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We measured the effects of consumption of moderate amounts of beer, wine or spirits with evening dinner on plasma LDL and HDL levels as well as composition in 11 healthy middle-aged men. Forty grams of alcohol were consumed daily with dinner for a period of 3 weeks. Mineral water was used as a negative control. Dinner was served at 6 pm and blood samples were obtained at 1 h before and 3, 5, 9, and 13 h after the start of the meal. No differences were detected between the effects of the different alcohol- containing beverages. Plasma levels of triglycerides (TG), measured I h before dinner were very variable and higher than fasting values (means of 2.2 and 1.5 mM, respectively). Daily consumption of 40 g of alcohol with dinner resulted in increased postprandial plasma TG levels and decreased low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations. These effects were transient and observed at 11 pm (TG) and 9 pm and 11 pm (LDL). In contrast, high density lipoproteins (HDL) were raised by alcohol intake at all time points analysed. HDL composition was changed by alcohol consumption, resulting in a raised HDL-cholesterol/apo A-I ratio at 5 pm and 9 pm. The observed alcohol- dependent effects on plasma HDL and LDL during the postprandial phase are considered anti-atherogenic and may contribute to the observed protection against coronary heart disease by moderate alcohol consumption.

A method was developed for the separation of the high density lipoprotein subclasses HDL2 and HDL3 from human serum. Six serum samples are fractionated in a single-step ultracentrifugal procedure using the Beckman (SW-40) swinging bucket rotor. The method is based on a difference in flotation rate of the high density lipoprotein subclasses. Separation of HDL2 and HDL3 is accomplished by a discontinuous NaBr density gradient applied on top of 2 ml of serum brought to a density of 1.40 g/ml. After centrifugation, high density lipoprotein subclass profiles were obtained using a specially designed gradient fractionator. Contamination of the isolated high density lipoprotein subclasses by serum albumin or by apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins was minimal while only a slight overlap between the HDL2 and HDL3 profiles was observed. Chemical and immunochemical analyses of the high density lipoprotein subclasses isolated by the present method were in close agreement with the results obtained by rate-zonal density gradient ultracentrifugation in zonal rotors (Patsch, et al. 1980. J. Biol. Chem. 255: 3178-3185). The major advantage of the method presented in this paper as compared with the zonal rotor method is the possibility to analyze as many as six serum samples simultaneously.

Background: Alcohol consumption is associated with increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. One of the main antiatherogenic functions of HDL is reverse cholesterol transport. Three early steps of reverse cholesterol transport are (1) cellular cholesterol efflux, (2) plasma cholesterol esterification (EST), and (3) cholesteryl ester transfer (CET) to apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins. Our previous study in healthy middle-aged men showed that moderate alcohol consumption increases cellular cholesterol efflux and EST. This study investigated the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on three early steps of reverse cholesterol transport in postmenopausal women. Methods: In a randomized crossover study, 18 postmenopausal women-all apparently healthy, non-smoking, and moderate alcohol drinkers-consumed white wine or white grape juice with evening dinner during 2 successive periods of 3 weeks. During the white wine period, alcohol intake equaled 24 g/day. At the end of each of the two experimental periods, blood samples were collected. Results: Three weeks of alcohol consumption increased serum HDL cholesterol levels (5.0%; p < 0.05), serum HDL phospholipid levels (5.8%; p < 0.05), and the ex vivo cellular cholesterol efflux capacity of plasma, measured with Fu5AH cells (3.4%; p < 0.05). Plasma EST and CET did not change. Conclusions: Moderate alcohol intake increases serum HDL cholesterol level and stimulates cellular cholesterol efflux in postmenopausal women. Moderate alcohol consumption does not seem to affect two other early steps of reverse cholesterol transport at this level of alcohol intake. Our data suggest that the relative protection of moderate alcohol consumption against cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women may involve the stimulation of reverse cholesterol transport through increased HDL.

Alcohol consumption is associated with increased HDL cholesterol levels, which may indicate stimulated reverse cholesterol transport. The mechanism is, however, not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol consumption on the first two steps of the reverse cholesterol pathway: cellular cholesterol efflux and plasma cholesterol esterification. Eleven healthy middle-aged men consumed four glasses (40 g of alcohol) of red wine, beer, spirits (Dutch gin), or carbonated mineral water (control) daily with evening dinner, for 3 weeks, according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. After 3 weeks of alcohol consumption the plasma ex vivo cholesterol efflux capacity, measured with Fu5AH cells, was raised by 6.2% (P < 0.0001) and did not differ between the alcoholic beverages. Plasma cholesterol esterification was increased by 10.8% after alcohol (P = 0.008). Changes were statistically significant after beer and spirits, but not after red wine consumption (P = 0.16). HDL lipids changed after alcohol consumption; HDL total cholesterol, HDL cholesteryl ester, HDL free cholesterol, HDL phospholipids and plasma apolipoprotein A-I all increased (P < 0.01). In conclusion, alcohol consumption stimulates cellular cholesterol efflux and its esterification in plasma. These effects were mostly independent of the kind of alcoholic beverage. Chemicals/CAS: Apolipoprotein A-I; Cholesterol Esters; Cholesterol, 57-88-5; Ethanol, 64-17-5; HDL cholesteryl ester; HDL-triglyceride; Lipoproteins, HDL; Phospholipids; Triglycerides

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Part of this inverse association may be explained by its effects on HDL. Paraoxonase, an HDL-associated enzyme, has been suggested to protect against LDL oxidation. We examined the effects of moderate consumption of red wine, beer and spirits in comparison with mineral water on paraoxonase activity in serum. In this diet-controlled, randomised, cross-over study 11 healthy middle-aged men consumed each of the beverages with evening dinner for 3 weeks. At the end of each 3 week period, blood samples were collected pre- and postprandially and after an overnight fast. Fasting paraoxonase activity was higher after intake of wine (P<0.001), beer (P<0.001), and spirits (P<0.001) than after water consumption (149.4±111.1, 152.6±113.1, 152.8±116.5 and 143.1±107.9 U/l serum), but did not differ significantly between the 3 alcoholic beverages. Similar effects were observed pre- and postprandially. The increases in paraoxonase activity were strongly correlated with coincident increases in concentrations of HDL-C and apo A-I (r=0.60, P<0.05 and r=0.70, P<0.05). These data suggest that increased serum paraoxonase may be one of the biological mechanisms underlying the reduced coronary heart disease risk in moderate alcohol consumers Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.