Triglyceride-Rich Lipoprotein Cholesterol Exceeds Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Hypertriglyceridemia Patients

Abstract

The atherogenicity of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein has been revealed. This study was performed to explore the clinical importance of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein by measuring its cholesterol content and comparing it with other lipoprotein fractions. Blood samples were obtained from 103 patients whose fasting plasma triglyceride concentration exceeded 300 mg/dl. The cholesterol monitor using the technique of high-performance liquid chromatography was used for the measurement of their plasma cholesterol concentrations and the determination of cholesterol distribution among lipoprotein fractions. This monitor showed 4 peaks: large-triglyceride-rich lipoprotein, small-triglyceride-rich lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein. Total cholesterol increased with increasing triglyceride. The increment of total cholesterol was nearly equal to that of small-triglyceride-rich lipoprotein cholesterol. Small-triglyceride-rich lipoprotein cholesterol exceeded low-density lipoprotein cholesterol where plasma triglyceride concentration was over 500 mg/dl. In conclusion, triglyceride-rich lipoprotein may be clinically important for hypertriglyceridemic patients as a source of cholesteryl ester in arteriosclerotic plaques, and increased triglyceride-rich lipoprotein cholesterol may be used as a basis for hypertriglyceridemia atherogenicity. Our study suggests that hypertriglyceridemia should be treated to prevent arteriosclerotic disease.

New Insights into How Adipocytes Sense their Triglyceride Stores. Is Cholesterol a Signal?

“…An established point is that the relationship between fat cell size and cholesterol content is conserved in humans [19], as in rodents, independently of the differences that exist between the two species in the nature of lipoparticles that transport circulating cholesterol. Moreover, the importance of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein cholesterol over LDL cholesterol in humans has been established in hypertriglyceridelic patients [59]. Although little is known about the cholesterol status of adipocytes from obese human patients, the high degree of conservation of the SREBP pathway between species suggests that adipocyte cholesterol unbalance should lead to similar consequences in both species.…”