Lp(a) and the risk of coronary heart disease.

A screening study was performed on 106 children with familial risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and on matched controls. The two groups differed in several parameters. Children of CHD patients exhibited significantly elevated levels of Lp(a) and total cholesterol, reduced HDL apo A1 and apo A2 and increased values of serum hexuronic acid.

Elastase-type enzymes and their relation to blood lipids in atherosclerotic patients.

Serum elastase-type activity, elastase inhibitory capacity and their relation to lipids were examined in 140 male patients with ischemic vascular disease (coronary, cerebral, peripheral) and in 60 control subjects. In a further 24 patients with acute myocardial infarction elastase activity, inhibitory capacity and lipids during the course of the illness have also been investigated. Serum elastase-type activity was found to be significantly lower and inhibitory capacity significantly higher in the groups of patients than in the controls.

Lipoprotein (a) concentrations as risk indicators for atherosclerosis.

The plasma concentration of different lipoproteins were measured in 102 control children, in 42 children with a parent suffering from coronary heart disease (CHD), and in 50 children with a parent with cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Significant differences between controls and children in the other two groups were found for apolipoprotein A I, apolipoprotein B, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Children of parents with CHD differed from controls in total cholesterol and apolipoprotein A II concentrations.

[Serum elastinolytic activity and blood lipids in various clinical forms of arteriosclerosis and in acute myocardial infarct].

Serum elastase-type activity, elastase inhibitory capacity and their relation to lipids were examined in 140 male patients with ischemic vascular disease (coronary, cerebral, peripheral) and in 60 control subjects. In further 24 patients with acute myocardial infarction dynamics of elastase activity, inhibitory capacity and of lipids during the course of the illness have also been investigated. Serum elastase-type activity was found to be significantly lower, inhibitory capacity significantly higher in the groups of patients than in the controls.

Serum elastase-type enzymes and their correlation to blood lipids in male patients with atherosclerosis.

Serum elastase-type activity, elastase inhibitory capacity and their relation to lipids were examined in 140 male patients with ischaemic vascular disease (coronary, cerebral, peripheral) and in 60 control subjects. Serum elastase-type activity was found to be significantly lower, inhibitory capacity significantly higher, in the groups of patients than in the controls. HDL- and HDL2 cholesterol as well as apo A concentration showed significant negative correlation with elastase inhibitory capacity both in atherosclerotic and in control subjects.

Extracellular matrix.

A succinct overview of recent results on the biochemistry of extracellular matrix (ECM) is presented. The rapid expansion of this discipline over the best decades renders impossible to give an even approximately complete coverage of matrix biology. Some selected results concerning the four major families of macromolecules composing the ECM, that is, collagens (14 types described), elastin(s), proteoglycans and structural glycoproteins (especially fibronectin) are described.

Is the atherogenicity of Lp(a) caused by its reactivity with proteoglycans?

Apo B-containing lipoproteins from human plasma were studied for their ability to form complexes with glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and proteoglycans (PG) in the presence of Ca++ and Mg++ ions. We studied low density lipoproteins (LDL), Lp(a) as well as Lpa-, a particle generated from Lp(a) by removing the specific antigen (apo-a). The strongest reactivity with all apo B-containing lipoproteins was found with PG, followed by GAG isolated from human aorta, and by chondroitin-6-sulphate.

Physicochemical studies of two major subpopulations of low density lipoproteins by differential scanning calorimetry and n.m.r. spectroscopy.

Two subpopulations, layer 2 (density 1.025-1.029 g/ml) and layer 3 (density 1.

Interaction between fibronectin, proteoglycans and lipoproteins.

The effect of purified human plasma fibronectin on LDL-GAG and LDL-PG complex formation was studied. Fibronectin added to LDL or to GAG or even to preformed LDL-GAG-Ca2+ complexes could inhibit complex formation and dissociated preformed complexes. Similar results were obtained with total serum instead of purified LDL: 1.

Factor, present in plasma, inhibiting the interaction of low density lipoprotein with arterial proteoglycan.

The complex formation of LDL with arterial proteoglycan or glycosaminoglycan was quantitated as precipitation of LDL-cholesterol after incubation in a low ionic strength buffer containing CaCl2 and MgCl2. It was found that human plasma or serum contains a factor which inhibits this complex formation. Upon density gradient centrifugation this factor was found at d greater than 1.

Effect of glycosaminoglycans and divalent cations on the thermal properties of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine.

The effect of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and divalent cations on the thermal properties of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC)-water systems was examined in order to model some interactions taking place on low density lipoprotein (LDL) surfaces. The thermal properties of these systems were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). According to the results, all three glycosaminoglycans used (chondroitin-4-sulfate, chondroitin-6-sulfate and heparin) were effective but to a different extent.

