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Serum α 1 -antitrypsin ( α 1 AT) was measured by radial immunodiffusion in 1296 healthy men aged 18–50 years. Other biological criteria, including leukocyte count and α 1 -globulins were measured and the subjects were given a detailed questionnaire on their smoking habits. Results showed a very strong positive relationship between smoking and serum α 1 AT: the heavy smokers had a serum α 1 AT 20% higher than the nonsmokers, and among subjects who stopped smoking, the level returned rapidly to normal. There were also close interrelationships between serum α 1 AT, smoking, leukocyte count and a α 2 globulins. A discussion of these results is presented.

The relations between parental history of early myocardial infarction and plasma lipids and apoproteins have been examined in a population of 4045 middle-aged (20 to 60 years old) working men at the initial examination of the Paris Prospective Study 2. Subjects with a history of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, or peripheral arterial disease or those treated with hypolipidemic drugs were excluded from the analysis. The numbers of subjects with a paternal or maternal history of early myocardial infarction were 123 and 30, respectively. After adjustment for age, cigarette consumption, alcohol consumption, and body mass index, subjects with parental history of myocardial infarction had higher levels of total cholesterol (p less than .01), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (p less than .01), and apoprotein B (APOB) (p less than .0001) and a lower level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (p less than .05) than subjects with no parental history of myocardial infarction. On the other hand, apoprotein A1 (APOA1) and triglyceride levels were not different between the two groups. The ratios of HDL/total cholesterol and APOA1/APOB were also lower in presence of parental myocardial infarction (p less than .001 and p less than .01, respectively). When a discriminant analysis was performed, only APOB level was related to parental myocardial infarction. The results for paternal and maternal history were very similar and were grouped for the analysis. We conclude that part of the known relationship between parental history of myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease could be mediated by an increased APOB level.

The mean high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level in a sample of 640 apparently healthy male employees of a branch of the Paris civil service, aged 22–56, appears high (between 56.5 and 61.8 mg/dl depending on age groups). A positive relationship between HDL-C and alcohol intake is observed only after age 30, but is revealed in all age groups when the triglyceride level is taken into account. Differences in drinking habits by age may explain this. The moderate effect of alcohol intake on HDL-C is not sufficient to account for the high mean levels observed.

Resume Des recherches anterieures ont montre que chez le lapin la surcharge cholesterolique de l'aorte induite par un regime riche en cholestero1 ne diminue pas apres I'arret de ce regirne. Pour preciser si cette evolution depend de la structure meme de l'artere ou si elle est due a une propriete plus generale du tissu conjonctif, les modifications de la teneur en cholesterol apres arret du regime enrichi sont etudiees ici simultanement dans l'aorte et dans treize autres organes et tissus (sang, foie, rate, rein, poumon, estomac, intestin, surrenale, muscle strie, cceur, tendon, cornee et sclerotique). Cinquante et un lapins mâles, âges de 3 mois, ont ete etudies. Quatorze d'eux ont re\,cu une nourriture normale (temoins). Trente-sept d'eux ont re\,cu une nourriture contenant 1% de cholesterol: 8 d'entre eux ont ete sacrifies apres 1 mois de ce regime; 8 apres 2 mois; 6 apres 4 mois; 10 apres 2 mois de regime enrichi suivis de 2 mois de regime normal, et 5 apres 4 mois de regime enrichi et 6 mois de regime normal. L'etude de la teneur en cholesterol des organes de ces animaux montre: (1) qu'au cours de la periode de regime enrichi: (a) elle augmente surtout (par ordre decroissant) dans le sang, la sclerotique, le foie, le tendon d'achille, l'aorte, la surrenale, la rate, la cornee et l'estomac; (b) cette augmentation est rapide dans le sang, le foie, la rate et la surrenale; plus lente et comme retardee au debut puis acceleree dans l'aorte, la sclerotique, le tendon et la cornee; (2) qu'apres le retour a un regime normal, la teneur en cholesterol: (a) diminue beaucoup et rapidement dans le sang, le foie, la rate; peu et lentement dans la sclerotique, le tendon, la cornee et la surrenale; (b) ne diminue pas et semble meme augmenter dans l'aorte. Ces resultats objectivent: (1) que parmi les treize organes et tissus etudies, seuls la sclerotique, le tendon, la cornee et, a un moindre degre, la surrenale ont un comportement analogue a celui de l'aorte. Cette analogie pourrait s'expliquer par l'intervention du tissu conjonctivo-histiocytaire commun a ces organes; (2) que l'aorte se distingue dans une certaine mesure de tous les autres organes etudies parce qu'elle est le seul dont la teneur en cholesterol ne diminue pas et paraisse meme augmenter. Ce fait suggere la mise en jeu d'une structure ou d'une fonction propre a l'artere. En conclusion, l'evolution de l'infiltration cholesterolique dans l'aorte du lapin pourrait resulter de l'intervention d'un double mecanisme: (1) la proliferation con-jonctivo-histiocytaire responsable de l'avidite de l'artere et aussi d'autres organes pour le cholestero1; (2) les particularites et les difficulte de la circulation des metabolites a travers l'intima responsables de l'incapacite de l'artere d'eliminer ce cholesterol.

Resume On a procede a l'aide de techinques analytiques faisant appel a la chromatographie en couche mince et a la chromatographie en phase gazeuse, a l'etude des alterations eventuelles de la molecule de cholesterol sous l'influence: (1) des manipulations classiques de biochimie (extraction, chromatographie) et (2) des radiations lumineuses, et de divers mods de conservation. Les resultats suivants ont ete obtenus: (1) Le traitement analytique est capable d'engendrer des reactions de degradation du cholesterol. Il y a formation d′un certain nombre de sterols parmi lesquels on a identifie le 7-ceto-cholesterol et le Δ3,5-cholestadiene-7-one. (2) La lumiere altere beaucoup le cholesterol a l'etat sec, sous forme libre ou esterifiee. Il se forme alors du 7α-, 7β- et 25-hydroxycholesterol qui ont p ǔ ětre identifies. Il se forme egalement a partir des esters du cholesterol, des esters de ces steediols, sans hydrolyse de la liaison sterol-acid gras. Les esters d'acides gras les plus insatures sont les plus degrades. (3) Au cours de la conservation du serum ou de solutions pures de cholesterol, les reactions de degradation paraissent beaucoup moins a redouter. Les consequences de ces phenomenes sont discutees.

Smoking habits and exposure to air pollution by car exhausts were investigated in 1418 policemen, in relation to morning carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) level. COHb is very raised in smokers and remains higher than in nonsmokers even after 8 to 10 hours of tobacco abstinence. The exposure to air carbon monoxide does not increase COHb level in nonsmokers, but might have a minor action in smokers. Nevertheless tobacco smoking is the main factor responsible for nonoccupational CO impregnation in man.

The aim of the study was to relate alpha1-antitrypsin (α1AT) serum concentration to lung function and respiratory symptoms in the general population. α1AT concentration was determined by radial immunodiffusion in 1294 young healthy men. FEV1 was measured and questionnaires on tobacco consumption and respiratory symptoms were completed. The main results were as follows: α1AT serum concentration is strongly positively correlated with tobacco consumption; there is a small, but significant negative correlation between α1AT concentration and prevalence rate of respiratory symptoms, at least in moderate and heavy smokers.