LDL and apoB
CETP activity is 42 percent higher in hypercholesterolemia and correlates strongly with LDL cholesterol (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 1995)
Original title: Relation between cholesterol ester transfer protein activities and lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with hypercholesterolemia and combined hyperlipidemia
CETP activity was compared among 50 normolipidemic male controls, 113 patients with hypercholesterolemia (elevated LDL cholesterol, normal triglycerides), and 47 patients with combined hyperlipidemia (elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides) to test whether CETP activity correlates with lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Hypercholesterolemic patients had 42% higher mean CETP activity than controls, with about 60% of these patients showing CETP activity outside the normal range, and a similar elevation was seen in combined hyperlipidemia patients. In the combined hyperlipidemia group, CETP activity was highly correlated with LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and non-HDL to HDL ratio, with similarly high correlations when normotriglyceridemic patients with and without elevated LDL cholesterol were combined. Since patients with elevated LDL cholesterol also had significantly lower HDL cholesterol, the authors note their results are consistent with, though not final proof of, high CETP activity contributing to elevated cholesterol and reduced HDL cholesterol in these conditions.
Original abstract
Cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) promotes the transfer of cholesterol esters among different lipoprotein classes-high-density lipoproteins (HDL), very-low-density lipoproteins, intermediate-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The current study was carried out to determine whether CETP activities are correlated with lipoprotein cholesterol levels in a large number of patients having elevated LDL cholesterol and normal triglycerides (hypercholesterolemia) and elevated LDL cholesterol and high triglycerides (combined hyperlipidemia). Compared with 50 normolipidemic male patients, 113 hypercholesterolemic patients had a 42% higher mean activity of CETP, and approximately 60% of these patients had CETP activities outside the normal range. A similar elevation of CETP was observed in 47 patients with combined hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, in those with combined hyperlipidemia, CETP activities were highly correlated with LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and non-HDL/HDL ratios. Similar high correlations were obtained by combining normotriglyceridemic patients with and without elevated LDL cholesterol. Since patients with elevated LDL cholesterol had a significantly lower mean level of HDL cholesterol, a high CETP activity also was related to a reduced HDL cholesterol level. Our results are consistent with this concept, although they do not constitute final proof that high CETP activities contribute to elevated cholesterol concentrations and reduced HDL cholesterol levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia and in those with combined hyperlipidemia.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.