title: Plasma lipoproteins in infantile visceral leishmaniasis: deficiency of apolipoproteins A-I and A-II.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherches sur les Dyslipidémies et l'Athérosclérose, INSERM U32, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Bekaert
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kallel
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bouma
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lontie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mebazaa
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Malmendier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayrault-Jarrier
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D016633:Apolipoprotein A-II; D001054:Apolipoproteins A; D008055:Lipids; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol