Unique features of high-density lipoproteins in the Japanese: in population and in genetic factors

Continuous and Marked Increase of Japanese HDL Associates Paradoxically with their Nutritional Shift

AIMS

Plasma HDL has evidently increased for decades among Japanese, exclusively in HDL particles containing apoA-I but not A-II. Its metabolic background is yet to be elucidated.

METHODS

Trends in plasma lipoproteins were analyzed by examining data on total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol, which are available in the public database of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of Japan (NHNESJ) and in the clinical data of SRL Co., from 1989 to 2019, estimating cholesterol (C) in non-HDL, VLDL, LDL, and sub-fractions of LDL using the equations by Sampson et al. Food intake and supply data in NHNSJ and in the UN Food and Agriculture Organization were also analyzed in relation to the lipoprotein analysis.

RESULTS

HDL-C levels showed a steady increase in men and women throughout the period as per the data retrieved in NHNSJ and SRL data. It is noted to be higher in women than men (from 46.8 to 52.7, and from 58.4 to 68.3 in mg/dl, respectively). Triglyceride and VLDL-C were higher in men but sex difference was not apparent in non-HDL-C and LDL-C levels, while these parameters slightly decreased in both sexes. The increase in HDL was most prominent in women in the age of 50 - 59 (from 57.0 to 73.4). The age-dependent HDL trend was reversed among women during the study period, as increasing instead of decreasing. This increase in HDL was found to coincide with lowered fish/meat ratio in food intake among Japanese.

CONCLUSION

Marked increase in plasma HDL among Japanese is age- and sex-dependent and exhibited an apparent paradoxical association with lowered fish/meat ratio in their diet. Further investigation is required to elucidate the background for these findings.

Serum cholesterol levels and the risk of brain natriuretic peptide-diagnosed heart failure in postmenopausal women: a population-based prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Hormonal changes during menopause can disturb serum cholesterol which is closely associated with cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the prospective association between serum cholesterol and heart failure (HF) risk in postmenopausal women.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 1,307 Japanese women, aged 55 to 94 years. All women had no history of HF, and their baseline brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were less than 100 pg/mL. During the follow-ups conducted every 2 years, HF was diagnosed among women who developed BNP of 100 pg/mL or greater. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to calculate hazard ratios and 95% CI of HF for women per their baseline total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. The Cox regression models were adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking, hypertension, diabetes, cardiac murmurs, arrhythmia, stroke or ischemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and lipid-lowering agent use.

RESULTS

Within an 8-year median follow-up, 153 participants developed HF. In the multivariable-adjusted model, women with total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL or greater (compared with 160-199 mg/dL) and HDL-C of 100 mg/dL or greater (compared with 50-59 mg/dL) showed an increased risk of HF: hazard ratios (95% CI) = 1.70 (1.04-2.77) and 2.70 (1.10-6.64), respectively. The results remained significant after further adjusting for baseline BNP. No associations were observed with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

CONCLUSIONS

Total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL or greater and HDL-C of 100 mg/dL or greater were positively associated with the risk of HF in postmenopausal Japanese women.

Beneficial Effect of Cuban Policosanol on Blood Pressure and Serum Lipoproteins Accompanied with Lowered Glycated Hemoglobin and Enhanced High-Density Lipoprotein Functionalities in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, and Double-Blinded Trial with Healthy Japanese

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 20 mg of Cuban policosanol in blood pressure (BP) and lipid/lipoprotein parameters of healthy Japanese subjects via a placebo-controlled, randomized, and double-blinded human trial. After 12 weeks of consumption, the policosanol group showed significantly lower BP, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. The policosanol group also showed lower aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GTP) levels at week 12 than those at week 0: A decrease of up to 9% (p < 0.05), 17% (p < 0.05), and 15% (p < 0.05) was observed, respectively. The policosanol group showed significantly higher HDL-C level and HDL-C/TC (%), approximately 9.5% (p < 0.001) and 7.2% (p = 0.003), respectively, than the placebo group and a difference in the point of time and group interaction (p < 0.001). In lipoprotein analysis, the policosanol group showed a decrease in oxidation and glycation extent in VLDL and LDL with an improvement of particle shape and morphology after 12 weeks. HDL from the policosanol group showed in vitro stronger antioxidant and in vivo anti-inflammatory abilities. In conclusion, 12 weeks of Cuban policosanolconsumption in Japanese subjects showed significant improvement in blood pressure, lipid profiles, hepatic functions, and HbA1c with enhancement of HDL functionalities.

