Comparative Susceptibility to Oxidation of Different Classes of Blood Plasma Lipoproteins.

Abstract

The kinetics of free radical peroxidation of different classes of blood plasma lipoproteins (nanoparticles involved in lipid transport in the body) was studied. The susceptibility of atherogenic low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) to the Cu2+-initiated free radical peroxidation in vitro was found to be more than ten times higher than that of antiatherogenic high density lipoproteins (HDLs). The baseline content of acyl hydroperoxy derivatives of phospholipids (primary products of free radical peroxidation) in the outer layer of LDL particles in vivo measured per particle exceeded the baseline content of these compounds in HDL particles by more than an order of magnitude. The susceptibility to oxidation of the HDL2 subfraction of HDLs was higher than the susceptibility of total HDL fraction and HDL3 subfraction. The data obtained confirm an important role of free radical peroxidation of LDLs in the molecular mechanisms of vascular wall damage in atherosclerosis.