Based on the analogy in mechanisms and events between the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and the inflammatory reaction, we investigated the impact of human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) degranulation and oxidative process on high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) structure.HDL were incubated (37°C) with PMN at a physiological ratio (370 nmol cholesterol-HDL/ml with 2X106 PMN/ml) for 15, 30 and 60 min with or without stimulating agent. PMN activation was assessed by measurement of superoxide anion generation and elastase production, which both reached peak concentration at 15 min. HDL apolipoproteins (apo) analysed by immunoblotting after SDS/PAGE and electrofocusing evidenced the following modifications: (a) a slow hydrolysis of apo A11 and apo Cs; (b) a rapid hydrolysis of apo E ; (c) a change in apo A1 isoform distribution with an increase in the most acidic isoform (AI-2) at the expense of a less acidic form (AI-1); (d) a shift of the major apo A11 isoform into two more basic forms.In contrast, no quantifiable lipid modification nor lipid oxidation, assessed by thiobarbituricacid-reactive substances (TBARS) were noted. Despite a lack of variation of TBARS, a decrease in HDL vitamin E content by 80% was observed. Since this decrease was prevented by addition of superoxide dismutase in the medium, we concluded the occurence of an oxidative process affecting HDL.Experiments with proteolytic inhibitors showed that elastase caused the proteolytic cleavage of apolipoprotein E, A11 and Cs. In contrast, apo A1 modification might involve both oxidative and proteolytic processes.Hypotheses concerning the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis now emphasize the analogy with inflammation in terms of mechanisms and events 111. This is based upon in vitro experimental results which demonstrate the role of both reactive oxygen species (ROS) Abbreviations. ROS, reactive oxygen species ; PMN, polymorphonuclear leukocytes; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, highdensity-lipoprotein; PMA, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate; OZ, opsonized zymosan; 0,-, superoxide anion; apo, apolipoprotein : TBARS, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances : SOD, superoxide dismutase ; a,-PI, a1 -proteinase inhibitor: PhMeSO,F, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride.Enzymes. SOD (EC 1.15.1.1); catalase (EC 1.11.1.6).poproteins; both these events are crucial in the etiology of atherosclerosis [5, 61. The interactions between PMN and lipoproteins have been previously investigated in terms of changes in PMN metabolism induced by the lipoproteins. Very-low-density lipoproteins and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) can modify the spontaneous and chemotactic PMN migration and the release of ROS, and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are able to promote the release of proteolytic activity from PMN [7 -91. PMN-induced modifications of LDL have been reported by various authors. PMN-modified LDL are recognized by the macrophage scavenger receptor and contribute to the formation of lipid-laden foam cells in the atherosclerotic lesion [lo-121. All these different approaches support...