Effect of CSL112 (apolipoprotein A-I [human]) on cholesterol efflux capacity in Japanese subjects: Findings from a phase I study and a cross-study comparison

CSL112 (apolipoprotein A-I [apoA-I, human]) is a novel drug in development to reduce the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events following acute myocardial infarction by increasing cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC). This phase I study aimed to compare the pharmacokinetics (PKs), pharmacodynamics (PDs), and safety of CSL112 in Japanese and White subjects. A total of 34 Japanese subjects were randomized to receive a single infusion of CSL112 (2, 4, or 6 g) or placebo and 18 White subjects were randomized to receive a single dose of 6 g CSL112 or placebo, followed by PK/PD assessment and adverse events monitoring. In addition, PK/PD parameters were compared across the CSL112 clinical development program. Plasma exposure of apoA-I increased in a dose-dependent but nonlinear manner in Japanese subjects receiving a single dose of CSL112. Mean baseline-corrected area under the curve from 0 to 72 h (AUC_0-72 ) increased from 840 to 6490 mg h/dl, in the 2 and 6 g cohorts, respectively, followed by dose-dependent increase of CEC. The plasma PK profile of apoA-I and increases in total and ATP binding cassette transporter A1 dependent CEC were comparable in Japanese and White subjects. The geometric mean ratio (Japanese:White) for plasma apoA-I AUC_0-72 and maximum plasma concentration (C_max ) was 1.08 and 0.945, respectively. Cross-study comparison analysis demonstrated similar CSL112 exposure and CEC enhancement in Japanese and non-Japanese subjects (including patients with cardiovascular disease) and further confirmed consistent PKs/PDs of CSL112. This study suggests CSL112 acutely enhances CEC and is well-tolerated with no differences between Japanese and White subjects.

HDL Receptor in Schistosoma japonicum Mediating Egg Embryonation: Potential Molecular Basis for High Prevalence of Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein Deficiency in East Asia

Schistosomiasis is a life-threatening parasitic disease caused by blood flukes, Schistosomes. In its intestinal type, the parasites reside in visceral/portal veins of the human hosts and lay eggs to excrete in feces via intestinal tracts, and some of the aberrant eggs plug into the liver via the portal blood flow. Ectopic growth of these eggs causes fatal granulomatosis and cirrhosis of the liver. The parasites ingest nutrients from the host blood plasma by using nonspecific and specific transport via their body surface and alimentary tracts. It is especially important for the female adults to obtain lipid molecules because they synthesize neither fatty acids nor sterols and yet produce egg yolk. Low-density lipoprotein receptors have been identified in the body of the Schistosomes but their functions in the parasite life cycle have not clearly been characterized. On the other hand, CD36-related protein was identified in the body and the eggs of Asian blood fluke, Schistosoma japonicum, and characterized as a molecule that mediates selective uptake of cholesteryl ester from the host plasma high-density lipoproteins (HDLs). This reaction was shown crucial for their eggs to grow to miracidia. Interestingly, abnormal large HDL generated in lack of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is a poor substrate for this reaction, and, therefore, CETP deficiency resists pathogenic ectopic growth of the aberrant parasite eggs in the liver. This genetic mutation is exclusively found in East Asia, overlapping with the current and historic regions of Schistosoma japonicum epidemic, so that this infection could be related to high prevalence of CETP deficiency in East Asia.

Unraveling the Complexity of HDL Remodeling: On the Hunt to Restore HDL Quality

Increasing evidence has cast doubt over the HDL-cholesterol hypothesis. The complexity of the HDL particle and its proven susceptibility to remodel has paved the way for intense molecular investigation. This state-of-the-art review discusses the molecular changes in HDL particles that help to explain the failure of large clinical trials intending to interfere with HDL metabolism, and details the chemical modifications and compositional changes in HDL-forming components, as well as miRNA cargo, that render HDL particles ineffective. Finally, the paper discusses the challenges that need to be overcome to shed a light of hope on HDL-targeted approaches.

