Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Plasma kinetics of a cholesterol-rich emulsion in young, middle-aged, and elderly subjects

  • Articles
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) plasma concentration is increased in the elderly. In this group, the incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) is greater and LDL remains an important risk factor for CAD development. In this study, the plasma kinetics of a cholesterol-rich emulsion that binds to LDL receptors was studied in 10-subject groups of the elderly (70±4 yr), middle-aged (42±5 yr) and young (23±2 yr). All were normolipidemic, nonobese, nondiabetic subjects who did not have CAD. The emulsion was labeled with 14C-cholesteryl oleate and injected intravenously into the subjects. Blood samples were drawn at regular intervals over 24 h to determine the plasma decay curve of the emulsion radioactive label and to estimate its plasma fractional clearance rate (FCR, in h−1). FCR of the emulsion label was smaller in elderly compared to young subjects (0.032±0.035 and 0.071±0.049 h−1, respectively; mean±SD, P<0.05). FCR of the middle-aged subjects (0.050±0.071 h−1) was intermediate between the values of the elderly and young subjects, although not statistically different from them. A negative correlation was found between the emulsion FCR and subjects’ age (r=−0.47, P=0.008). We conclude that aging is accompanied by progressively diminished clearance of the emulsion cholesterol esters and, by analogy, of the native LDL.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

apo:

apolipoprotein

CAD:

coronary artery disease

LDE:

cholesterol-rich emulsion that resembles the lipidic portion of LDL

LDL:

