Hypertriglyceridemia characterized by low-density lipoprotein phenotype and lipoprotein lipase gene mutation

A high serum triglyceride (TG) concentration is associated with an increase d serum concentration of small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL). To fur ther characterize the hypertriglyceridemic condition, we examined sera from 240 subjects for small, dense LDL using non-denaturing polyacrylamide grad ient gel electrophoresis. We focused on determining the frequency of the pa ttern B, which is characterized by a higher proportion of smalt, dense LDL, among hypertriglyceridemic individuals. The subjects were divided into fou r groups: a control group (TG less than or equal to 1.65 mmol/l, high-densi ty lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) less than or equal to 1.17 mmol/l; n = 7 1), a high TG group (TG > 1.65 mmol/l, HDL-C greater than or equal to 1.17 mmol/l; n = 36), a group with high TG and low HDL-C (TG > 1.65 mmol/l, HDL- C less than or equal to 0.91 mmol/l; n = 106), and a low HDL-C group (TG le ss than or equal to 1.65 mmol/l, HDL-C less than or equal to 0.91 mmol/l; n = 27). We found that pattern B occurs at a high frequency mainly in indivi duals with high TG and low HDL-C levels. We also observed an increased perc entage of LDL within the 20.0 nm to 25.5 nm particle diameter range in this group. Analysis of the lipoprotein lipase gene in this group showed that s ome mutations seem to be associated with small, dense LDL, resulting in LDL pattern B.