Hypertriglyceridemia is associated with preβ-HDL concentrations in subjects with familial low HDL

Pre beta-HDL particles act as the primary acceptors of cellular cholesterol in reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). An impairment of RCT may be the reason for the increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in subjects with familial low HDL. We studied the levels of serum pre beta-HDL and the major regulating factors of HDL metabolism in 67 subjects with familial low HDL and in 64 normolipidemic subjects. We report that the subjects with familial low HDL had markedly reduced pre beta-HDL concentrations compared with the normolipidemic subjects (17.4 +/- 7.2 vs. 23.4 +/- 7.8 mg apolipoprotein A-I/dl; P < 0.001). A positive correlation was observed between pre beta-HDL concentration and serum triglyceride (TG) level (r = 0.334, P = 0.006). In addition, serum TG level was found to be the strongest predictor of pre beta-HDL concentration in subjects with familial low HDL. The activities of cholesteryl ester transfer protein and hepatic lipase were markedly increased in subjects with familial low HDL without a significant correlation to pre beta-HDL concentration.