Effects of alpha-tocopherol on superoxide production and plasma intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and antibodies to oxidized LDL in chronic smokers.

Antioxidants have been postulated to exert beneficial effects in atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is associated with raised plasma levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and autoantibodies against oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). It is not known whether antioxidants affect these plasma factors in chronic smokers. In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study involving 128 male normolipidemic chronic smokers the effect of a 2-year alpha-tocopherol treatment (400 IU dL-alpha-tocopherol daily) on plasma levels of sICAM-1 and autoantibodies against oxLDL was evaluated. In addition, we monitored production of superoxide by leukocytes ex vivo. It was found that compared to nonsmokers (n = 33) plasma levels of IgG but not IgM autoantibodies against oxLDL and concentrations of sICAM-1 in smokers were significantly elevated (30 and 42%, respectively). After supplementation with alpha-tocopherol concentration of TBARS in plasma and in vitro oxidizability of LDL had decreased, but autoantibodies and sICAM-1 had not changed. Production of superoxide was not different between alpha-tocopherol- and placebo-treated smokers. It is concluded that in chronic smokers, long-term treatment with alpha-tocopherol does not normalize the raised levels of sICAM-1 and autoantibodies against oxLDL, both risk factors for initiation or progression of cardiovascular disease, despite a decrease in in vitro oxidizability of LDL.

Beta-VLDL accumulation in familial dysbetalipoproteinemia is associated with increased exchange or diffusion of chylomicron lipids to apo B-100 containing triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.

To gain more insight into the accumulation of beta-very low density lipoprotein (beta-VLDL) in familial dysbetalipoproteinemia (FD), we followed the courses of the levels of retinyl palmitate (rp), alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T) and apolipoprotein (apo) B-48 in various lipoprotein fractions for up to 48 h in eight patients with FD and six normolipidemic control subjects after an oral fat load (50 g fat/m2 containing 150000 IU of rp and 5000 IU of alpha-T). Alpha-T was added because of its rapid transfer to other lipoproteins. Fasting apo B-48 concentration in FD was normal to strongly elevated, dependent on the fasting lipid concentrations. 3 h after fat loading, total apo B-48 content did not abnormally increase; while the apo B-100 content in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein fraction remained stable. The levels of both vitamins increased considerably, especially in the remnant fraction (Sf 15-100), which in due course exclusively contained apo B-100 in most hyperlipidemic patients. This, together with the observation that peaks for rp and alpha-T were observed 3-6 h later than for apo B-48 strongly suggests that both vitamins transfer or diffuse rapidly towards the apo B-100 containing VLDL. RP is thus more a marker for this process, which also comprises chylomicron lipids, than a specific marker for chylomicrons. This process, first described here, appears decisive in the pathogenesis of FD.

A study of the chylomicron metabolism in WHHL rabbits after fat loading. Discrepancy between results based on measurement of apoprotein B-48 or retinyl palmitate.

We studied the metabolism of chylomicrons in homozygous Watanabe heritable hyperlipidaemic (WHHL) rabbits and in cholesterol-fed or normally fed New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits by measuring the concentrations of apoprotein B-48 and of retinyl palmitate in their serum after feeding fat plus this vitamin according to two different protocols. Compared with NZW controls, retinyl palmitate accumulated in both hyperlipidaemic groups under study, not only in the d less than 1.019 fraction but also in the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) fraction. A strong correlation was found between the retinyl palmitate concentration in either the d less than 1.019 fraction or the LDL fraction of the WHHL rabbits and the concentrations of cholesterol and triacylglycerols in these fractions. This suggests that retinyl palmitate is exchanged rapidly between exogenous and endogenous lipoproteins. This is supported by the lack of a correlation between the retinyl palmitate concentrations and the intensity of the apoprotein B-48 band in the respective d less than 1.019 fractions or LDL fractions; in most fractions, in which large amounts of retinyl palmitate were present, the intensity of the apoprotein B-48 band was not increased compared with the fasting concentrations. Assuming that retinyl palmitate is a marker for the transfer of exogenous lipids, the results of our experiments indicate that the removal of exogenous lipids is delayed by complexing to endogenously synthesized lipoproteins. However, the clearance of apoprotein B-48 is normal and thus independent of the LDL-receptor activity.

