Use of 3H-colesterol and its kinetics to assess the dynamics of the cholesterol metabolism in human lipoprotein fractions

The assessment of the dynamics of 3H cholesterols in very low, low and high density lipoproteins, resp. lipoproteins after oral administration in normal subjects and in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia type II a and II b is described. Specific activity-time-curves of the lipoprotein fractions isolated by means of discontinuous ultracentrifugation were recorded. In order to optimize the centrifugation activity-electrophoresis-profiles of the separating steps were recorded. The fractions obtained were characterized by the determination of cholesterol, agarose electrophoresis and radioactivity measurement. The turnover of the tracer in the lipoproteins was determined on the basis of the maximum values of the specific activity-time-curves. Hyperlipoproteinemia patients showed time shifts of the maximum values especially with regard to esterized cholesterols and high density lipoprotein cholesterol as compared to healthy persons. (author)