18] High-performance liquid chromatography of apolipoproteins

Abstract

HPLC has been extended to the fractionation of lipoproteins and apolipoproteins and currently used in lieu of and as a complement to previous analytical and preparative separation techniques. This chapter focuses on the utilization of HPLC for the separation of the apolipoproteins contained in HDL and VLDL with particular regard to the gel permeation, anion exchange, and reverse phase modes. The chapter also describes HPLC of lipoproteins. The major advantages of HPLC in the separation of the apolipoproreins are rapidity, high resolution, and recoveries. It can also be used as a sensitive analytical probe for assessing apolipoprotein purity. However, a drawback to the use of HPLC is the high cost of the columns. Particularly, the molecular sieving columns have relatively short life times. The chapter proposes that with the development of appropriate HPLC molecular sieving columns, it should be possible to approach the problem of the isolation of the large- and small-molecular-weight forms of apoB. Apparently, HPLC has simplified the isolation and quantitation of apolipoproteins making them a readily available reagent in the laboratory.