Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0004153 (atherosclerosis)
 77,401 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Lipids are transported in the blood in four major classes of lipoproteins. The triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins are chylomicrons and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) which are produced by the small intestine and liver, respectively. These lipoproteins mainly carry fatty acids to adipose tissue and muscle where the triacylglycerol is hydrolysed by lipoprotein lipase. The resulting particles that remain in the blood are chylomicron remnants and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), respectively. The remnant is taken up by the liver via endocytosis which is mediated by a specific receptor for apolipoprotein E (apoE). LDL, which are rich in cholesterol, can also be taken up by the liver or extrahepatic tissues by a receptor-mediated endocytosis that specifically recognises apoB or apoE. 'Nascent' high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles are secreted by the liver and intestine and then undergo modification to become HDL3 and then HDL2 as they acquire cholesterol ester. They facilitate the reverse transport of cholesterol back to the liver. Little is known of the hormonal regulation of lipoprotein uptake by the liver. Recently, we have shown that insulin and tri-iodothyronine (T3) increase the specific binding of LDL to cultured hepatocytes whereas dexamethasone (a synthetic glucocorticoid) has the opposite effect. The changes in binding produced by insulin and dexamethasone are paralleled by alterations in the rate of degradation of apoB. These findings may in part explain the hypercholesterolaemia and increased risk of premature atherosclerosis that can be associated with poorly controlled diabetes or hypothyroidism.
 ...
PMID:The biochemistry of lipoproteins. 314 85

Thirty postmenopausal women were randomly treated with desogestrel (DG) or levonorgestrel (LN) 125 micrograms/day for 3 weeks. Desogestrel reduced the serum total and free (non-protein bound) testosterone concentrations. It caused a small decrease in the sex hormone binding globulin capacity (SHBG) but did not influence the free testosterone index (testosterone/SHBG ratio). Levonorgestrel, on the other hand, did not influence the free testosterone concentration, but caused a significant increase in the free testosterone index. Levonorgestrel reduced the HDL and particularly the HDL2 cholesterol concentrations (mean change from 1.75 to 1.45 mmol/l for HDL and from 0.73 to 0.50 mmol/l for HDL2, P less than 0.001). It also caused a reduction in the VLDL triglyceride (P less than 0.05) but not the total serum triglyceride concentration. Desogestrel did not cause any significant changes in HDL or HDL2 cholesterol concentrations, but it reduced the VLDL triglyceride (P less than 0.01) and total serum (P less than 0.05) triglyceride concentrations. Neither of the two progestins influenced the postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity or the serum cholesterol esterification rate by lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). It is therefore possible that both steroids decreased the hepatic output of triglycerides, which may be clinically important since both progestins are used in combination with ethinylestradiol (EE) which increases the hepatic TG synthesis. The failure of desogestrel to change HDL levels is consistent with earlier data on the lack of effects on HDL by non-androgenic progestins. Levonorgestrel increased the mean activity of postheparin plasma hepatic lipase (HL) from 23.3 to 28.0 mumol X h-1 X ml-1 (P less than 0.05). In contrast, this activity was not influenced by desogestrel. The magnitude of the changes in postheparin plasma HL activity and the free testosterone index (testosterone/SHBG ratio) showed significant positive correlation (+ 0.41, P less than 0.05). On the other hand, the changes in the HDL2 cholesterol and the postheparin plasma HL activity were inversely interrelated (r = 0.52, P less than 0.01). These relationships are consistent with the idea that the effects of different progestins on the HDL cholesterol are mediated by the sex steroid sensitive hepatic endothelial lipase.
Atherosclerosis 1985 Mar
PMID:Effects of two progestins with different androgenic properties on hepatic endothelial lipase and high density lipoprotein2. 315 21

The independent roles of human lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) in determining the distribution of apolipoprotein E (apo E) among the plasma lipoproteins has been studied in vitro. In one series of three studies, postheparin plasma (10%) was incubated for 2 h with autologous plasma and the changes in the lipoprotein association of apo E after lipase exposure were determined after lipoprotein fractionation on 4% agarose columns. Specificity for LPL or HTGL was achieved by inhibition with goat anti-human HTGL or with 1 M NaCl, respectively. In another study, LPL and HTGL were partially purified from human postheparin plasma. The independent effects of these enzymes on the lipoprotein association of apo E were then examined after incubation of plasma in the absence or presence of one or both lipases. Data from both types of in vitro study showed that LPL-mediated triglyceride hydrolysis in the absence of HTGL activity was accompanied by a loss of apo E from triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, a gain or no change in the apo E-containing lipoproteins the size of intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL) and inconsistent changes in the apo E mass associated with high density lipoproteins (HDL). HTGL activity, on the other hand, in the absence of LPL, resulted in a redistribution of apo E from lipoproteins the size of IDL and a gain by those of HDL size. These studies thus support previous in vivo studies which pointed toward a specific role for HTGL in the processing of apo E containing IDL.
Atherosclerosis 1988 Sep
PMID:Effect of lipoprotein lipase and hepatic triglyceride lipase activity on the distribution of apolipoprotein E among the plasma lipoproteins. 317 31

