isolation of hdl2 and hdl3 assessment of concentration of cholesterol

the major lipoprotein classes are heterogenous. human serum high-density-lipoproteins (hdl) are separated into two major subfractions (hdl2, d=1.063-1.125 g/ml, hdl3, d=1.125-1.210 g/ml) by a simple double precipitation method. there was a strong inverse relation between hdl-cholesterol (hdl-c) and subfractions hdl2-c and hdl3-c with atherosclerosis. this study demonstrated that hdl-c (p<0.001) and both hdl2-c (p<0.001) and hdl3-c (p<0.01) levels are significantly lower (hdl-c=-35%, hdl2-c=-52%, and hdl3-c=-26%) in the atherosclerosis patients (coronary-heart-disease) than normal subjects. this data supports the proposal that the latter surfation is the major contributor to the anti atherogenic role of serum hdl-c, hdl2-c and hdl3-c.