Interaction of lipoprotein Lp(a) and low density lipoprotein with glycosaminoglycans from human aorta.

The lipoprotein complexing activity of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) prepared from human aortas with lipoprotein Lp(a) in comparison to low density lipoproteins (LDL) was determined tubidimetrically in the presence of Ca++. In control experiments, purified chondroitin-6 sulfate and proteoglycans (PG) were used. Lp(a) exhibited approximately a threefold higher reactivity.

Physicochemical and ultrastructural properties of cholesterol esters bound to elastin.

Physicochemical and ultrastructural properties of cholesterol ester complexes of fibrous elastin and of K-elastin were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electron-microscopy. The number of molecules of the different fatty acids retained in these elastin complexes varied between large limits according to the nature of the fatty acid of the cholesterol ester, ranging from 0.1 microgram/200 mg of elastin for cholesterol arachidonate to 48 micrograms/200 mg elastin for cholesterol palmitate.

The interaction of human plasma low density lipoproteins with glycosamino-glycans: influence of the chemical composition.

Human plasma of 5 normolipemic individuals was incubated for 24 hr at 37 C in the presence or in the absence of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT)-inhibitors. Plasma stored at 4 C served as a control. The low density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions of the samples were isolated and investigated with respect to changes in chemical composition and complexing activity with glycosamino glycans (GAG).

Elastase-type activity, elastase inhibitory capacity, lipids and lipoproteins in the sera of patients with ischemic vascular disease.

Elastase-type activity and elastase inhibitory capacity were determined in the sera of 130 atherosclerotic patients, suffering from ischemic vascular disease (IVD) localized at various sites, and of 60 control subjects. The concentrations of serum lipoprotein constituents (triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, apo-A, apo-B) have also been investigated. HDL cholesterol and apo-A levels were decreased at every site on IVD.

Changes in the cartilage proteoglycans in relation to age and osteoarthrosis.

Changes in the extracellular components of various connective tissues with time and continuous use, as well as within experimentally-induced and human pathological conditions, were studied by morphological, chemical and biochemical methods. Osteoarthrotic lesions were produced surgically by implantation of polyethylene sheets, by continuous compression of the knee joint, and by intraarticular papain injection. Results of the model experiments showed that, irrespective of the method used for the production of experimental cartilage lesions, the alterations are strikingly similar.

Plasma high density lipoproteins in coronary, cerebral and peripheral vascular disease. The influence of various risk factors.

High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and the HDL/total cholesterol ratio have been measured in 440 patients with coronary, cerebral or peripheral vascular disease and in 440 matched controls. The patients were subdivided into sex- and age-groups and according to physical activity, smoking, hypertension and non-insulin-dependent and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The average HDL cholesterol level was significantly decreased in all the three groups of localization of ischaemic vascular disease (IVD).

Age-related changes in the glycosaminoglycans and collagen of cultured pig endothelial cells.

Pig aortic endothelial cells were grown from aortic intimal explants. Tissue culture samples were obtained at regular intervals between the 2nd and 21st day (time-course experiments) and between the 2nd and 15th passage (influence of subcultivation). Glycosaminoglycans (GAG-s) were isolated separately from the cells and from the medium.

The effect of chondroitin-sulfate and hyaluronic acid on glycosaminoglycan and collagen synthesis and secretion by cultured arterial endothelial cells.

The effect of the addition of chondroitin-sulfate or hyaluronic acid to the culture medium on the glycosaminoglycan and collagen content and on the glycosaminoglycan composition of pig arterial endothelial cells and of the culture medium has been studied by biochemical and morphological methods. Both chondroitin-sulfate and hyaluronic acid were found to be transported to the interior of the cultured cells and then degraded. CSA, in addition enhanced collagen synthesis within the cells, but not the rate of excretion.

Changes in the physical behavior of low density lipoprotein in the presence of glycosaminoglycans and high density lipoprotein.

Temperature dependent techniques - differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing microscopy - were used to study the properties of human serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) and its glycosaminoglycan (GAG) complexes, and to investigate the influence of the addition of high density lipoprotein (HDL) to the complex system. In the LDL molecule a reversible endothermic transition took place with its peak at 33 degrees C. Cholesteryl esters within the LDL core existed as an isotropic solution above this temperature (i.

The synthesis, transport and excretion of connective tissue macromolecules by smooth muscle cells.

SMC-s both in vivo and in vitro have a function in matrix macromolecule production. Under certain conditions the synthesizing function of the SMC-s seems to be more important than their contractile function. The modified less differentiated SMC-s participate in the synthesis of connective tissue macromolecules while the differentiated "resting" SMC-s maintain the functional activity.