TABLE 1.

Average VLDL, IDL, LDL, HDL, and plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels (mg/dl), and plasma apo B100, apo B48, and apo E levels in heterozygous LDLr-deficient rabbits fed a 0.15% cholesterol diet or in homozygous LDLr-deficient rabbits fed normal chow

	LDLr+/− Diet		LDLr−/−
	Male	Female	Male	Female
VLDL cholesterol	190 ± 8.5	170 ± 7.3	64 ± 2.8****	110 ± 3.0c,****
IDL cholesterol	210 ± 8.0	230 ± 14	180 ± 10*	280 ± 6.2c,****
LDL cholesterol	82 ± 9.1	68 ± 4.0	200 ± 10****	170 ± 8.8a,****
HDL cholesterol	24 ± 1.7	26 ± 1.0	25 ± 2.0	23 ± 1.3
Plasma cholesterol	500 ± 19	500 ± 19	470 ± 14	590 ± 14c
VLDL triglycerides	29 ± 4.9	9.0 ± 3.5a	27 ± 1.2	41 ± 3.8a
IDL triglycerides	39 ± 1.6	23 ± 4.5a	120 ± 26*	150 ± 11****
LDL triglycerides	38 ± 8.1	17 ± 6.5	40 ± 12	30 ± 4.5
HDL triglycerides	23 ± 4.1	13 ± 3.8	10 ± 3.5	9.1 ± 4.0
Plasma triglycerides	130 ± 29	62 ± 6.3a	190 ± 18	230 ± 21****
Plasma apo B100	1.0 ± 0.049	0.83 ± 0.12	1.5 ± 0.078****	1.9 ± 0.059b,****
Plasma apo B48	0.11 ± 0.0089	0.090 ± 0.015	0.088 ± 0.014	0.071 ± 0.020
Plasma apo E	1.0 ± 0.074	1.1 ± 0.061	0.89 ± 0.11	0.84 ± 0.045***

Data are expressed as means ± SEM (n = 7 to 10 for each condition). The atherogenic diet was initiated in the heterozygous rabbits at the age of 3 months. Lipoproteins were isolated by ultracentrifugation of plasma samples obtained at the age of 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, and subsequently every 3 months till the age of 21 months. Average values for the 18 months follow-up period were obtained by dividing the area under the curve by time. Plasma apo B100 and apo B48 levels are expressed relative to the apo B100 value in male LDLr^+/− rabbits on diet. Plasma apo E levels are expressed relative to the apo E value in male LDLr^+/− rabbits on diet. *: P < 0.05, **: P < 0.01, ***: P < 0.001, ****: P < 0.0001 for difference between heterozygous rabbits on diet and homozygous rabbits.

^aP < 0.05.

^bP < 0.001.

^cP < 0.0001 for sex difference.