Pharmacometric analyses to characterize the effect of CSL112 on apolipoprotein A-I and cholesterol efflux capacity in acute myocardial infarction patients

AIMS

To characterize relationships between apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) exposure and cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) and covariate effects following CSL112 (apoA-I [human]) administration in an integrated population including acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients.

METHODS

A pharmacometric analysis utilized data from seven clinical trials, including patients with AMI, subjects with renal impairment and healthy subjects. A population pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis was performed to relate CSL112 doses to changes in apoA-I plasma concentrations. Covariate analysis was conducted to identify sources of variability in apoA-I exposure. Exposure-response modeling was conducted to describe the relationship between apoA-I exposure and total or ATP binding cassette transporter A1-(ABCA1)-dependent CEC and to identify clinical predictors of CEC.

RESULTS

A two-compartment model described apoA-I PK. ApoA-I clearance was slightly lower in subjects with AMI, whereas baseline apoA-I was marginally higher in female and Japanese subjects. Covariate effects on apoA-I exposure were in the order of 10% and thus not clinically relevant. The relationships between apoA-I exposure and CECs were described by nonlinear models. Simulations showed CEC elevation resulting from apoA-I exposure increment was comparable in AMI and non-AMI subjects; no covariate had clinically meaningful effects on CEC. Simulations also demonstrated that CEC in patients with AMI post 6 g CSL112 dosing was substantially elevated compared to placebo and lower dose levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The model-based exposure-response analysis demonstrated, irrespective of body weight, sex and race, that fixed 6 g CSL112 dosing causes a desired CEC elevation, which may benefit AMI patients by potentially reducing early recurrent cardiovascular event risk.

Determinants and correlates of adipose tissue insulin resistance index in Japanese women without diabetes and obesity

INTRODUCTION

Determinants and correlates of a novel index of adipose tissue insulin resistance (AT-IR) (the product of fasting insulin and free fatty acid concentrations) were investigated in Japanese women without diabetes and obesity.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Cross-sectional associations of AT-IR with fat mass and distribution, and IR-related cardiometabolic variables were examined in 210 young and 148 middle-aged women whose average body mass index (BMI) was <23 kg/m² and waist was <80 cm. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to identify most important determinants of AT-IR.

RESULTS

Young and middle-aged women did not differ in AT-IR (3.5±2.7 and 3.2±2.1, respectively). In both young and middle-aged women, AT-IR was positively associated with trunk/leg fat ratio, a sophisticated measure of abdominal fat accumulation, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting triglycerides (FTG), serum alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (all p<0.05). Furthermore, in middle-aged but not in young women, AT-IR showed positive associations with BMI, waist, fat mass index, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) (all p<0.05). AT-IR showed no association with hemoglobin A1c, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 in two groups of women. On multivariate analysis including waist, FPG, FTG, HDL cholesterol and systolic BP as independent variables, FPG, FTG and HDL cholesterol emerged as independent determinants of AT-IR in young women (cumulative R²=0.141) and waist in middle-aged women (cumulative R²=0.056). In a model which included trunk/leg fat ratio instead of waist, trunk/leg fat ratio and systolic BP were determinants of AT-IR in middle-aged women (cumulative R²=0.093). Results did not alter in young women.

CONCLUSIONS

AT-IR may be a simple and useful surrogate index of adipose tissue insulin resistance even in populations without diabetes and obesity.

Emerging roles for high-density lipoproteins in neurodegenerative disorders

Lipoproteins are the complexes of different lipids and proteins, which are devoted to the transport and clearance of lipids or lipid-related molecules in the circulation. Lipoproteins have been found to play a crucial role in brain function and may influence myelination process. Among lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) and their major protein component, apoA-I, are directly involved in cholesterol efflux in the brain. It has been suggested that inadequate or dysfunctional brain HDLs may contribute to cerebrovascular dysfunctions, neurodegeneration, or neurovascular instability. HDL deficiency could also promote cognitive decline through impacting on atherosclerotic risk. The focus of this review is to discuss knowledge on HDL dysregulation in neurological disorders. A better understanding on how changes in cellular HDL and apolipoprotein homeostasis affect central nervous system function may provide promising novel avenues for the treatment of specific HDL-related neurological disorders.

