Abstract-Oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) obviously plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The purpose of the study was to determine whether antibodies against oxidized LDL are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). We determined the serum levels of antibodies against copper-oxidized LDL by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 58 patients with angiographically verified CAD and 34 controls without CAD. The mean antibody level, expressed in optical density units, was significantly higher in patients than in controls (0.150Ϯ0.088 versus 0.094Ϯ0.054, respectively; Pϭ0.00089). In logistic regression analysis, high antibody level against oxidized LDL was associated significantly with CAD (Pϭ0.0114), independent of age (Pϭ0.00137), gender (Pϭ0.0021), body mass index (Pϭ0.5947), triglyceride concentration (Pϭ0.9813), and total cholesterol-high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (Pϭ0.0080) group. Similar analysis in nondiabetic subjects (nϭ79) and in men only (nϭ75) showed analogous results, with only minor changes in P values. The antibody level against oxidized LDL differed significantly between nonsmokers and smokers in CAD patients (PϽ0.00197) but not in controls (PϭNS). In addition, the antibody level against oxidized LDL differed significantly between nonsmokers and smokers in subjects with low HDL cholesterol (Յ0.9 mmol/L) but not in subjects with high HDL cholesterol (Ͼ0.9 mmol/L). In conclusion, elevated levels of antibodies against oxidized LDL were associated with CAD. The data suggest that oxidized LDL plays a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and suggest a protective function for HDL against LDL oxidation.

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The effects of human native and Cuz+-oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were tested on the migration of cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in blind-well chambers. LDL oxidation was controlled by measuring the formation of conjugated dienes and lipid hydroperoxides, and by agarose gel electrophoresis. Oxidized LDL stimulated SMC migration, and the effect was dose-dependent up to 200 ,ug/ml. The stimulation was chemotactic in nature. Native LDL was without significant activity. The results suggest that oxidized LDL may contribute to the migration of medial SMCs into the intima during atherogenesis.

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