Nicotinic Acid Accelerates HDL Cholesteryl Ester Turnover in Obese Insulin-Resistant Dogs.

Aim: Nicotinic acid (NA) treatment decreases plasma triglycerides and increases HDL cholesterol, but the mechanisms involved in these change are not fully understood. A reduction in cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity has been advanced to explain most lipid-modulating effects of NA. However, due to the central role of CETP in reverse cholesterol transport in humans, other effects of NA may have been hidden.