High plasma phospholipid transfer protein levels as a risk factor for coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
Plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) mediates both net transfer and exchange of phospholipids between different lipoproteins. Animal studies have shown that it is closely related to the development of atherosclerosis. PLTP-deficient mice have demonstrated increased antioxidation potential as well as a decrease in apolipoprotein B secretion and atherosclerotic lesions. In humans, high PLTP is associated with type II diabetes and obesity.


RESULTS
To assess the relationship between PLTP activity and coronary artery disease (CAD), a novel, high-throughput method to measure plasma PLTP activity was used, relating it to CAD in 1102 cases and 444 controls. This demonstrated that PLTP activity in patients with CAD was significantly higher than in controls (25.5 versus 22.4 pmol/microL per h; P<0.0001). Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, PLTP activity was found to have independent predictive value for CAD. Patients within the highest quintile of PLTP activity revealed a 1.9-fold increase in risk for CAD compared with patients within the lowest quintile.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that PLTP activity is positively and independently related to CAD and suggest that (1) prospective studies to evaluate this relationship are warranted and (2) PLTP should be considered a therapeutic target.
Schlitt
Axel
A
Department of Medicine II, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.
Bickel
Christoph
C
Thumma
Prathima
P
Blankenberg
Stefan
S
Rupprecht
Hans J
HJ
Meyer
Juergen
J
Jiang
Xian-Cheng
XC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood; D049294:Phospholipid Transfer Proteins; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D049294:Phospholipid Transfer Proteins; D010743:Phospholipids