Concentration gradient electrophoresis of plasma from patients with hyperbetalipoproteinemia.

A modification of the Pratt and Dangerfield technique of acrylamide gel concentration gradient electrophoresis has been used to study low density lipoproteins from fasting human beings. Prestained plasma from normal subjects and from patients with Fredrickson's type II hyperbetalipoproteinemia was electrophoresed in continuous gradient gel columns (approximately 3.5-8%). Reproducible low density lipoprotein patterns were obtained, and two major bands of low density lipoproteins as well as trace amounts of two to five other low density lipoproteins were seen in normal plasma. Plasmas from patients with hyperbetalipoproteinemia were more heterogeneous. Abnormal plasmas showed as many as six major low density lipoprotein bands and six minor bands. Patterns were constant for an individual but varied between patients. The major bands frequently had obviously different mobilities from those in normal plasma. Extensive experiments, using a large number and variety of mixed plasmas (normal, type II, and others) or plasmas run separately in divided gel columns, led to a numbering system of the low density lipoproteins comprised of 15 discrete bands. In addition to the changes seen in the low density lipoproteins in patients with hyperbetalipoproteinemia, reduced amounts of high density lipoproteins were consistently found.