Metabolism of oxidized LDL by macrophages

Oxidation products of lipids and proteins are found in atherosclerotic plaq ue and in macrophage foam cells. Macrophages avidly endocytose in-vitro oxi dized LDL and accumulate sterols. What is the evidence that such a process is involved in in-vivo foam cell formation? The present review surveys curr ent knowledge on the metabolism of oxidized LDL by macrophages, and the typ es, amounts and location of oxidation products that accumulate in these cel ls. Comparable studies of lesion lipoproteins and foam cells indicate that limited extracellular lipoprotein oxidation, perhaps followed by more exten sive intracellular oxidation subsequent to uptake by macrophages, is a more likely scenario in vivo. Curr Opin Lipidol 11:473-43. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.