title: alpha-Tocopherol and serum lipoproteins.
abstract: Twenty-six patients with clinically confirmed mammary dysplasia and five age-matched controls were treated with alpha-tocopherol, 600 mg/day. Serum samples collected on the 21st day of the menstrual cycle were analyzed for cholesterol in lipoprotein fractions, isolated by a combination of precipitation and ultracentrifugation techniques. Eighty-five percent of patients showed objective and subjective remission from disease following therapy. In mammary dysplasia patients, the ratio of serum cholesterol/high density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher than those in age-matched controls, an abnormality which was corrected by alpha-tocopherol therapy. Furthermore, as a result of therapy, high density lipoproteins increased and ester cholesterol associated with low density lipoproteins decreased. The results suggest that alpha-tocopherol may serve as an effective agent in treating patients with benign disease, as well as correct the inherent abnormality in serum cholesterol distribution in mammary dysplasia patients.
mesh_terms: D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005348:Fibrocystic Breast Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000097:blood; D024505:Tocopherols; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D014810:Vitamin E; D002784:Cholesterol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D024505:Tocopherols