INTRODUCTION: People with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and may still have a normal lipid profile. In order to clarify whether normal HDL cholesterol levels may conceal defects in HDL function, we have studied the transfer of lipids to HDL in T1DM. METHODS: Twenty-one young women with T1DM were compared with 21 non-diabetic women. Nanoemulsion preparations were used as lipid donor to HDL: one labeled with ³H-triglycerides and 14C-free cholesterol and the other with ³H-cholesteryl esters and 14C-phospholipids. These preparations were incubated with plasma samples for 1h. After chemical precipitation, the supernatant containing HDL was counted for radioactivity. RESULTS: No difference in transfer was observed to nanoemulsion HDL from cholesteryl esters, triglycerides, free cholesterol and phospholipids. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous lipid transfer to HDL was not affected in T1DM patients. This suggests that the disease does not alter lipoprotein composition and transfer protein action in such way as to disturb HDL metabolism.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus; nanoparticles; HDL cholesterol; lipoproteins; glycemic control
