Plasma levels of lathosterol and phytosterols in relation to age, sex, anthropometric parameters, plasma lipids, and apolipoprotein E phenotype, in 160 Dutch families

Abstract

In this study, the relation of plasma levels of lathosterol (an indicator of whole body cholesterol synthesis) and plant sterols (indicator of cholesterol absorption) with age, sex, weight, height, plasma lipids, and lipoproteins, and with apolipoprotein (apo) E phenotype, was investigated in a group of 160 nuclear families consisting of twins living with their parents. Lathosterol was higher in fathers than in mothers, but not different between boys and girls. In each of these four groups, there was a strong correlation with plasma and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and -triglyceride, as well as with body weight, but not with height or high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. In adults, lathosterol was inversely correlated with plant sterols. Lathosterol was higher in children with E4/3 phenotype than in those with E3/3 or E3/2; in adults, lathosterol did not differ among the various E phenotypes. The plasma levels of the two plant sterols, campesterol and (+sitosterol, were highly correlated with each other, and also with plasma or LDL-cholesterol, in each of the four groups. Plant sterols were higher in adults or children with E4/3 phenotype as compared with those with other phenotypes. In multivariate analysis (performed separately for two groups of adults and children) plasma cholesterol, plasma plant sterols, plasma triglycerides, and weight were found to make significant contributions to the variation of lathosterol in all groups, and E phenotype and sex only in one group, while age did not contribute in any group. For plant sterols, plasma cholesterol and lathosterol were significant independent predictors in all groups, sex and E phenotype only in one or two of the four groups, and age, weight, height, and HDL-cholesterol in none of the groups. Thus, although lathosterol and plant sterols were weakly related to E phenotype in some of the groups, these findings do not support a major role for the E phenotype in determining rates of cholesterol synthesis or absorption, as claimed by others. Copyright o 1991 by W.B. Saunders CompanyT HE RATES OF cholesterol synthesis and cholesterol absorption in man are of considerable interest in both fundamental and clinical respects. The latter has been underscored in recent years by the advent of potent and selective inhibitors of the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, rate-limiting for the overall process of cholesterol synthesis.',' These inhibitors have proven to be capable of lowering serum levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) with minimal side effects,' and have found wide acceptance already for the treatment of severe hypercholesterolemia.In 1988, we reported on the use of the serum concentration of lathosterol, a late precursor of cholesterol, as an indicator of the rate of whole body cholesterol synthesis in healthy males on normal western diets.4 In that report, we confirmed the pioneering work of Miettinen et al,[5][6][7] showing that serum levels of lathosterol and other sterol precursors changed in the same d...

Safety of long-term consumption of plant sterol esters-enriched spread

“…Serum plant sterol concentrations were analysed for all subjects, red blood cell plant sterol concentrations were analyzed in 23 randomly selected subjects consuming control spread and 23 randomly selected subjects consuming plant sterol esters spread. Blood samples and washed red blood cells were saponified and extracted and separated by capillary gas -liquid chromatography (Kempen et al, 1991) using epicoprostanol as an internal standard (CV ¼ 10%)…”

Serum lipid responses to phytosterol-enriched milk in a moderate hypercholesterolemic population is not affected by apolipoprotein E polymorphism or diameter of low-density lipoprotein particles

“…Despite the fact that most previous studies confirm the hypolipidemic effect of PS, it is not so clear whether this (Kempen et al, 1991;Geelen et al, 2002;Ishiwata et al, 2002;Lottenberg et al, 2002;Plat and Mensink, 2002;Tammi et al, 2002), one recent report concluded that PS therapy was of little value for E4 subjects with hypercholesterolemia owing to the lack of significant benefits in relation to TC and LDLc concentrations (SanchezMuñiz et al, 2009). Our results are in accordance with those of previous studies in which PS therapy was not influenced by Apo E genotype.…”

“…Our results are in accordance with those of previous studies in which PS therapy was not influenced by Apo E genotype. Among these studies, several were carried out in normocholesterolemic subjects (Kempen et al, 1991;Geelen et al, 2002;Ishiwata et al, 2002;Plat and Mensink, 2002;Tammi et al, 2002) and others were performed in a hypercholesterolemic population (Lottenberg et al, 2002;Sanchez-Muñiz et al, 2009) with different doses and different types of PS (free sterols and stanols or stanol esters).…”

Genetic Analysis of Indicators of Cholesterol Synthesis and Absorption: Lathosterol and Phytosterols in Dutch Twins and Their Parents

“…Plasma was immediately separated from the cells and stored at -20º Celsius until further use. Concentrations of lathosterol and plant sterols were measured with gas chromatography (for details see Kempen et al, 1991).…”