title: Heterogeneity of high-density lipoprotein in cord blood and its postnatal change.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several subclasses of HDL are demonstrated to have different roles in atherosclerosis based on adult studies, but the significance of HDL heterogeneity in the fetus and neonate has not been clarified. It has been described that the cholesterol supply from apoE-rich HDL is essential for central nerve system neuron growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five healthy, term, appropriate for gestational age neonates (38 males and 27 females) were included in the study. Serum lipoprotein analyses were performed by HPLC with gel permeation columns, which classified HDL into 5 subgroups (i.e., very large, large, medium, small, and very small) on the basis of particle size. Apolipoprotein A-I, B, and E were also determined by turbidimetric immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cord blood has higher very large and very small HDL-cholesterol levels. Cord blood apolipoprotein E was not uniformly distributed in the HDL subclasses, with a strong association with very large HDL-cholesterol levels (males, r=0.548, p<0.001; females, r=0.631, p<0.01). However, the association disappeared by 1 month of age in males; in females, the association remained during the neonatal period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that HDL may play the role of a dominant cholesterol carrier in the human fetus, and very large HDL-cholesterol have some contribution to the neurodevelopment in the fetus and neonates because of the close relationship with apolipoprotein E levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Tomoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Ikuhiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Inami
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makimoto
authors.forename: Shigeharu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosono
authors.forename: Michiyoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minato
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mugishima
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL