EFFECTS OF TREATMENT WITH BEZAFIBRATE ON LIPOPROTEIN-LIPASE ACTIVITY AND MASS IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTRIGLYCERIDEMIA

The activity and mass of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in postheparin plasm a (PHP) from patients with hypertriglyceridemia coupled with hypertens ion, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia were investigated in order to clarify the cause of hypertriglyceridemia and the effects of bezafibrate (CAS 41859-67-0), a novel lipid lowering agent. Eight wee ks of treatment with bezafibrate (200 mg/d) lowered plasma total chole sterol and triglyceride by 7 and 39%, respectively, and increased plas ma high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol by 23% in the patients ( n = 15). The LPL activity and mass of PHP in the patients were found t o be lower than in the normal controls. The LPL activity and mass of P HP in the patients before treatment with bezafibrate (n = 15) were 2.0 5 +/- 1.06 mu mol/ml/h and 147 +/- 45 ng/ml, respectively, whereas aft er treatment with 200 mg/d of bezafibrate for 8 weeks, these values we re 3.62 +/- 1.30 mu mol/ml/h (p < 0.01) and 226 +/- 57 ng/ml (p < 0.05 ), respectively. The increases of LPL mass were positively correlated with the decrease of triglyceride levels during the same period. These results suggest that the expression of LPL enzyme protein is impaired in patients with hypertriglyceridemia coupled with hypertension, impa ired glucose tolerance and hyperinsulinemia, and the impaired expressi on of LPL recovers during treatment with bezafibrate, resulting in imp rovement of hypertriglyceridemia.