia by maintaining the serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and atherogenic index near to the normal levels and the antihyperlipidemic effect of the lemongross oil was comparable with atorvastatin 10 mg/kg, po. The possible mechanism may be associated with decrease in lecithin cholesterol acetyl transferase (LCAT) activity.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These results suggested that Lemon gross oil possess significant anti-hyperlipidemic activity.

A dyslipidemia animal model induced by poloxamer 407 in golden hamsters and pilot study on the mechanism / 药学学报

The aim of this study is to establish a simple and stable model like poloxamer 407 (P-407)-induced dyslipidemia of golden hamster model, and investigate the mechanism of lipid metabolism disturbance in this model. PPARalpha agonist and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor were administrated to validate the efficacy on regulating lipid metabolism in the dyslipidemia golden hamster model. Six weeks male golden hamsters were chosen to inject P-407 intraperitoneally at a bolus dose of 300 mg x kg(-1), an intermittent injection at a dose of 200 mg x kg(-1) every 72 hours after the bolus. The results showed that P-407-induced golden hamster model characterized as increased serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (free-CHO), cholesteryl ester (CE), free fatty acids (FFA) and apoB levels, and the hyperlipidemia state maintained at a stable level persistently. Meanwhile, augmented malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) level was observed. LCAT and SR-B I mRNA levels in liver of model group were down-regulated (expression ratio is 0.426; 0.783), while HMG-CoA reductase mRNA level was up-regulated (expression ratio is 1.493) compared with those of the normal group. The serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower in P-407-induced dyslipidemia hamster model after treated with atorvastatin (Ato) at a dose of 50 mg x kg(1) or fenofibrate (Fen) at 100 mg x kg(-1) for two weeks. These findings suggest that serum lipid distribution in dyslipidemia golden hamster is similar to that of human, and which may be relevant to the disturbance of the enzymes expression involved in lipid metabolism in liver. Results obtained from this study support the concept that dyslipidemia golden hamster may be an adequate animal model to evaluate the efficacy of lipid-lowering agents.

Fibrin glue increases the cell survival and the transduced gene product secretion of the ceiling culture-derived adipocytes transplanted in mice

The development of clinically applicable scaffolds is important for the application of cell transplantation in various human diseases. The aims of this study are to evaluate fibrin glue in a novel protein replacement therapy using proliferative adipocytes and to develop a mouse model system to monitor the delivery of the transgene product into the blood and the fate of the transduced cells after transplantation. Proliferative adipocytes from mouse adipose tissue were transduced by a retroviral vector harboring the human lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (lcat) gene, and were subcutaneously transplanted into mice combined with fibrin glue. The lcat gene transduction efficiency and the subsequent secretion of the product in mouse adipocytes were enhanced using a protamine concentration of 500 microg/ml. Adipogenesis induction did not significantly affect the lcat gene-transduced cell survival after transplantation. Immunohistochemistry showed the ectopic enzyme production to persist for 28 days in the subcutaneously transplanted gene-transduced adipocytes. The increased viability of transplanted cells with fibrin glue was accompanied with the decrease in apoptotic cell death. The immunodetectable serum LCAT levels in mice implanted with the fibrin glue were comparable with those observed in mice implanted with Matrigel, indicating that the transplanted lcat gene-transduced adipocytes survived and functioned in the transplanted spaces with fibrin glue as well as with Matrigel for 28 days. Thus, this in vivo system using fibrin is expected to serve as a good model to further improve the transplanted cell/scaffold conditions for the stable and durable cell-based replacement of defective proteins in patients with LCAT deficiency.

A Case of Familial Lecithin-cholesterol Acyltransferase (LCAT) Deficiency

PURPOSE: To report a case of a familial lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency patient with bilateral corneal opacities. CASE SUMMARY: A 26-year-old man with bilateral corneal opacities visited our hospital. We took slit lamp examination, corneal thickness measurement, corneal endothelial cell counts and fundus examination. Blood and urine tests were included. Kidney biopsy was done. The tissues were observed by a light microscopy and an electron microscopy. Hemolytic anemia, proteinuria, hematuria, hypertriglyceridemia, decreased HDL cholesterol level, and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency were found. At kidney biopsy, electron-lucent vacuoles and lamellar inclusion body were found. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral corneal opacities can be an imporant clinical sign of systemic disease which is caused by abnormal lipid metabolism like the familial lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency.