Two separate studies were carried out with acipimox, a new antilipolytic agent with long-lasting activity. First, in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study a dose of 750 mg/day of acipimox versus placebo was employed for 60 days in 11 patients with type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. Mean plasma triglyceride levels were reduced after acipimox compared to placebo (434 +/- 60 vs 777 +/- 224 mg/dl, P less than 0.01). Serum total cholesterol fell also significantly after acipimox compared to placebo. No significant alteration was observed in the HDL2/HDL3 ratio or in the concentration or composition of the HDL subfractions. Six patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia (2 type IV and 4 type V) and low lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity took part in a second, open study, lasting for 9 months. Acipimox was given at a dose of 750 mg/day for the first 6 months and 1200 mg/day for the last period. The response of serum total and VLDL triglycerides was inconsistent. HDL cholesterol was significantly raised (+33.3%) after 9 months of treatment due to changes of HDL2 and HDL3 cholesterol, phospholipid and protein concentrations. LPL activity was markedly reduced in adipose tissue at 9 months. No significant changes occurred in postheparin plasma LPL activity. In contrast, hepatic lipase activity showed a reduction of about 25% from 6 months of treatment onwards.
Atherosclerosis 1988 Feb
PMID:Effects of acipimox on serum lipids, lipoproteins and lipolytic enzymes in hypertriglyceridemia. 327 68

(1) Rats were fed on diets enriched with sucrose, beef tallow or corn oil and treated for 11-16 days with 50 mg of benfluorex per kg of body weight. By these times the growth rate and food intake were not significantly different from those of control rats. (2) Benfluorex approximately halved the concentration of circulating triacylglycerol in rats fed the beef tallow or sucrose diets. (3) It did not significantly alter the total lipoprotein lipase activity in diaphragm, heart and adipose tissue. (4) The clearance of triacylglycerols from chylomicrons exhibited two t 1/2 values of about 0.6 and 6.9 min in rats fed the beef tallow diet. Benfluorex did not significantly alter these values. (5) Benfluorex did not significantly alter the rate of appearance of triacylglycerol in the blood of rats injected with Triton WR 1339 to block triacylglycerol uptake. It did, however, decrease the rise in circulating glucose which presumably resulted from the stress of the procedure. (6) Benfluorex decreased the extent and duration of the rise in serum corticosterone when rats maintained on the corn oil diet were fed acutely with fructose. It also decreased the circulating concentrations of glycerol, triacylglycerol and glucose after fructose feeding. (7) Rats fed on the corn oil diet and then treated with benfluorex had lower concentrations of circulating glucose, triacylglycerol, glycerol and fatty acids after being injected with 2-deoxyglucose. (8) It is proposed that some of the long-term hypoglycaemic and hypotriglyceridaemic effects of benfluorex could be mediated indirectly through changes in endocrine balance, perhaps via the serotonergic system and in particular, by decreasing the effects of stress hormones relative to insulin. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to controlling metabolism in stress conditions and for the management of obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis.
 ...
PMID:Effects of chronic administration of benfluorex to rats on the metabolism of corticosterone, glucose, triacylglycerols, glycerol and fatty acid. 334 1

Prolonged exposure of rats to cigarette smoke resulted in significant alterations in the metabolism of lipids. There was a significant increase in the concentration of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids in most of the tissues, particularly the heart, aorta and lungs. Cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids decreased in the serum HDL and increased in LDL + VLDL. There was increased cholesterogenesis in the heart, lungs and liver, as evidenced by increased activity of HMG-CoA reductase and increased incorporation of labelled acetate into cholesterol. Incorporation of label into the triglycerides also increased in these tissues. Activity of lipoprotein lipase in the extrahepatic tissues was decreased. Activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme increased in the heart and lungs. There was decreased concentration of bile acids in the liver.
Atherosclerosis 1988 Apr
PMID:Effect of exposure of rats to cigarette smoke on the metabolism of lipids. 336 90

Eight male, normolipidemic, non-obese subjects were given fenofibrate (F) (300 mg daily) for eight days (period F). After a wash-out period of four weeks, phenobarbital (P) (100 mg daily) was given for eight days (period P). At the end of this period, P was continued at the same dosage but F (300 mg daily) was added and both drugs were given simultaneously for a further eight-day period (period P + F). The plasma concentrations of lipids and the plasma activities of enzymes involved in the interconversion of plasma lipoproteins: lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL) and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) were measured before and at the end of each period of treatment. Fenofibrate induced a decrease in the plasma concentration of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), apoB and an increase in the plasma activities of LPL and LCAT. Phenobarbital induced a decrease in the plasma concentration of TC, HDL-C and LDL-C (with an unchanged HDL-C/LDL-C ratio) and in the plasma activity of LPL. Addition of P to F did not modify the hypolipidemic action of F but the increase of LPL activity during period P + F was found to be greater than that observed during period F. It is concluded that P does not modify the serum lipoprotein pattern in a way which can be considered as beneficial in terms of atherosclerosis. By measuring the serum concentration of unconjugated bilirubin, the plasma clearance of antipyrine and the urinary excretion of 6 beta-hydroxycortisol as parameters of hepatic microsomal induction, F appeared to be a slight inducer as compared with P. Thus, enzyme induction cannot explain the changes in serum lipoproteins induced by P and does not modify the hypolipidemic action of F.
 ...
PMID:Changes in plasma activities of lipolytic enzymes and lipids of normolipidemic subjects given phenobarbital, a strong microsomal inducer, alone or in combination with fenofibrate. 341 May 96

