Removal of Plasma Low Density Lipoprotein by Adsorption Chromatography with Porous Glass

Abstract

Treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia with diet, medication or operation has met with discouraging results. Previous reports suggested that plasmapheresis or extracorporeal removal of low density lipoprotein (LDL) by means of heparin agarose beads could successfully treat severe hypercholesterolemia.
We studied a removal of plasma LDL by adsorption chromatography with porous glass. Following results were obtained.
1) Batch and column chromatography with porous glass decreased the concentrations of plasma cholesterol.
2) The porous glass bound LDL and high density lipoprotein (HDL), the binding of the LDL being greater than that of HDL.
3) The porous glass did not alter the concentrations of various serum enzymes and electrolytes, but, a slight decrease was noticed in the total serum protein.
4) Plasma cholesterol concentrations were reduced in WHHL rabbit after extracorporeal treatment of plasma over porous glass.
These data suggested that a removal of plasma LDL by extracorporeal treatment of plasma over porous glass might be an effective method for reducing the plasma cholesterol in familial hypercholesterolemia.