Comparative Electrophoretic Profiles of Serum Lipoproteins

Abstract

Reduction of hyperlipoproteinemias is accepted almost universally as one way to retard atherogenesis. An enormous research and development effort is expended each year in the search for hypolipidemic drugs. Rats or mice are generally used in the primary screening and subsequent follow-up testing for hypolipoproteinemic agents. But the lipoproteins of both rats and mice are quite different quantitatively and qualitatively from human lipoproteins. Clearly better animal models simulating the human lipoprotein spectrum are needed for atherosclerosis research, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. The primary requirement for such an animal model is an elevated low density lipoprotein (LDL) level and a high LDL/HDL ratio. Secondary considerations include size, cost, and ease of handling and maintenance of the animal. Size and cost are major considerations for drug screening, since compounds are usually available in only very small quantities and large numbers of animals are required. The purpose of this investigation was to survey the electrophoretic profiles of serum lipoproteins of several animals in an effort to discover a better animal model for human serum lipoproteins suitable for drug evaluations.