title: Gradient gel electrophoretic separation of LDL and HDL subclasses on BioRad Mini Protean II and size phenotyping in healthy Macedonians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lipoprotein subclass determinations provide a more detailed reflection of lipoprotein metabolism and an accurate prediction for risk of cardiovascular disease. Gradient gel electrophoresis for lipoprotein separation on Pharmacia electrophoretic apparatus has been most commonly used for many years.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this paper, we describe a new method for separating LDL and HDL subclasses by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gradient (3-31%) gel electrophoresis, using BioRad Mini Protean II electrophoretic cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean particle diameters of cholesterol-stained LDL and HDL lipoproteins were estimated after calibrating the gels with size standards, using fractional absorbance profiles. For the first time in the Republic of Macedonia, lipoprotein distribution and size phenotyping were studied in 345 healthy individuals. Large LDL subclasses (phenotype A) were dominant in 88.5% of the population, whereas small LDL subclasses (phenotype B) were dominant in 11.5%. The mean dominant LDL size was 26.08+/-0.8 nm. Five HDL subclasses were separated on the same gels, and HDL2b and HDL2a (larger) were dominant in healthy Macedonians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antiatherogenic, larger LDL and HDL particles are most commonly found in healthy populations in the Republic of Macedonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Experimental Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, 50 Divizija No. 6, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia. alabak@freemail.org.mk
authors.forename: Sonja B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Alabakovska
authors.forename: Bojana B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Todorova
authors.forename: Danica D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Labudovic
authors.forename: Katerina N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Tosheska
mesh_terms: D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D012016:Reference Values; D018843:Republic of North Macedonia
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL