Decreased susceptibility of low-density lipoproteins to in-vitro oxidation after dextran-sulfate LDL-apheresis treatment

Abstract Low-density lipoproteins (LDL)-apheresis is a well established treatment of severe hypercholesterolemia resulting in fast clinical improvement and angiographically proven regression after 6 months of therapy. The underlying mechanisms, beside lipoprotein removal, are still under debate. Recently, oxidized LDL were shown to be of key importance in foam cell formation and atherosclerotic lesion development. We examined the influence of dextran-sulfate LDL-apheresis on the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation in 6 patients (5 males, 1 female, age: 41–60 years) suffering from severe heterozygous hypercholesterolemia or combined hyperlipidemia. LDL-apheresis influenced the oxidizability of LDL by a significant ( P P P 2 -isoprostanes, as measured by plasma levels of 8-iso-prostaglandin-F 2α (8-iso-PGF 2α ), reflecting oxidative stress, did not change, either. In summary, our findings provide evidence that even one single dextran sulfate LDL-apheresis treatment decreases LDL-oxidizability, which is an additional beneficial effect to that of lipid lowering.