Effects of isometric exercise on blood cell adrenoceptors in essential hypertension.

The effect of handgrip (HG) isometric exercise on plasma catecholamines, alpha 2-adrenoceptors on platelets and beta 2-adrenoceptors on lymphocytes was studied in normotensive subjects (NT) and essential hypertensive subjects (HT). Whereas systolic blood pressure (SBP) increases were similar in NT and HT subjects, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) increased more in the former group. Baseline values and changes in plasma epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) did not differ between both groups. No differences were apparent in alpha 2-adrenoceptor density and affinity between NT and HT subjects before or after the test. HG isometric exercise induced a similar increase in beta 2-adrenoceptors on lymphocytes of 22 +/- 7 and 13 +/- 5% in NT and HT subjects, respectively. Affinity to the beta 2-adrenoceptors under baseline conditions was somewhat lower in HT (8.1 +/- 0.4 pM) than in NT subjects (6.5 +/- 0.5 pM), and this difference persisted during the test. Our results indicate that there are no differences in alpha 2- and beta 2-adrenoceptor densities either at baseline conditions or after HG isometric exercise between NT and HT subjects. Small differences noted in affinity to the beta 2-adrenoceptors require further investigation.

Adrenoceptors on blood cells in patients with essential hypertension before and after mental stress.

The effect of mental arithmetic (MA) on alpha 2- and beta 2-adrenoceptors on platelets and lymphocytes, respectively, and on plasma catecholamines was studied in normotensive (NT) and essential hypertensive (HT) subjects. There were no significant differences in responses of blood pressure, forearm blood flow (FBF) and heart rate to MA between the two groups. Baseline values and changes in adrenaline and noradrenaline levels during MA were similar in NT and HT. Alpha 2-adrenoceptor density and antagonist affinity did not differ between NT and HT and was not influenced by MA. Baseline values of beta 2-adrenoceptor density also did not differ between NT and HT and increased similarly after MA in both groups. Antagonist affinity to the beta 2-adrenoceptors under baseline conditions was lower in HT and did not change during MA in either group. Our results indicate that there are no differences between NT and HT in alpha 2- and beta 2-adrenoceptor density, either under baseline conditions or after mental stress.

A study of the lipid transport system in the cat, Felix domesticus.

Feline serum lipoproteins were fractionated into four distinct classes by density gradient ultracentrifugation and characterized with respect to physical and chemical properties. The distribution of serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins was quite unlike that in man, the cat having five times as much high density lipoproteins (HDL) as low density lipoproteins (LDL). The lipoproteins in the d less than 1.019 g/ml fraction of cats were larger and were richer in triglycerides than their human counterparts and contained a considerable amount of beta-migrating particles. The low density lipoproteins of cats and man had similar chemical composition, but cat LDL had a higher negative charge, were smaller and contained apoprotein A-I. Cat HDL consisted of two distinct subfractions HDL2 and HDL3 with similar density boundaries and particle size as in man. In cat serum and HDL fraction apoprotein A-II was a minor component. Like human serum, fasting cat serum contained only the larger species of apoprotein B, apo B-100, whereas intestinal lymph contained exclusively the smaller apo B-48. Post heparin feline and human plasma possessed both lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase. Chylomicrons formed after a fat load in cats were removed from the circulation as rapidly as in man. It is concluded, that the cat is another animal model of potential interest for the study of lipoprotein metabolism.

Interference of blood clotting factors in the determination of HDL2- and HDL3-cholesterol by the dual precipitation method.

Previously we found that in the dual precipitation method for determination of HDL2- and HDL3-cholesterol the optimal concentration of dextran sulfate was 0.87 g/l instead of 1.3 or 1.5 g/l. In the present study, we performed the dual precipitation method both in serum and in EDTA-plasma samples in order to investigate whether the method is sensitive for plasma-serum differences. It was found, that in the analysis of EDTA-plasma samples a twice higher final concentration of dextran sulfate was needed. Addition of the dextran sulfate resulted in the appearance of fibrin structures in the HDL-fraction which may have diminished the effective dextran sulfate concentration in the precipitation reaction. Although the use of plasma is advised in the analysis of lipoproteins, the use of EDTA-plasma in precipitation methods for determination of HDL-cholesterol and its subfractions cannot be recommended.