Profiling of plasma metabolites in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome

Objective:

The aim of the study was to investigate the associations of amino acids and other polar metabolites with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in postmenopausal women in a lean Asian population.

Methods:

The participants were 1,422 female residents enrolled in a cohort study from April to August 2012. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III modified for Japanese women. Associations were examined between MetS and 78 metabolites assayed in fasting plasma samples using capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry. Replication analysis was performed to confirm the robustness of the results in a separate population created by random allocation.

Results:

Analysis was performed for 877 naturally postmenopausal women, including 594 in the original population and 283 in the replication population. The average age, body mass index, and levels of high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of the entire population were 64.6 years, 23.0 kg/m², 72.1 mg/dL, and 126.1 mg/dL, respectively. There was no significant difference in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels between women with and without MetS. Thirteen metabolites were significantly related to MetS: multiple plasma amino acids were elevated in women with MetS, including branched-chain amino acids, alanine, glutamate, and proline; and alpha-aminoadipate, which is generated by lysine degradation, was also significantly increased.

Conclusions:

Our large-scale metabolomic profiling indicates that Japanese postmenopausal women with MetS have abnormal polar metabolites, suggesting altered catabolic pathways. These results may help to understand metabolic disturbance, including in persons with normal body mass index and relatively high levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and may have clinical utility based on further studies.

Different Associations of Plasma Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Vascular Dementia, and Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose

Cognitive and cerebrovascular diseases are common in the elderly, but differences in the plasma levels and associations of plasma biomarkers in these diseases remain elusive.

Methods

The present study investigated differences in plasma fatty acids [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)], adiponectin, reptin, plasma markers of inflammation [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and serum amyloid A (serum AA)], and plasma lipids [high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)] in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n=266), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n=44), vascular dementia (VaD) (n=33), and ischemic stroke (IS) (n=200) in comparison to normal controls (n=130).

Results

The serological data showed that lower EPA and DHA levels and higher reptin and LDL levels were associated with AD and IS, the reptin/adiponectin ratio was strongly associated with IS, the hsCRP level was more strongly associated with VaD and IS, and the serum AA level was associated with all three cognitive diseases and IS.

Conclusions

This is the first report of differences in the expression levels of plasma biomarkers and peripheral arterial tonometry among AD, MCI, VaD, and IS patients and normal controls. These different associations indicate that diverse pathological mechanisms underlie these diseases.

ApoA-I/A-II-HDL positively associates with apoB-lipoproteins as a potential atherogenic indicator

Background

We recently reported distinct nature of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) subgroup particles with apolipoprotein (apo) A-I but not apoA-II (LpAI) and HDL having both (LpAI:AII) based on the data from 314 Japanese. While plasma HDL level almost exclusively depends on concentration of LpAI having 3 to 4 apoA-I molecules, LpAI:AII appeared with almost constant concentration regardless of plasma HDL levels having stable structure with two apoA-I and one disulfide-dimeric apoA-II molecules (Sci. Rep. 6; 31,532, 2016). The aim of this study is further characterization of LpAI:AII with respect to its role in atherogenesis.

Methods

Association of LpAI, LpAI:AII and other HDL parameters with apoB-lipoprotein parameters was analyzed among the cohort data above.

Results

ApoA-I in LpAI negatively correlated with the apoB-lipoprotein parameters such as apoB, triglyceride, nonHDL-cholesterol, and nonHDL-cholesterol + triglyceride, which are apparently reflected in the relations of the total HDL parameters to apoB-lipoproteins. In contrast, apoA-I in LpAI:AII and apoA-II positively correlated to the apoB-lipoprotein parameters even within their small range of variation. These relationships are independent of sex, but may slightly be influenced by the activity-related CETP mutations.

Conclusions

The study suggested that LpAI:AII is an atherogenic indicator rather than antiatherogenic. These sub-fractions of HDL are to be evaluated separately for estimating atherogenic risk of the patients.

