Lipoprotein disorders historical perspective

Lipoprotein Disorders Microchapters
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Overview
Causes
Classification Hyperlipoproteinemia Hypolipoproteinemia
Treatment

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Rim Halaby, M.D. [2]

Overview

From the early 1950s onward, Fredrickson specialized in the study of plasma lipoproteins, compounds of proteins and lipids which transport lipids in the blood. However, the study of lipids in the blood has started early in the 1900's. In 1949, Faraday Society in Birmingham organized the first symposium on lipoproteins and seperated for the first time lipoproteins into alpha and beta types. More progress on the understanding of the nature and function of lipoprotein continued throughout the years, and in 1970 Fredrickson classified the lipids in the blood as different types of lipoproteins in the famous "Fredrickson classification" which shifted the traditional name of hyperlipidemia into hyperlipoproteinemia. Since then, more and more studies were conducted on lipoproteins which lead to the discovery of lipoprotein receptors, enzymes and genes and the association between the levels of specific lipoprotein levels and cardiovascular risks and mortality.

Historical Perspective

• In 1901, Nerking reported that the removal of lipids necessitates proteolysis.
• In 1920, Macheboeuf succeeded to precipapitate lipid-protein complex following the treatment of horse serum by ammonium sulfate.
• In 1949, Faraday Society in Birmingham organized the first symposium on lipoproteins and seperated for the first time lipoproteins into alpha and beta types
• In 1951, Barr and its team were the first to report an association between low levels of alpha lipoproteins and CAD risks.
• In 1960, studies about abetalipoproteinemia and Tangier disease initiated the search for specific lipoproteins.
• In 1970, Fredrickson classified the lipids in the blood as different types of lipoproteins in the famous "Fredrickson classification" which shifted the traditional name of hyperlipidemia into hyperlipoproteinemia. The classification was based according the electophoretic patterns of the lipoproteins.
• Since then, more and more discoveries about lipids and lipoproteins are being recorded, such as involved genes, receptors and enzymes. In addition, a lot of focus was drawn towars the association between lipoprotein disorders and cardiovascular risks which stimulated a lot of researchers to study novel drugs that can treat lipoprotein disorders and hence decrease cardiovascular mortality.

• Shown below is a figurative illustration of a lipoprotein from 1954.

• Shown below is an image depicting the history of lipoproteins. As Fredrickson illustrates with this lecture slide, the knowledge of plasma lipoproteins expanded greatly between the early 1950s, when he first illustrated the nature of plasma lipoproteins (see lecture slide entitled "Figurative illustration of a lipoprotein", from 1954), and the 1990s. He used this slide for the National Institutes of Health's first Donald S. Fredrickson lecture, "Phenotyping: On Reaching Base Camp (1950-1975)," which Fredrickson himself delivered in 1993.