Role of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in atherogenesis.

The hypothesis that chylomicron cholesterol is a causal factor in the accumulation of cholesterol in atheromatous lesions is compatible with the finding reported here that hypercholesterokmia in the cholesterol-fed rabbit is due, at least, in part, to the accumulation of chylomicron remnants. The presence of lipoprotein lipase in aorta suggests the possibility that chylomicron remnants are formed on the arterial surface and that they may be deposited in the deeper layers of the arterial wall without prior release into the bloodstream. Consequently, the cholesterol-rich lipo-proteins in the plasma may be the product rather than the precursor of the atherogenic process.