Studies on an Additional Pre-β-Lipoprotein, Sinking Pre-β (SPB)

Abstract

The occurrence on cellulose acetate and agarose gel electrophoresis of additional bands with the mobility of pre-β-lipoprotein (LP) has recently been linked to ischemic heart disease (IHD). In the present study, one of these additional pre-β-LP fractions, earlier designated as ‘pre-β-1-LP’ and now defined on agarose gel electrophoresis, was isolated by preparative ultracentrifugation and gel filtration. The characterization of this pre-β-1-LP revealed a ‘sinking pre-β-LP’ (SPB) of density 1.050–1.080 g/ml. SPB shared its major antigenic determinant with low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and resembled closely LDL with regard to its lipid composition. Specific anti-LP(a) serum confirmed the presence of LP(a) antigen in the purified SPB preparation.

Key Words:

• Composition
• electrophoresis
• LP(a)
• pre-β-lipoprotein
• sinking pre-β lipopro-tein
• ultracentrifugation