Increased leucocyte oxidative metabolism in hyperlipoproteinaemia.

Polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) from a group of subjects with hyperlipoproteinaemia (HLP) had higher oxidative metabolism with greater release of superoxide anion (O2-) than PMN from age-matched controls. Release of O2- was significantly correlated with serum cholesterol and light-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, PMN from HLP subjects also has higher hexose monophosphate shunt activity and chemiluminescence than controls. A causal relation was suggested by the finding that oxidative metabolism was normal in a group of HLP subjects whose lipid levels were lowered by treatment with cholestyramine.