low density lipoprotein

References

  1. Miller, N.E. (1984) Why Does Plasma Low Density Lipoprotein Concentration in Adults Increase with Age?, Lancet 1 (8371), 263–267.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Castelli, W.P., Garrison, R.J., Wilson, W.F., Abbott, R.D., Kalousdian, S., and Kannel, W.B. (1986) Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease and Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels: The Framingham Study, JAMA 256, 2835–2838.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kreisberg, R.A., and Kasim, S. (1987) Cholesterol Metabolism and Aging, Am. J. Med. 82 (Suppl. 1B), 54–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hazzard, W.R. (1996) Atherosclerosis and Aging: A Scenario in Flux, Am. J. Cardiol. 16, 20H-24H.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Brown, M.S., and Goldstein, J.L. (1986) A Receptor Mediated Pathway for Cholesterol Homeostasis, Science 232, 34–47.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Grundy, S.M., Veja, G.L., and Bilheimer, D.W. (1985) Kinetic Mechanisms Determining Variability in Low Density Lipoprotein Levels and Rise with Age, Arteriosclerosis 5, 623–630.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ericksson, S., Ericksson, M., Vitols, S., Einarsson, K., Berglund, L., and Angelin, B. (1991) Influence of Age on the Metabolism of Plasma LDL in Healthy Males, J. Clin. Invest. 87, 591–596.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Millar, J.S., Lichtenstein, A.H., Cuchel, M., Dolnikowski, G.G., Hachev, D.L., Cohn, J.S., and Schaefer, E.J. (1995) Impact of Age on the Metabolism of VLDL, IDL, and LDL Apolipoprotein B-100 in Men, J. Lipid Res. 36, 1155–1167.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Maranhão, R.C., Cesar, T.B., Pedroso-Mariani, S.R., Hirata, M.H., and Mesquita, C.H. (1993) Metabolic Behavior in Rats of a Nonprotein Microemulsion Resembling Low Density Lipoprotein, Lipids 28, 691–696.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Mahley, R.W., and Innerarity, T.L. (1983) Lipoprotein Receptors and Cholesterol Homeostasis, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 737, 197–222.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Maranhão, R.C., Roland, I.A., Toffoletto, O., Ramires, J.A., Gonçalves, R.P., Mesquita, C.H., and Pileggi, P. (1997) Plasma Kinetic Behavior in Hyperlipidemic Subjects of a Lipidic Microemulsion That Binds to LDL Receptors, Lipids 32, 627–633.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Maranhão, R.C., Garicochea, B., Silva, E.L., Llacer, P.D., Cadena, S.M.S., Coelho, J.C., Meneghetti, J.C., Pileggi, F.J.C., and Chamone, D.A.F. (1994) Plasma Kinetics and Biodistribution of a Lipid Emulsion Resembling Low-Density Lipoprotein in Patients with Acute Leukemia, Cancer Res. 54, 4660–4666.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Radiation Protection (1984) Part I. Limits for Intakes of Radionuclides by Workers (Sowby, F.S., ed.), International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 30, Pergamon, Oxford, England.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Maranhão, R.C., Feres, M.C., Martins, M.T., Mesquita, C.H., Toffoletto, O., Vinagre, C.G.C., Gianinni, S.D., and Pileggi, F. (1996) Plasma Kinetics of a Chylomicron-Like Emulsion in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease, Atherosclerosis 126, 15–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Friedewald, W.T., Levy, R.I., and Fredrickson, D.D. (1972) Estimation of the Concentration of Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Plasma, Without Use of the Preparative Ultracentrifuge, Clin. Chem. 18, 499–502.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ginsburg, G.S., Small, D.M., and Atkinson, D. (1982) Microemulsion of Phospholipids and Cholesterol Esters. Protein-Free Models of Low Density Lipoprotein, J. Biol. Chem. 257, 8216–8227.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Folch, J., Lees, M., and Sloane Stanley, G.H. (1957) A Simple Method for the Isolation and Purification of Total Lipides from Animal Tissues, J. Biol. Chem. 226, 497–509.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Matthews, C.M.E. (1957) The Theory of Tracer Experiments with 131I-Labeled Plasma Proteins, Phys. Med. Biol. 2, 36–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Rubin, S.M., Sidney, S., Black, D.M., Browner, W.S., Hulley, S.B., and Cummings, S.R. (1990) High Blood Cholesterol in Elderly Men and the Excess Risk for Coronary Heart Disease, Ann. Int. Med. 113, 916–920.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Aviram, M., Lund-Katz, S., Phillips, M.C., and Chait, A. (1988) Influence of the Triglyceride Content of LDL on the Interaction of Apo B-100 with Cells, J. Biol. Chem. 32, 16842–16848.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Reisinger, R.E., and Atkinson, D. (1990) Phospholipid/Cholesteryl Ester Microemulsions Containing Unesterified Cholesterol: Model Systems for Low Density Lipoproteins, J. Lipid Res. 31, 849–858.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Redgrave, T.G., and Maranhão, R.C. (1985) Metabolism of Protein-Free Lipid Emulsion Models of Chylomicrons in Rats, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 835, 104–112.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Hirata, R.D.C., Hirata, M.H., Mesquita, C.H., Cesar, T.B., and Maranhão, R.C. (1999) Effects of Apolipoprotein B-100 on the Metabolism of a Lipid Microemulsion Model in Rats, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1437, 53–62.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Ho, Y.K., Smith, R.G., Brown, M.S., and Goldstein, J.L. (1978) Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Receptor Activity in Human Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Cells, Blood 52, 1099–1114.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Morton, R.E. (1999) Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein and Its Plasma Regulator: Lipid Transfer Inhibitor Protein, Curr. Opin. Lipidol. 10, 321–327.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Vinagre, C.G., Negrão, C.E., Rondon, M.U., Alves, M.J., Morikawa, A.T., Figueiredo, P.R., and Maranhão, R.C. (2000) Exercise Training Accelerates Low-Density Lipoprotein Catabolism as Evaluated by a Cholesterol-Rich Emulsion, Atherosclerosis 151, 281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Heart Institute, Medical School Hospital (InCor-HCFMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil

    Lígia B. Pinto, Mauricio Wajngarten, Edson L. Silva & Raul C. Maranhão

  2. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Carmen C. Vinagre & Raul C. Maranhão

Authors
  1. Lígia B. Pinto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mauricio Wajngarten
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Edson L. Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Carmen C. Vinagre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Raul C. Maranhão
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raul C. Maranhão.

About this article

Cite this article

Pinto, L.B., Wajngarten, M., Silva, E.L. et al. Plasma kinetics of a cholesterol-rich emulsion in young, middle-aged, and elderly subjects. Lipids 36, 1307–1311 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0845-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0845-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation