GLYCATION AND LIPOPROTEINS

Since the recognition that the nonenzymatic reaction of glucose with a mino residues, resulting in glycated proteins, may be related to late complications in diabetes mellitus, this subject has gained increasing attention. The atherosclerotic risk is increased several times in dia betic patients, and a relation with the increased glycation is suspect ed. We discuss the effect of glycation of apolipoproteins on the struc ture and metabolism of lipoproteins in vitro and in vivo. The relation to other potentially atherogenic modifications of lipoproteins will b e stressed. Finally the observations will be related to the characteri stics of lipoproteins isolated from plasma of diabetic patients, with an accent on atherosclerosis.