ABNORMAL LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS COMPOSITION IN SOME CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS: A POSSIBLE MECHANISM

Abstract

Decreased plasma low density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apo B) levels are observed in heavy alcohol drinkers. LDL composition was determined in 16 alcohol addicts immediately after a period of alcohol abuse. Cholesterol to apo B ratio in the LDL fraction was significantly higher in the alcoholic group when compared with controls. In half of them the ratio exceeded 1.75. LDL subfractionation-showed that in all subjects with atypically high LDL cholesterol to apolipoprotein B ratio, most of the LDL was in the form of a light subfraction. Acerylation in vitro showed that the heavy LDL subfraction was modified to a greater extent than the light subfraction. This suggests that the low apo B levels often observed after heavy drinking may arise from enhanced removal of the heavy LDL subfraction from the bloodstream.