Serum lipoprotein stability in atherosclerosis.

Thea:lpha toxin of Clostridium welchii is a l)otent lecithinase which (lisrup)ts the serum lilpo)rIoteins, eventually resulting in complete separation of the lipids from the protein fraction. This reaction is associated with the development of turbidity, the intensity of which is related to the quantitative level of serum lipids. The time of onset of turbidity, however, atppears to relate to the stability of the serum lipoprotein bond. Individtuals with coronary disease showed early develolnment of turbidity and high final turbidity in 64 per cent as comI)ared with 14 perl' cent in a control group and 6 per cent in a group of young normal subjects.