ENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY FOR CHOLESTERYL ESTER TRANSFER PROTEIN IN HUMAN SERUM

We developed a new simple sandwich-type enzyme immmunoassay to measure cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mass in human serum. In ass ay validation, Intra-and Inter-assay coefficients of variation were 2. 7 to 5.7% and 2.2 to 12.2%, respectively. There was no cross-reactivit y with various lipoproteins (ape A-I, apo A-II, apo B, apo C-III), A g ood correlation between CETP mass and CETP activity (n = 46, correlati on coefficient = 0.88) was observed. This assay provided a specific an d reproducible method for measuring CETP mass in samples. The average value of CETP in the normal sera of 41 males was 1.8+/-0.6 mu g/ml (me an+/-S.D.) and that of 37 females was 2.0+/-0.5 mu g/ml. In the study of patients with the CETP gene mutation (Int 14A and D442G), our resul ts on the value of plasma CETP mass reflected to genetic CETP deficien cy. In conclusion, this assay for CETP mass in human serum may be a us eful tool for clinical investigations involving lipid metabolism relat ed to disease. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.