There is indirect evidence that the oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) may be involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Modification of LDL by oxidation may lead to its unregulated uptake by intimal macrophages to form foam cells. Because of the complexity of events occurring during LDL oxidation, we have tested whether LDL modified directly with 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), a major pr...

The monocyte/macrophage appears to be the precursor of many of the lipid-laden cells in atherosclerotic lesions, but the mechanism by which these cells accumulate cholesterol to become foam cells remains unclear. We have previously reported that cultured endothelial cells can modify low density lipoprotein (LDL) in a manner that leads to rapid uptake by the acetyl LDL receptor of macrophages. T...

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in the artery wall may contribute to atherogenesis. A number of physiologically plausible modifications have been studied in vitro, including oxidation, aggregation, formation of complexes with glycosaminoglycans, and generation of LDL-immune complexes. Several studies of the properties of LDL e...

One of the first events in atherogenesis is modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles in the arterial wall with ensuing formation of aggregated and fused lipid droplets. The accumulating particles are relatively depleted in phosphatidylcholine (PC). Recently, secretory phospholipase A2 (PLA2), an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing LDL PC into fatty acid and lysoPC molecules, has been f...

The ability of the scavenger receptor of human monocyte macrophages to recognize human low density lipoproteins (LDL) progressively modified by three lysine-specific reagents, malondialdehyde, acetic anhydride, or succinic anhydride, has been investigated. Regardless of the reagent utilized, receptor-mediated uptake was dependent upon modification of greater than 16% of the peptidyl lysines rat...

Atherogenic modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, as modified LDL, but not native LDL, induces pronounced accumulation of cholesterol and lipids in the arterial wall. It is likely that LDL particles undergo multiple modifications in human plasma: desialylation, changes in size and density, acquisition of negative electric char...

Oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) generates a form that is degraded much more rapidly by macrophages and may thus be more atherogenic than unoxidized LDL. Recently, we provided evidence that oxidative modification of LDL may play a significant role in the generation of fatty streaks in the LDL receptor-deficient rabbit. The major lipoprotein in cholesterol-fed animals is t...

1. Mouse resident peritoneal macrophages in culture modified human 125I-labelled low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to a form that other macrophages took up about 10 times as fast as unmodified LDL. The modified LDL was toxic to macrophages in the absence of serum. 2. There was a lag phase of about 4-6 h before the LDL was modified so that macrophages took it up faster. A similar time lag was observ...

The commonly-accepted “oxidized LDL hypothesis of atherogenesis” is based on a large number of indirect evidence that shows that oxidatively-modified LDL plays a role in atherogenesis. Yet, the exact role is not clear. Some researchers think that oxidatively modified biomolecules initiate atherogenesis; others believe that they “only” promote this multifactorial process. Regardless of the exact...