Patients treated with corticosteroids often have a dyslipoproteinemia characterized by elevated plasma levels of triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol and/or decreased levels of the high density lipoprotein2 fraction of high density lipoprotein cholesterol. This study was undertaken to determine if such patients also have elevated apolipoprotein-B (apoB) levels and/or abnormalities of the activities of the triglyceride lipases in postheparin plasma. Plasma lipoprotein levels and the postheparin activities of hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase were measured in 28 women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were treated with prednisone, 10 women with SLE not treated with prednisone, and 15 normal women. The prednisone-treated group had higher mean plasma levels of triglyceride [2.06 +/- 1.3 (+/- SD) vs. 1.15 +/- 0.35 and 0.95 +/- 0.46 mmol/L; P less than 0.01], low density lipoprotein cholesterol [3.41 +/- 1.4 (+/- SD) vs. 2.79 +/- 0.67 and 2.84 +/- 0.70 mmol/L; P less than 0.01], and apoB [1.16 +/- 0.35 (+/- SD) vs. 0.82 +/- 0.13 and 0.76 +/- 0.22 g/L] than the other 2 groups. Forty-three percent of the prednisone-treated group had apoB levels of 1.20 g/L or more compared to 7% of normal subjects and none of the untreated SLE group (P less than 0.05). However, of the 12 prednisone-treated patients with elevated plasma apoB levels 5 had normal plasma lipid levels. There were no differences in the postheparin lipase activities among the 3 groups. These data indicate that corticosteroid-treated patients have elevations in apoB as well as hyperlipidemia. The lipoprotein abnormalities may explain the increased risk of atherosclerosis reported in these patients.
 ...
PMID:Elevated apolipoprotein-B levels in corticosteroid-treated patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. 341 Sep 32

To study exogenous fat metabolism, we used the vitamin A-fat loading test, which specifically labels intestinally derived lipoproteins with retinyl palmitate (RP). Postprandial RP concentrations were followed in total plasma, and chylomicron (Sf greater than 1,000) and nonchylomicron (Sf less than 1,000) fractions. In normal subjects postprandial lipoproteins were present for more than 14 h, and chylomicron levels correlated inversely with lipoprotein lipase activity and fasting high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and nonchylomicron levels correlated inversely with hepatic triglyceride lipase activity. The main abnormality in type IV patients was a 5.6-fold increase in the chylomicron fraction, whereas in type III patients it was a 6.4-fold increase in nonchylomicrons. Type IIa patients had abnormally low chylomicron fractions. In type IV patients gemfibrozil decreased, whereas in type IIa patients cholestyramine increased the chylomicron fraction 66 and 88%, respectively. This study demonstrates an unexpectedly large magnitude and long duration of postprandial lipemia in normal subjects and patients. These particles are potentially atherogenic, and their role in human atherosclerosis warrants further study.
 ...
PMID:Different patterns of postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in normal, type IIa, type III, and type IV hyperlipoproteinemic individuals. Effects of treatment with cholestyramine and gemfibrozil. 347 Mar 6

Atherosclerosis, the most frequent complication of diabetes, could be the result of hyperlipidemia, among other factors. Mounting evidence suggests that reducing the concentration of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein, which influences the production of the possibly atherogenic intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL), might diminish the circulating level of potentially atherogenic lipoproteins. Hypertriglyceridemia, even in the absence of obesity, is associated with insulin resistance. To compensate, pancreatic B cells respond to glucose challenge by producing hyperinsulinemia. If the B cells cannot respond adequately, carbohydrate intolerance ensues. Insulin-treated diabetics may also become hyperinsulinemic because routine insulin injection may not reflect physiologic need and because the insulin is administered peripherally rather than portally. Hyperinsulinemia increases the production of circulating triglyceride. It appears to do this in rats by causing the production of more triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particles rather than by increasing the triglyceride content of each particle. Further, at least in rats, the insulin-induced increase in triglyceride production requires the presence of supplementary dietary fructose. Hyperinsulinemia also increases the activity of adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase and the degradation of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). The concentration of VLDL depends on balance of production and degradation. Accelerated VLDL degradation leads to an increase in IDL production. Because there is mounting evidence that IDL may be atherogenic, this cycle could accelerate atherogenesis. As such, it is reasonable to postulate that reducing the concentration of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins would break this cycle and would diminish the circulating level of potentially atherogenic lipoproteins.
 ...
PMID:Hypertriglyceridemia and carbohydrate intolerance: interrelations and therapeutic implications. 352 Dec 48


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>