SODIUM OLEATE PROMOTES A REDISTRIBUTION OF CHOLESTERYL ESTERS FROM HIGH TO LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS

Cholesteryl esters readily exchange between the low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) in human plasma in a process of equilibration catalysed by the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). In the present studies, in which mixtures of human LDL and HDL have been incubated in vitro with partially pure CETP, it has been found that Na oleate disrupts the CETP-mediated equilibrium between LDL and HDL and promotes a concentration dependent redistribution of cholesteryl esters from HDL to LDL. The end result of the redistribution is the appearance of a cholesteryl ester enriched LDL fraction and an HDL fraction which is protein-rich, lipid-depleted and markedly reduced in particle size. © 1990.