title: Plasma lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase and carotid intima-media thickness in European individuals at high cardiovascular risk.
abstract: Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is the enzyme responsible for cholesterol esterification in plasma. LCAT is a major factor in HDL remodeling and metabolism, and it has long been believed to play a critical role in macrophage reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). The effect of LCAT on human atherogenesis is still controversial. In the present study, the plasma LCAT concentration was measured in all subjects (n = 540) not on drug treatment at the time of enrollment in the multicenter, longitudinal, observational IMPROVE study. Mean and maximum intima-media thickness (IMT) of the whole carotid tree was measured by B-mode ultrasonography in all subjects. In the entire cohort, LCAT quartiles were not associated with carotid mean and maximum IMT (P for trend 0.95 and 0.18, respectively), also after adjustment for age, gender, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides. No association between carotid IMT and LCAT quartiles was observed in men (P=0.30 and P=0.99 for mean and maximum IMT, respectively), whereas carotid IMT increased with LCAT quartiles in women (P for trend 0.14 and 0.019 for mean and maximum IMT, respectively). The present findings support the concept that LCAT is not required for an efficient reverse cholesterol transport and that a low plasma LCAT concentration and activity is not associated with increased atherosclerosis.
authors: Center E. Grossi Paoletti, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Calabresi
authors: Damiano
authors: D
authors: Baldassarre
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Simonelli
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Gomaraschi
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Amato
authors: Samuela
authors: S
authors: Castelnuovo
authors: Beatrice
authors: B
authors: Frigerio
authors: Alessio
authors: A
authors: Ravani
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Sansaro
authors: Jussi
authors: J
authors: Kauhanen
authors: Rainer
authors: R
authors: Rauramaa
authors: Ulf
authors: U
authors: de Faire
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Hamsten
authors: Andries J
authors: AJ
authors: Smit
authors: Elmo
authors: E
authors: Mannarino
authors: Steve E
authors: SE
authors: Humphries
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Giral
authors: Fabrizio
authors: F
authors: Veglia
authors: Cesare R
authors: CR
authors: Sirtori
authors: Guido
authors: G
authors: Franceschini
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Tremoli
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