The fatty acid composition of serum low density lipoprotein- and lymphocyte cholesterol esters in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

The content of free and esterified cholesterol in serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) was measured in 19 children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and in 10 normal siblings. In FH both free and esterified cholesterol were found to be elevated. Furthermore the fatty acid composition of serum LDL- and lymphocyte cholesterol esters was determined. However, no difference was found between FH heterozygotes and normals thus indicating that LDL-hypocatabolism typically found in FH does not correlate with an abnormal fatty acid composition of LDL-cholesterol esters nor with an impaired cholesterol esterification intracellularly in lymphocytes.