Abstract

Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) is characterized by hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, decreased cholesterol in high density lipoprotein and increased cholesterol in low and very low density lipoprotein fractions. Despite this pro-atherogenic lipid profile, GSD-Ia patients are not at elevated risk for atherosclerosis. Studies have shown that reverse cholesterol transport and antioxidant capacity can be protective against atherosclerosis. In this study, we show that sera from GSD-Ia patients are more efficient than sera from control subjects in promoting the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI)-mediated cellular cholesterol efflux, a key component in reverse cholesterol transport. The major determinants of the SR-BI-mediated cholesterol efflux are serum phospholipid (PL) and HDL-PL. Phospholipid and that ratio of HDL-PL to HDL are increased in GSD-Ia patients. We further show that sera from GSD-Ia patients have increased total antioxidant capacity compared to controls and this increase correlates with elevated levels of uric acid, a powerful plasma antioxidant. Taken together, the results suggest that the increase in SR-BI-mediated cellular cholesterol efflux and antioxidant capacity in the sera of GSD-Ia patients may contribute to protection against premature atherosclerosis.