Food intake patterns and cardiovascular risk factors in Japanese adults: analyses from the 2012 National Health and nutrition survey, Japan

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing global interest in the role of Japanese diet as a possible explanation for the nation's healthy diet, which contributes to the world's highest life-expectancy enjoyed in Japan. However, nationwide studies on current food intake status among general Japanese population have not been established yet. This study examined the association between food intake patterns and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) such as waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (SBP, DBP), HbA1c and blood lipid profiles among general Japanese adults.

METHODS

De-identified data on the Japan National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHNS) 2012 with a total of 11,365 subjects aged 20-84 years were applied. Food intake patterns were derived by principal component analysis (PCA) based on 98 food groups. Generalized linear regression analysis was used to assess the relation between the food intake patterns and CVRF.

RESULTS

We identified three food intake patterns: traditional Japanese, Westernized, and meat and fat patterns. Traditional Japanese pattern was significantly related to high WC and BMI in men, and high DBP in women. Westernized pattern was associated with lower SBP, but high total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in both men and women. Meat and fat pattern was associated with high WC, high BMI, high blood pressure and blood lipid profiles in both men and women (trend P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The significant association between cardiovascular disease risks and three food intake patterns derived from the NHNS, showed a similar tendency to other dietary survey methods.

Bioinformatic Analysis of Plasma Apolipoproteins A-I and A-II Revealed Unique Features of A-I/A-II HDL Particles in Human Plasma

Plasma concentration of apoA-I, apoA-II and apoA-II-unassociated apoA-I was analyzed in 314 Japanese subjects (177 males and 137 females), including one (male) homozygote and 37 (20 males and 17 females) heterozygotes of genetic CETP deficiency. ApoA-I unassociated with apoA-II markedly and linearly increased with HDL-cholesterol, while apoA-II increased only very slightly and the ratio of apoA-II-associated apoA-I to apoA-II stayed constant at 2 in molar ratio throughout the increase of HDL-cholesterol, among the wild type and heterozygous CETP deficiency. Thus, overall HDL concentration almost exclusively depends on HDL with apoA-I without apoA-II (LpAI) while concentration of HDL containing apoA-I and apoA-II (LpAI:AII) is constant having a fixed molar ratio of 2 : 1 regardless of total HDL and apoA-I concentration. Distribution of apoA-I between LpAI and LpAI:AII is consistent with a model of statistical partitioning regardless of sex and CETP genotype. The analysis also indicated that LpA-I accommodates on average 4 apoA-I molecules and has a clearance rate indistinguishable from LpAI:AII. Independent evidence indicated LpAI:A-II has a diameter 20% smaller than LpAI, consistent with a model having two apoA-I and one apoA-II. The functional contribution of these particles is to be investigated.

Dyslipidemia and the Risk of Developing Hypertension in a Working-Age Male Population

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is one of the main comorbidities associated with dyslipidemia. This study aimed to examine the extent to which dyslipidemia increases the risk of developing hypertension in a Japanese working-age male population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We analyzed data from 14 215 nonhypertensive male workers (age 38±9 years) who underwent annual medical checkups. Subjects were followed up for a median of 4 years to determine new-onset hypertension, defined as blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90 mm Hg or use of antihypertensive medication. The associations between serum lipid levels and development of hypertension were examined. During the follow-up period, 1483 subjects developed hypertension. After adjusting for age, body mass index, impaired fasting glucose/diabetes, baseline BP category, alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, and parental history of hypertension, subjects with a total cholesterol (TC) level ≥222 mg/dL were at a significantly increased risk of developing hypertension (hazard ratio: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.06-1.56) compared to subjects with a TC level ≤167 mg/dL. Similar results were observed for subjects with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) levels. A U-shaped relationship was found between HDLC level and risk of hypertension; compared to the third quintile, the multiadjusted hazard ratio was 1.22 (95% CI: 1.03-1.43) in the lowest quintile and 1.34 (95% CI: 1.12-1.60) in the highest quintile.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated serum levels of TC, LDLC, and non-HDLC were associated with an increased risk of hypertension in working-age Japanese men. For HDLC, risk of hypertension was increased at both low and high levels.