Plasma lipoproteins in infantile visceral leishmaniasis: deficiency of apolipoproteins A-I and A-II.
This study describes the plasma lipoprotein system of young children with visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar disease). In addition to the presence of amastigote forms in the sternal aspirates of bone marrow, the patients exhibited fever, anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, various degrees of pancytopenia and a slight liver cytolysis. Patients had normal total cholesterol levels and increased triglyceride levels in the plasma. The concentrations of HDL and LDL were 30% and 50% of these reported for normolipemic subjects, respectively. In contrast, there was a three-fold increase in the concentration of VLDL. The ratio of free to total cholesterol was high; this was further substantiated by electron microscopy of HDL showing the presence of disc-like particles. Quantitative determination of apolipoproteins revealed a three- and seven-fold decrease of apolipoproteins (Apo) A-I and A-II, respectively, whereas Apo B levels were within the normal range. The presence of LP-A-II particles was demonstrated by two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis in most of the patients' plasma during the acute phase of disease.
Bekaert
E D
ED
Unité de Recherches sur les Dyslipidémies et l'Athérosclérose, INSERM U32, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.
Kallel
R
R
Bouma
M E
ME
Lontie
J F
JF
Mebazaa
A
A
Malmendier
C L
CL
Ayrault-Jarrier
M
M
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II; D001054:Apolipoproteins A / Q000172:deficiency*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II; D001054:Apolipoproteins A; D008055:Lipids; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol