We examined the effects of BZ on the electrophoretic pattern of lipoproteins in eighteen patients with hypertriglyceridemia and/or hypoHDL-cholesterolemia, using high resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Lipo-Print LDL system, Quantimetri Co., USA).
Plasma triglyceride, apoprotein B, C and E levels decreased and plasma HDL-cholesterol, apoprotein AI and AII levels increased after one to six months with BZ (400mg/day) treatment.
Three IDL subfractions (IDEA, B, C) and seven LDL subfractions (LDL1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) were demonstrable according to each relative mobility (Rm) in this system. Normal subjects had the major band of large LDL2 or LDL3 and the minor band of IDLB or IDLC. The patients had a more heterogeneous distribution than normal of LDL subfractions with bands mainly shifted toward the smaller LDL 4 through 6, and IDLB and IDLC simultaneously appeared as a broad band, occasionally associated with IDLA (midband).
BZ reduced the distribution ratios of LDL4 (13.1% to 8.7%), LDL6 (4.0% to 0.2%) and IDLA (9.6% to 0%). The number of LDL subfractions was decreased (3.4 to 2.1) and the midband disapeared (fourteen cases to none) with BZ treatment. The number of LDL subfractions and the sum of distribution ratios of LDL4 through 6 were positively correlated with only plasma triglyceride levels.
BZ may have anti-atherogenetic effects both on serum lipids and on lipoprotein subfraction profiles monitored by the LipoPrintLDL system in the dyslipidemic patients.
