Mechanisms
A simple diffusion-like mathematical model estimates how much triglyceride CETP shuttles between lipoproteins from routine lipid measurements (BMC Syst Biol 2019)
Original title: A mathematical model to estimate cholesterylester transfer protein (CETP) triglycerides flux in human plasma
Although CETP is central to lipoprotein metabolism, exactly how it modulates lipoprotein composition is not fully understood. This study developed a mathematical model to estimate CETP-mediated triglyceride flux between lipoprotein fractions using only cholesteryl ester and triglyceride concentrations measured in HDL, LDL and VLDL from a plasma sample. The fluxes estimated by the model correlated with observed fluxes better than any other measured concentration or lipid-per-lipoprotein ratio, particularly for LDL (R-squared 0.567, P < 0.001) and HDL (R-squared 0.466, P < 0.001). The model treats CETP action as a diffusion-like exchange of triglycerides between lipoproteins and works independently of the exact mechanistic details of how CETP operates. The authors present it as a simple, easily applied tool for probing the role of CETP in lipid metabolism from routine measurements, a modelling contribution rather than new biological or clinical data.
Original abstract
Background: Cholesterylester transfer protein (CETP) modulates the composition of various lipoproteins associated with cardiovascular disease. Despite its central role in lipoprotein metabolism, its mode of action is still not fully understood. Here we present a simple way to estimate CETP-mediated lipid fluxes between different lipoprotein fractions.
Results: The model derived adequately describes the observed findings, especially regarding low- and high dense lipoproteins (LDL and HDL), delivering correlation coefficients of R2 = 0.567 (p < 0.001) and R2 = 0.466 (p < 0.001), respectively. These estimated fluxes correlate best among all other measured concentrations and 'lipid per lipoprotein' ratios to the observed fluxes.
Conclusion: Our model approach is independent of CETP-action's exact mechanistic mode. It is simple and easy to apply, and may be a useful tool in revealing CETP's ambiguous role in lipid metabolism. The model mirrors a diffusion-like exchange of triglycerides between lipoproteins. Cholesteryl ester and triglyceride concentrations measured in HDL, LDL and VLDL are sufficient to apply the model on a plasma sample.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.