VARIABILITY IN CHOLESTEROL CONTENT AND PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF LIPOPROTEINS CONTAINING APOLIPOPROTEIN B-100

The primary objective of this study was to determine the variability i n cholesterol carrying capacity of low density lipoproteins (LDLs) and other apolipoprotein B (ape B)-containing lipoproteins in normolipide mic men. One hundred and fifty-nine normolipidemic men, ages 21 to 73 years, were enrolled. In addition to determining plasma lipids and lip opropoteins, three primary measurements were made: ratios of cholester ol to apo B in LDL; the electrophoretic pattern of LDL, i.e. pattern A , AB, or B; and levels of cholesterol in all lipoproteins other than h igh density lipoproteins (nonHDL-cholesterol) along with total apo B. First, the data revealed that about 85%, of the variability of LDL-cho lesterol levels can be accounted for by LDL-apo B levels, whereas the remaining 15% can be explained by differences in LDL-cholesterol/apo B ratios. Second, LDL electrophoretic pattern A was the predominant pat tern in young adult men, but in older men the pattern shifted increasi ngly to AB and B. And third, there was a high correlation between nonH DL-cholesterol levels and total apo B levels, which suggests that nonH DL-cholesterol can be used as a relatively accurate surrogate for tota l apo B levels in normolipidemic individuals.