Study on mechanism of yangxincao capsule in regulating lipid metabolism / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect and mechanism of Yangxincao Capsule (YXCC) in regulating lipids.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, the normal control group (A), the hyperlipidemia model group (B), the high, middle and low dose YXCC treated groups (C, D and E), and the Shanzhajing (SZJ) treated group (F) for positive medicine control. Except for the rats in the normal control group, the other 50 were daily fed with fatty emulsion for 10 days to establish hyperlipidemic model. From the I th day on, in the same time of continually feeding with fatty emulsion they were administered with water, high (1.08 g/kg), middle (0.54 g/kg), low dose (0.27 g/kg) of YXCC and SZJ (5.4 mg/kg) respectively for 10 days, while to rats in Group A equal volume of water was given. At the 21th day, after rats were fasted for 16 h, their blood was extracted from post-orbital vein to detect the level of serum lipids, lipoprotein, apolipoprotein (apo) and lipid metabolic enzyme.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with Group A, the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) increased remarkably, and the level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) dropped obviously in Group B. While in the four treated groups the levels of TC, TG and LDL-C were significantly reduced, HDL-C and its sub-components 2 and 3 (HDL2-C and HDL3-C), as well as the ratio of HDL-C/TC were raised. Besides, the content of apo-Al was increased and apo-B was decreased significantly in Group C and D, activity of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) increased in the three YXCC treated groups, all showed statistical significance (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) as compared with those in Group B.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>YXCC could remarkably modulate the lipid metabolic disorder in hyperlipidemic rats, and has a certain bi-directional regulating function on lipoprotein, inferring that it could reduce the risk of occurring coronary artery diseases. The mechanism of regulating lipid metabolism might be related with the increasing activity of LCAT, LPL and eliminating of cholesterol by the elevated level of HDL2-C.</p>

Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase gene 608C/T polymorphism associated with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the distribution of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase gene (LCAT) 608C/T polymorphism in Chinese Han population and the relationship of the polymorphism association with the occurrence of atherosclerotic cerebral infarction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase gene 608C/T polymorphism is identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in 150 patients with ACI and 122 healthy controls matching age and sex.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The distribution of LCAT 608C/T gene polymorphism was in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The CT genotype frequency (14.0%) and T allele frequency (7.0%) in ACI group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). The concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in 608CC subgroups were significantly higher than those in 608CT subgroups both in ACI group and in control group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The LCAT 608C/T polymorphism is possibly a predisposing factor in ACI happening of Chinese Han population. T allele frequency is possibly concerned with the metabolism of HDL-C.</p>

Atherosclerosis in aged mice over-expressing the reverse cholesterol transport genes

We determined whether over-expression of one of the three genes involved in reverse cholesterol transport, apolipoprotein (apo) AI, lecithin-cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), or of their combinations influenced the development of diet-induced atherosclerosis. Eight genotypic groups of mice were studied (AI, LCAT, CETP, LCAT/AI, CETP/AI, LCAT/CETP, LCAT/AI/CETP, and non-transgenic) after four months on an atherogenic diet. The extent of atherosclerosis was assessed by morphometric analysis of lipid-stained areas in the aortic roots. The relative influence (R²) of genotype, sex, total cholesterol, and its main sub-fraction levels on atherosclerotic lesion size was determined by multiple linear regression analysis. Whereas apo AI (R² = 0.22, P < 0.001) and CETP (R² = 0.13, P < 0.01) expression reduced lesion size, the LCAT (R² = 0.16, P < 0.005) and LCAT/AI (R² = 0.13, P < 0.003) genotypes had the opposite effect. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of developing atherosclerotic lesions greater than the 50th percentile was 4.3-fold lower for the apo AI transgenic mice than for non-transgenic mice, and was 3.0-fold lower for male than for female mice. These results show that apo AI overexpression decreased the risk of developing large atherosclerotic lesions but was not sufficient to reduce the atherogenic effect of LCAT when both transgenes were co-expressed. On the other hand, CETP expression was sufficient to eliminate the deleterious effect of LCAT and LCAT/AI overexpression. Therefore, increasing each step of the reverse cholesterol transport per se does not necessarily imply protection against atherosclerosis while CETP expression can change specific athero genic scenarios.

