Acute effects of LDL-apheresis on cholesterol oxidation products and antioxidants in plasma and lipoproteins of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.
Regular LDL-apheresis treatment of hypercholesterolemic patients has proven to reduce the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. Regarding the underlying mechanisms, cholesterol oxidation products (COP) may play a detrimental role. Therefore, COP levels were determined before and after regular LDL-apheresis treatment in ten patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. - The patients had approximately twofold elevated plasma and LDL COP concentrations on the average as compared to healthy subjects. LDL-apheresis treatment efficiently removed COP from the circulation. As a consequence of a smaller reduction of the COP content (- 52 %) than of the total cholesterol content (-71 %) in LDL, the LDL COP:cholesterol ratio increased. Lipid-soluble antioxidants in the plasma of the hypercholesterolemics decreased to a comparable extent as did plasma lipids. In contrast to nearly stable vitamin C concentrations, plasma selenium concentrations also decreased, resulting altogether in a decreased but still normal serum total antioxidant capacity. - In conclusion, LDL-apheresis treatment effectively reduced potentially atherogenic COP from the plasma. With normal plasma antioxidant concentrations before LDL-apheresis in long-term treated hypercholesterolemics, the observed acute decrease in lipid-soluble antioxidants and selenium by treatment seems not to be as meaningful. The higher LDL COP:cholesterol ratio after treatment needs further elucidation.
Linseisen
J
J
Institut für Ernährungswissenschaft der TU München, D-85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany. linseisen@weihenstephan.de.
Wilhelm
M
M
Hoffmann
J
J
Hailer
S
S
Keller
C
C
Wolfram
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001781:Blood Component Removal; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol; D012643:Selenium