Impaired HDL (high-density lipoprotein)-mediated macrophage cholesterol efflux in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm-brief report

[Objective] The ability of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) to promote macrophage cholesterol efflux is considered the main HDL cardioprotective function. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is usually characterized by cholesterol accumulation and macrophage infiltration in the aortic wall. Here, we aim to evaluate the composition of circulating HDL particles and their potential for promoting macrophage cholesterol efflux in AAA subjects.
[Approach and Results] First, we randomly selected AAA and control subjects from Spain. The AAA patients in the Spanish cohort showed lower plasma apoA-I levels concomitantly associated with low levels of plasma HDL cholesterol and the amount of preβ-HDL particles. We determined macrophage cholesterol efflux to apoB-depleted plasma, which contains mature HDL, preβ-HDL particles and HDL regulatory proteins. ApoB-depleted plasma from AAA patients displayed an impaired ability to promote macrophage cholesterol efflux. Next, we replicated the experiments with AAA and control subjects derived from Danish cohort. Danish AAA patients also showed lower apoA-I levels and a defective HDL-mediated macrophage cholesterol efflux.
[Conclusions] AAA patients show impaired HDL-facilitated cholesterol removal from macrophages, which could be mechanistically linked to AAA.