Lipidomics of Plasma High-Density Lipoprotein: Insights into Anti-Atherogenic Function

Abstract

Low concentrations of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) represent a strong, independent risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease and atherosclerosis. The association between HDL-C and CV risk is thought to reflect multiple atheroprotective properties of HDL particles. The multiple biological functions of HDL particles are directly related to the presence of key bioactive lipid and protein components. Modern LC/MS/MS lipidomic approaches can be particularly useful to provide insights into molecular determinants of atheroprotective function of HDL. First comprehensive lipidomic studies of HDL particles in healthy subjects and in patients with CV disease or CV risk factors performed using modern lipidomic approaches have provided initial insights into lipid species profiles of human plasma HDL in health and disease. Such structure-function analyses of HDL bear the potential to identify clinically relevant, atheroprotective HDL components, which can contribute to the development of HDL-based therapies specifically designed to target beneficial subspecies of circulating HDL pool. Furthermore, HDL lipidomics can help identify novel biomarkers of HDL function, which may prove useful as biomarkers of cardiovascular risk superior to HDL-C levels.