Avaliação de pacientes esquistossomóticos quanto ao conteúdo mineral ósseo, nível de magnésio corporal total e atividade da enzima lecitina: colesterol acetiltransferase em pós-esplenectomizados com auto-implante esplênico / Evaluation of bone mineral density, total magnesium level and activity of a lecithin enzyme, acetyl-cholesterol transferase of post-splenectomy schistosomal patients with splenic autograft

Nos portadores jovens de esquistossomose cirúrgica existe déficit do conteúdo mineral ósseo (BMD), ocasionando retardo no desenvolvimento estato-ponderal que melhora com os tratamentos clínico e cirúrgico. Contudo, alguns pacientes permanecem com déficit do BMD. Foi objetivo geral do presente trabalho estudar o papel do magnésio no metabolismo ósseo nos pacientes esquistossomóticos; foram avaliados os níveis séricos e urinários de magnésio, antes e após dose de saturação desse cátion, para verificação de possível déficit do mesmo nesses pacientes, além da possível associação dos níveis séricos e urinários de magnésio com os níveis da enzima lecitina colesterol acetiltransferase (LCAT). Foram incluídos 18 portadores de esquistossomose na forma hepatoesplênica, com idade variando entre 13 e 24 anos, média de 18,6 ± 2,9; 11 eram do sexo masculino e sete do feminino. Todos haviam-se submetido a tratamento cirúrgico, que consistiu de: esplenectomia, ligadura da veia gástrica esquerda e auto-implante de tecido esplênico, no epíploo maior. Esses pacientes foram tratados clínica e cirurgicamente no Serviço de Cirurgia Geral da Criança do Hospital das Clínicas da UFPE, no período de 1990 a 2001. Foi avaliado o BMD, antes e após tratamento clínico, com dose única de oxamniquine, e o tratamento cirúrgico. O BMD foi medido nas vértebras lombares (L2-L4), usando um densitômetro modelo LUNAR DPX-L®. Quatorze pacientes apresentaram BMD deficiente. O magnésio sérico e o urinário foram medidos antes e 24 horas após a infusão de dose de saturação desse íon (6mg/ kg de MgSO4). A deficiência de magnésio foi considerada quando a reabsorção desse íon era maior do que 40 por cento. Quatro pacientes (22,2 por cento) apresentaram depleção do magnésio. Não houve correlação entre os níveis de reabsorção de magnésio e os níveis de LCAT. Observou-se melhora no BMD no pós-operatório (p = 0,052), entretanto, sem alcançar significância estatística. Essa melhora esteve associada ao aumento, no pós-operatório, da LCAT. Embora o papel do magnésio no metabolismo ósseo, nos pacientes esquistossomóticos, não seja definitivo, os dados dão suporte ao conceito de que esse cátion deva ser considerado na correção do déficit de BMD desses pacientes.

Study on the association of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase gene polymorphisms with the lipid metabolism in coronary atherosclerotic heart disease / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the distribution of 3 polymorphisms of lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase gene in Chinese population and the association of these polymorphisms with lipid metabolism in patients with atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Genotypes and frequencies of 3 sites were examined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique in 209 unrelated normal control individuals and 203 CHD patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The observed allele frequencies conform well to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequency of 608T allele was significantly higher in controls than that in patients (P=0.034). Compared with the CHD patients without 608T, the CHD patients with 608T exhibited a significant increase in plasma HDL-C concentration (P=0.015). 911T/C and 1188C/T polymorphisms were not found in either group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>608T polymorphism of LCAT gene was associated with higher plasma HDL-C level in CHD patients, while 911T/C and 1188C/T polymorphisms maybe very rare in Chinese population.</p>

