Objective: To investigate the components of subclasses of serum HDL in healthy adults and the impact of age and gender on these components.
Methods: The components of subclasses of serum HDL in 151 healthy adults were determined by two dimensional gel electrophoresis associated with immunodetection method.
Results: The average concentration of prebeta1-HDL, prebeta2-HDL, HDL(3c), HDL(3b), HDL(3a), HDL2a, and HDL(2b) were 6.11%, 4.74%, 5.97%, 11.70%, 20.27%, 21. 85%, and 29.19%, respectively. The prebeta1-HDL increased with age, whereas the HDL(2b) decreased. The components of prebeta1-HDL in men over 50 and women over 60 were significantly greater than those of the same gender who were younger than 40, while the components of HDL2b in both men and women over 50 decreased compared to those of the same gender who were younger than 40. The component of prebeta1-HDL was significantly greater in men than in women, but it was reversed for HDL(2b). The prebeta1-HDL increased with the body mass index, age, and the concentration of TG. The HDL2b decreased with age and the concentrations of TG and apoB100.
Conclusion: With the increase of age, there is a general shift toward smaller sized HDL, which indicates that the reverse cholesterol transport might be weakened. Men has smaller particle size than women.