title: LCAT-dependent conversion rate is a determinant of plasma prebeta1-HDL concentration in healthy Japanese.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prebeta1-HDL acts as a primary acceptor of cellular cholesterol. Prebeta1-HDL is converted into alpha-migrating high-density lipoprotein (HDL) by lecithin/cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). We examined whether the LCAT-dependent conversion rate of prebeta1-HDL is a determinant of the plasma prebeta1-HDL concentration in healthy Japanese.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the conversion half time (CHT(prebeta1)), the time required for 50% of baseline prebeta1-HDL to be changed into alpha-migrating HDL by LCAT, in 100 healthy Japanese (47 men, 53 women, 22-88 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prebeta1-HDL concentration, as determined by immunoassay, was significantly lower in younger women (<50 years, n=24) than in older women (>or=50 years, n=29) (16.8+/-3.3 vs. 21.7+/-8.0 mg/l apolipoprotein AI (apoAI), p<0.01). There was no significant difference in prebeta1-HDL concentration between younger (n=24) and older (n=23) men (21.2+/-6.8 vs. 22.5+/-6.6 mg/l apoAI). The mean CHT(prebeta1) for all subjects was 47.4+/-13.0 min, and was not influenced by gender or age. Prebeta1-HDL concentration was positively correlated with CHT(prebeta1) in both men and women, suggesting that high prebeta1-HDL levels may reflect delayed conversion of prebeta1-HDL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LCAT-dependent conversion rate is a determinant of plasma prebeta1-HDL concentration in healthy Japanese. We speculate that prebeta1-HDL concentration may be used as a metabolic marker for HDL maturation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Preventive Medicine, Department of Community Preventive Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Asahimachi 1-757, Niigata, Niigata 951-8510, Japan. miida@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miida
authors.forename: Konen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Obayashi
authors.forename: Utako
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seino
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kosuge
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hanyu
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000378:metabolism; D044466:Asian People; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D053442:High-Density Lipoproteins, Pre-beta; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D053442:High-Density Lipoproteins, Pre-beta; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase