Special issue dedicated in memory of Dr. Edward H. Ahrens, Jr.

Abstract

This special issue of the "Cardiovascular Drug Reviews" is dedicated in memory of Dr. Edward H. Ahrens, Jr., who died on Dec. 9th, 2000 at the Princeton Medical Center in New Jersey at the age of 85. Dr. Ahrens was the Director of the Lipid Metabolism Laboratory at the Rockefeller University. Dr. Alexander Scriabine conceived the idea for the issue at the special memorial symposium held at the Rockefeller University on Feb. 05, 2002 under the auspices of The New York Lipid and Vascular Biology Research Club. Dr. Ahrens was the first president of the club. He started this club with Drs. Howard Eder and DeWitt Goodman. Dr. Eder thought that it would be a fitting attribute to honor one of the founding fathers of the club by hosting a memorial symposium. I, as the President of the club for that academic year, had no hesitation in accepting the proposal. This year will be the 40th anniversary of the club and its continued success provides a glimpse of the fine legacy left behind by Dr. Ahrens. Dr. Ahrens also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Journal of Lipid Research. This is the 43rd year of the journal and in this commemorative issue we are reproducing a review he wrote for the 25th anniversary of the journal. I was never personally acquainted with Dr. Ahrens. However, I am honored that I got this opportunity to pay tribute to a great scientist whose work has contributed immensely to the progress of lipid research. He was a person who touched many lives and still continues to do so. My involvement in the remembrance of Dr. Ahrens shows that science not only impacts your contemporaries but also generations that follow you. Scientific research is a journey where you can leave your trails behind and be remembered for your work long after your departure from this world. Dr. Ahrens contributed immensely to the understanding of cholesterol metabolism. In the early stages of his career he showed that phospholipids solubilize fat in the blood. Now we know that a monolayer of phospholipids surrounds the neutral lipid core of cholesterol esters and triglycerides in lipoproteins. This monolayer contains proteins, called apolipoproteins, which play a major role in lipoprotein catabolism. Lipoproteins are the major vehicles that transport triglycerides and cholesterol in the plasma. He also described a new form of primary biliary cirrhosis characterized by the presence of xanthomas and hyperlipidemia with normal translucent plasma. Subsequently, his group at the Rockefeller Institute developed methods for the separation of lipids using silicic acid columns, isolated highly unsaturated long chain fish oil fatty acids using gas-liquid chromatography, standardized techniques to study sterol metabolism, and introduced the concept of using beta-sitosterolemia as an internal marker for cholesterol balance studies. These studies revealed that individuals show a reproducible response to a given regimen when studied over time. In contrast, different individuals may respond differently to the same regimen. Throughout his career, Dr. Ahrens championed metabolic studies in humans and has passionately argued for the continuation of such investigations. Dr. Ahrens also left behind trails of "graduates." Several of them are currently prominent scientists in their own fields. In this issue, Drs. Davignon and Samuel share their feelings for him in the form of "Remembrance" and "Curriculum Vitae." Dr. Salen has submitted a preview of his research progress towards the understanding of sitosterolemia. Dr. Hudgins and associates have acknowledged the efforts of Dr. Ahrens in binding LDL apheresis technique to the United States of America and have previewed the use of this procedure in the treatment of hypercholesterolemic patients. The contributions of these and other graduates will keep his legacy alive for a long time to come. We are truly grateful for this opportunity to pay homage to such a distinguished scientist.