LIPOPROTEINS IN PRIMARY BILIARY CIRRHOSIS 1

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Abstract
Lipoproteins in the plasma of a woman with biliary cirrhosis were examined by chemical, physical-chemical, and immunological methods. Preliminary fractiona-tion of plasma by Cohn method number 10 and subsequent examination of density gradients made of the lipoproteins floated from the Cohn fractions have permitted separation and analysis of several atypical protein-lipid combinations not distinguishable by examination of the unfractionated plasma. Only traces of high density or alpha lipoproteins are found and the presence of normal low density or beta lipoproteins can be inferred only from immunological tests and at present account for only a relatively small part of the greatly increased plasma lipids. Most of the lipids are combined atypically with beta globulins as low density lipoproteins. Three separate abnormal lipoproteins were partially characterized. In all of them the peptide in proportion to analyzed lipid is less than in normal beta lipoproteins. Cholesterol phospholipid ratios are also less than normal and the concentration of esterified cholesterol is low or even absent. Gofman flotation analysis of the plasma in biliary cirrhosis shows that molecules within the Sf 10-20 classes form the major portion of the spectrum and in far greater concentrations than seen in atherosclerosis. Despite similar flotation rates, chemical analyses indicate the lipoproteins in biliary cirrhosis differ from those in atherosclerosis.