👤 Gerhard Puetz

Impaired triglyceride (TG) metabolism is associated with metabolic diseases. Non-steady state dynamics make studying postprandial lipid metabolism challenging. We already introduced a mathematical model to estimate cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP)-mediated TG net flux in the fasting state. Here, we expand this model to chylomicrons (CMs) and the dynamics of postprandial lipemia. Blood samples of normolipidemic, hypertriglyceridemic, and hyperchylomicronemic volunteers were drawn at fasting and postprandial state. We separated lipoprotein classes via classical sequential ultracentrifugation. To address CMs, we developed a novel method based on Airfuge® ultracentrifugation. We studied postprandial changes of lipoproteins and their components. CETP-mediated TG redistribution was modeled based on the surface and composition data of respective lipoprotein fractions and validated by corresponding measured values. Our model estimated CETP-mediated TG flux in the fasting and postprandial state with high accuracy. Even in the postprandial condition, TG net flux to LDL/HDL is dominated by VLDL. Separating CM from VLDL and modeling both fractions instead of just using the combined CM + VLDL fraction did only improve the model's accuracy slightly (by less than 7%). The proportion of ApoC3 redistributed from HDL to VLDL in postprandial lipemia is highly correlated with the change of ApoA1 in HDL2b. Our basic model is able to estimate TG redistribution via CETP among lipoproteins in postprandial lipemia of healthy and hypertriglyceridemic subjects. An additional separation of VLDL and CM is not strictly necessary to model postprandial TG flux. Our model makes postprandial lipoprotein metabolism more tangible and may help to study lipoprotein-associated pathologies. Show less

Cholesterylester transfer protein (CETP) modulates the composition of various lipoproteins associated with cardiovascular disease. Despite its central role in lipoprotein metabolism, its mode of action is still not fully understood. Here we present a simple way to estimate CETP-mediated lipid fluxes between different lipoprotein fractions. The model derived adequately describes the observed findings, especially regarding low- and high dense lipoproteins (LDL and HDL), delivering correlation coefficients of R Our model approach is independent of CETP-action's exact mechanistic mode. It is simple and easy to apply, and may be a useful tool in revealing CETP's ambiguous role in lipid metabolism. The model mirrors a diffusion-like exchange of triglycerides between lipoproteins. Cholesteryl ester and triglyceride concentrations measured in HDL, LDL and VLDL are sufficient to apply the model on a plasma sample. Show less