Biomaterial Database

Low density lipoprotein metabolism and lipoprotein cholesterol content in southwestern American Indians. 1979

M B Garnick, and P H Bennett, and T Langer

The prevalence of ischemic heart disease is significantly lower in southwestern American Indians than in Caucasians. To investigate this difference, the metabolism of low density lipoprotein apoprotein (apo-LDL) and plasma lipoprotein cholesterol composition were studied in 10 southwestern American Indians and 5 Caucasian controls. The plasma concentration of LDL cholesterol in American Indians was 88 +/- 5 mg/dl (mean +/- SEM) and 111 +/- 7 mg/dl in Caucasians. The corresponding values of apo-LDL concentrations were 53 +/- 3 mg/dl and 77 +/- 4 mg/dl, respectively. Conversely, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) concentrations were significantly higher in American Indians (56 +/- 4 mg/dl) than in Caucasians (37 +/- 3 mg/dl). There were no statistically significant differences in the biological half-life of apo-LDL, calculated from the second exponential of the plasma die-away curve (3.06 +/- 0.15 days vs. 3.45 +/- 0.11 days), the fractional catabolic rate of apo-LDL (0.432 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.411 +/- 0.01), or the fraction of total exchangeable apo-LDL in the intravascular space (70 +/- 1 vs. 67 +/- 3%). As derived from the absolute catabolic rate under steady-state conditions, the synthetic rate of apo-LDL in American Indians was, however, significantly lower than in Caucasians (334.6 +/- 7.8 mg/m(2) per day vs. 507.2 +/- 6.7 mg/m(2) per day; P < 0.001). These data indicate that the lower levels of plasma LDL cholesterol and apo-LDL in American Indians are due to a reduced rate of apo-LDL synthesis rather than to differences in fractional catabolic rates. These differences, in combination with higher HDL cholesterol levels, may contribute to the lower prevalence of ischemic heart disease in American Indians.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007198	Indians, North American	Members of indigenous North American populations with pre-colonial contact origins.	Amerinds, North American,Indigenous North Americans,American Indian, North,American, Indigenous North,Amerind, North American,Indian, North American,Indigenous North American,North American Amerind,North American Amerinds,North American Indian,North American Indians,North American, Indigenous
D008074	Lipoproteins	Lipid-protein complexes involved in the transportation and metabolism of lipids in the body. They are spherical particles consisting of a hydrophobic core of TRIGLYCERIDES and CHOLESTEROL ESTERS surrounded by a layer of hydrophilic free CHOLESTEROL; PHOSPHOLIPIDS; and APOLIPOPROTEINS. Lipoproteins are classified by their varying buoyant density and sizes.	Circulating Lipoproteins,Lipoprotein,Lipoproteins, Circulating
D008077	Lipoproteins, LDL	A class of lipoproteins of small size (18-25 nm) and light (1.019-1.063 g/ml) particles with a core composed mainly of CHOLESTEROL ESTERS and smaller amounts of TRIGLYCERIDES. The surface monolayer consists mostly of PHOSPHOLIPIDS, a single copy of APOLIPOPROTEIN B-100, and free cholesterol molecules. The main LDL function is to transport cholesterol and cholesterol esters to extrahepatic tissues.	Low-Density Lipoprotein,Low-Density Lipoproteins,beta-Lipoprotein,beta-Lipoproteins,LDL(1),LDL(2),LDL-1,LDL-2,LDL1,LDL2,Low-Density Lipoprotein 1,Low-Density Lipoprotein 2,LDL Lipoproteins,Lipoprotein, Low-Density,Lipoproteins, Low-Density,Low Density Lipoprotein,Low Density Lipoprotein 1,Low Density Lipoprotein 2,Low Density Lipoproteins,beta Lipoprotein,beta Lipoproteins
D008297	Male		Males
D010743	Phospholipids	Lipids containing one or more phosphate groups, particularly those derived from either glycerol (phosphoglycerides see GLYCEROPHOSPHOLIPIDS) or sphingosine (SPHINGOLIPIDS). They are polar lipids that are of great importance for the structure and function of cell membranes and are the most abundant of membrane lipids, although not stored in large amounts in the system.	Phosphatides,Phospholipid
D002784	Cholesterol	The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.	Epicholesterol
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D001053	Apolipoproteins	Protein components on the surface of LIPOPROTEINS. They form a layer surrounding the hydrophobic lipid core. There are several classes of apolipoproteins with each playing a different role in lipid transport and LIPID METABOLISM. These proteins are synthesized mainly in the LIVER and the INTESTINES.	Apolipoprotein