Efeito de tratamento cirúrgico sobre a atividade da enzima hepática lecitina: colesterol aciltransperase (LCAT)na esquistossomose mansônica / Surgical treatment effect on the lecitin liver enzyme activity: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in schistosomiasis mansoni

A esquistossomose mansônica é uma doença tropical que constitui um importante problema de saúde pública, na Regiäo Nordeste do Brasil, onde é encontrada em alta endemicidade. Essa parasitose tem o fígado como principal alvo de suas lesöes histológicas, alteraçöes fisiopatológicas e manifestaçöes clínicas. Estudos anteriores reportam alteraçöes no metabolismo lipídico associadas à forma hepatoesplênica da esquistosomose.Uma das principais alteraçöes consiste na reduçäo da atividade da enzima hepática LCAT, responsável pela esterificaçäo do colesterol no plasma. Neste trabalho, avaliamos a atividade da LCAT no plasma de pacientes portadores da esquistossomose mansônica hepatoesplênica, os quais foram submetidos a esplenectomia e reimplante de parte de tecido do baço. A atividade enzimática da LCAT foi determinada com substrato radioativo. O [14C]colesterol livre e esterificado, formados por açäo da LCAT, foram separados por cromatografia em camada delgada e a radioatividade das amostras foi contada em analisador de cintilaçäo líquida. A atividade da LCAT nos pacientes submetidos a esplenectomia e reimplante de tecido do baço apresentou reduçäo de 32 por cento, em relaçäo ao grupo controle. Contudo, nos portadores da doença que näo foram submetidos ao procedimento cirúrgico a reduçäo na atividade da LCAT foi o dobro (64 por cento) da observada em pacientes esplenectomizados e com reimplante de parte do tecido do baço. Esses resultados sugerem haver uma melhora significativa no efeito da forma grave da esquistossomose mansônica sobre a atividade da LCAT.

Analysis of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase cDNA and protein sequence from tree shrew / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To acquire cDNA sequence of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) from tree shrew and analyze the sequence structure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The first strand cDNA was acquired by reverse transcription using mRNA from tree shrew liver as template. By the method of SMART RACE PCR, tree shrew LCAT cDNA was acquired and deduced its amino acids sequence. The sequence and structure of tree shrew LCAT cDNA and amino acid were analyzed and predicted by the molecular software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Tree shrew LCAT cDNA is composed of 1,340 bp, including 2 bp 5' untranslated region (5' UTR), 1,320 bp open reading frame (ORF) which encodes protein precursor of 440 amino acids (24 amino acids signal peptide and 416 amino acids mature peptide), and 18 bp 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). The stop codon is TAA and there is a poly (A) signal sequence AATAAA and a 25 bp poly (A) tail. Tree shrew LCAT cDNA sequence has been accepted by GenBank as a new gene, accession number AF272861 and its homology with human and baboon was 90% and 89%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The sequence of LCAT cDNA in tree shrew has high identity with that of human and other experimental animal species.</p>

Effects of passive cigarette smoking on serum lipid profile, some apolipoproteins and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase enzyme activity in exposed children

In this study, serum concentration of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins A and B as well as plasma lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase [LCAT] activity were assayed in 61 passive cigarette exposed children vs 20 non-exposed children of matched age and sex. The results provided a further evidence for a definite disturbance of lipid metabolism and reduced level of LCAT enzyme activity in the plasma of exposed children is an important contributing risk factor in lipoprotein abnormalities in those children

Characterization and potential uses of rabbit polyclonal antibodies against human plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase

