Relation of cholesterol esterification rate to the plasma distribution of high-density lipoprotein subclasses in normal and hypertensive women.

We studied the particle size distribution of plasma high-density lipoproteins (HDL) by gradient gel electrophoresis and by assay of cholesterol esterification rate (FERHDL) in plasma depleted of very low (VLDL) and low-density (LDL) lipoproteins in 32 hypertensive women (53 +/- 10 y old) and in an age-matched group of 21 apparently healthy women. There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to their plasma total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol. The plasma triglyceride (TG) concentration was significantly higher in the group of hypertensive women, and HDL-free cholesterol was significantly lower in the hypertensive group. There were highly significantly differences in the relative proportions of HDL subclasses between the hypertensive and control women: HDL2b was significantly lower and HDL3b,c was significantly higher in hypertensive patients compared to controls. FERHDL was 12 +/- 4%/h in the control group and 18 +/- 6%/h in patients with hypertension (p < 0.001). There was a strong positive correlation between FERHDL and the relative content of HDL3b,c, and a strong negative correlation between FERHDL and HDL2b in both groups. Comparison of subgroups of healthy and hypertension pre- and postmenopausal women revealed, apart from age, no significant differences between the healthy subjects in any of the above parameters.