Remodelling of high density lipoproteins by plasma factors

Evidence that the high density lipoproteins (HDL) in human plasma are antia therogenic has stimulated considerable interest in the factors which regula te their structure and function. Plasma HDL consist of a number of subpopul ations of particles of varying size, density and composition. This structur al heterogeneity is caused by the continual remodelling of individual HDL s ubpopulations by various plasma factors. One of the consequences of this re modelling is that the HDL subpopulations in plasma are functionally diverse , particularly in terms of their antiatherogenic properties. This review do cuments what is currently known about the interaction of HDL with plasma fa ctors and presents an overview of the remodelling of HDL which occurs as a consequence of those interactions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. A ll rights reserved.