Relationship between cholesterol synthesis/absorption marker and vascular function in healthy subjects

Abstract

Recently, inhibition of absorbed cholesterol has been reported to reduce the recurrence of vascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome. However, the effect of absorbed cholesterol on atherosclerosis in healthy subjects remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between cholesterol synthesis and absorption biomarkers, and vascular elasticity or morphological changes in healthy subjects. Methods: Among 580 subjects who underwent a complete medical checkup between 2012 and 2015, 256 healthy subjects (male/female: 161/95; mean age, 55±10 years) who did not receive any medication were included in the present study. We measured blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose level, lipid parameters, lathosterol level (cholesterol synthesis marker), and campesterol level (cholesterol absorption marker). We then analyzed the relationship between these measured values and vascular elasticity (cardio-ankle vascular index [CAVI]) or carotid arterial plaque score (CAPS). Results: The CAVI and CAPS significantly correlated with the campesterol-to-lathosterol ratio (CAVI; r=-0.20, p=0.015; CAPS; r=-0.16, p=0.023). Multivariate analysis of conventional atherosclerotic factors and campesterol-to-lathosterol ratio for CAVI and CAPS as the objective variables showed that age, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio, and campesterol-to-lathosterol ratio were the significant determining factors for CAVI, and age and campesterol-to-lathosterol ratio were the determining factors for CAPS. Discussion: We found that absorbed cholesterol is closely related to vascular elasticity and morphological changes, and that a higher balance of absorption could induce favorable effects on atherosclerosis in healthy subjects. These findings might propose new nutritional guidance for healthy subjects.