HDL biology
Sodium oleate disrupts the CETP-mediated LDL-HDL equilibrium, driving cholesteryl esters into a shrunken, lipid-depleted HDL fraction (Atherosclerosis 1990)
Original title: Sodium oleate promotes a redistribution of cholesteryl esters from high to low density lipoproteins
Mixtures of human LDL and HDL were incubated in vitro with partially purified CETP to test how sodium oleate affects the normal CETP-mediated equilibration of cholesteryl esters between the two lipoprotein classes. Sodium oleate disrupted this equilibrium and promoted a concentration-dependent redistribution of cholesteryl esters from HDL to LDL. The end result was a cholesteryl ester-enriched LDL fraction alongside an HDL fraction that became protein-rich, lipid-depleted, and markedly reduced in particle size.
Original abstract
Cholesteryl esters readily exchanges between the low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) in human plasma in a process of equilibration catalysed by the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). In the present studies, in which mixtures of human LDL and HDL have been incubated in vitro with partially pure CETP, it has been found that Na oleate disrupts the CETP-mediated equilibrium between LDL and HDL and promotes a concentration dependent redistribution of cholesteryl esters from HDL to LDL. The end result of the redistribution is the appearance of a cholesteryl ester enriched LDL fraction and an HDL fraction which is protein-rich, lipid-depleted and markedly reduced in particle size.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.