Activity of low-density lipoprotein receptors as estimated from concentrations of apolipoprotein B and C-II in serum.

The correlation between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity and concentrations of lipids and apolipoproteins in serum was examined in 12 subjects with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and in four with non-FH type II hyperlipoproteinemia. Concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and of apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, C-II, and C-III were significantly positively correlated with LDL receptor activity, whereas LDL receptor activity was significantly inversely correlated with LDL cholesterol and apo B concentrations, and with apo ratios B/A-I and B/A-II. Neither total serum cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipid, apo A-I, nor apo E concentrations correlated significantly with LDL receptor activity. Multiple regression analysis, with LDL receptor activity as the dependent variable, revealed concentrations of apo B and apo C-II to be the principal determinant factors. To confirm this, we subsequently calculated the LDL receptor activities before and after administration of CS-514, an inhibitor of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase (EC 1.1.1.88), which increases the hepatic LDL receptor activity and decreases the concentration of cholesterol in serum. This drug increased calculated LDL receptor activities significantly, with a significant decrease in serum cholesterol.