Tertov VV, Sobenin IA, Tonevitski AG, Orekhov AN
Biull Eksp Biol Med 1990 Dec 110:12 606-9

Abstract

The attempt was performed to isolate desialylated low density lipoproteins (LDL) from the blood of healthy subjects and patients with coronary heart disease by affinity chromatography with immobilized agglutinin of Ricinus communis, a lectin that interacts specifically with galactose residues. A part of LDL was bound to sorbent and could be replaced by galactose but not other saccharide constituents of the LDL molecule. Bound LDL subfraction had a 2-3-fold lower content of desialylated LDL in CAD patients was about 3-fold higher than in healthy subjects. Desialylated LDL induced a 2- to 4-fold increase of total cholesterol content in cultured human aortic intimal cells, whereas unbound LDL had no effect on intracellular cholesterol level. It is assumed that the subfraction of desialylated LDL may be responsible for the atherogenic properties of LDL in CAD patients.