Familial and secondary deficiency of plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) produce circulating lipoprotein particles with gross structural and compositional abnormalities; these have adverse effects on a variety of cellular functions. Factors affecting hepatic synthesis and secretion of this plasma enzyme are largely unknown but, potentially, some of them can be investigated with monospecific antibodies. In the present study, enzymically active LCAT was purified 40,000-fold from human plasma and then used to raise polyclonal antibodies in New Zealand White rabbits. Addition of this antiserum (1 mul) to human plasma (25 mul) completely inhibited LCAT activity, although it was less effective against plasma from other species. The antibodies appeared to be monospecific to plasma LCAT. They gave a single precipitin arc by crossed immunoelectrophoresis, while immunodiffusion established that there was no cross-reactivity with several apolipoproteins or with serum albumin. Moreover, the antiserum was successfully used to detect LCAT in normal human plasma by Laurell rocket immunoelectrophoresis. By contrast, Western blotting of plasma proteins using whole LCAT antiserum was largely unsuccessful because of high background staining, although this could be substantially reduced by use of an IgG fraction. However, the whole antiserum readily immunoprecipitated LCAT secreted into the culture medium of HepG2 cells, a human hepatoblastoma cell line, pre-labelled with [35S]methionine, the [(35)S]-labelled LCAT appearing as a narrow 65-kDa protein band by electrophoresis and fluorography. We conclude that polyclonal antibodies may be an important tool to investigate the characteristics and underlying mechanisms of secondary LCAT deficiencies, including those associated with hepatic cirrhosis and schistosomiasis.

Effect of cotrimoxazole (Bactrim) on cholesterol metabolism.

Male albino rats when treated with antimicrobial cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim+sulphamethaoxazole) showed an elevation of plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase activity (LCAT). Very low density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein (VLDL+S4, 5LDL) cholesterol levels were decreased. However, total blood cholesterol and aortic cholesterol levels were normal. There was decreased synthesis of cholesterol and its content in the liver. Intestinal cholesterol mobilisation (studied using [U-14C]glucose) towards lymph was normal in spite of decreased synthesis by intestines. Decreased fecal excretion of bile acids and neutral sterols and normal intestinal contribution may be mainly involved in the blood cholesterol homeostasis.

Biochemical assessment of cholelithiasis.

Bile and serum were analysed in 45 cases of cholelithiasis and 25 control subjects for cholesterol, phospholipids, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and LCAT activity. Serum phospholipids were found to be elevated in sixty percent of cases, whereas phospholipids in bile were found to be decreased. Serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase were normal. Serum and bile LCAT activity was found to be significantly depressed.

Study of plasma lipids, lipoproteins and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase activity in nephrotic syndrome

Thirty subjects were included in this study and divided into 2 groups, control [n = 10] and nephrotic [n = 20] group, which further subdivided into 2 subgroups, severe [n = 8, serum albumin below 2 g/dl] and less severe [n = 12, serum albumin above 2 g/dl] nephrotic subgroup. The estimation of plasma level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C], low density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDL-C], triglycerides; total cholesterol [TC], free cholesterol [FC], esterified cholesterol [EC], Lecithin cholestero acyl transferase [LCAT] activity, Apolipoprotein-A[1] [APo-A[1]] and other routine investigation were done for all subjects. This study aimed at elucidating the possible changes in LCAT activity, associated with nephrotic syndrome and to find out its relation with plasma lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities in a trial to identify which type of patients are more liable to atherosclerosis. A significant decrease in plasma LCAT activity, APo-A, HDL-C and EC/TC ratio were detected in nephrotic as compared with control group and in severe as compared with less severe nephrotic subgroup. Also, plasma TC, FC, Triglycerides and LDL-C in nephrotic group were significantly higher than control group and FC/TC ratio was higher in severe as compared with less severe nephrotic subgroup. We conclude that low HDL-C and its APo-A[1] level along with. low LCAT activity may uncover the protection of nephrotic patients against enhanced atherogenesis and the low serum albumin level as well as the higher FC/TC ratio may predict the patients more prone to atherogenesis

Metabolismo de quilomicros / Chylomicron metabolism

O fígado exerce um importante papel no metabolismo dos quilomicros. É responsável pela síntese de apolipoproteínas (ex., apo AI, apo CII, apo E), lecitina-colesterol-acil-tranferase e lipase de remover os remanescentes de quilomicros da circulaçäo sangüínea. Näo é surpresa portanto que o metabolismo de quilomicros esteja comprometido nas doenças hepáticas tais como hepatite aguda, cirrose e colestase. Assim, sendo, os autores revisaram os aspectos normais do metabolismo dos quilomicros os quais säo essencias para uma melhor compreensäo das alteraçöes lipoprotéicas observadas nas doenças hepáticas