[Mononuclear phagocytes in peripheral blood as cellular markers of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism].

The functional specialization related to tissue-specific immune surveillance mononuclear phagocyte differentiation is characterized by and increased by and expression of scavenger receptors and synthesis of apo E. Apo E heterogeneity related to different patterns of the cellular uptake and metabolism of lipoproteins represents an interesting genetical model for the analysis of the interaction between cellular lipid metabolism and monocyte differentiation. In a preliminary study of the expression of differentiation dependent antigens on monocytes of hypercholesterolemic patients they observed an altered expression density of maturation associated antigens on monocytes from patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia. The abnormalities of mononuclear phagocytes may correlate with the cardiovascular state within hypercholesterolemic patients. This stimulated the authors to perform a more detailed study of the immunological phenotypes of circulating blood monocytes and their subpopulations as potential diagnostic parameters which may correlate to the atherogenic risk, status of atherosclerosis or therapy response in patients with hypercholesterolemia.