Pharmacological intervention using reconstituted high-density lipoprotein changes in the lipid profile in spontaneously hypersensitive rats.

Reconstituted (r) high-density lipoprotein (HDL) protects against coronary artery disease by promoting reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), thereby preventing atherosclerosis. In addition, rHDL has many pleiotropic effects, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-thrombotic properties. In this study, the effects of chronic rHDL administration on blood pressure (BP), plasma lipoprotein, and charge-based HDL subfractions were examined. Thirteen male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were randomly divided into two groups [control group (n = 6) and rHDL group (n = 7)] which received infusions of placebo [phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)] or rHDL (containing apolipoprotein A-I 6 mg/kg) administered intravenously every other day for 3 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured regularly every 4 days from the beginning of the study. Three weeks after the beginning of the study, cardiac functions were recorded by echocardiography and plasma samples were collected. Although there were no significant differences in SBP, cardiac functions, or biochemical parameters between the two groups, intermediate-migrating HDL (iHDL) in the rHDL group (0.68 +/- 0.04) was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.81 +/- 0.03) based on an analysis by capillary isotachophoresis. In conclusion, chronic administration of rHDL decreased iHDL. Further investigations are needed to understand the mechanisms by which rHDL affects lipid profiles and its relation to clinical outcomes.