Chromatofocusing of human high density lipoproteins and isolation of lipoproteins A and A-I.
Using chromatofocusing, a column chromatography method with an internally generated pH gradient and focusing effects, human plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL) were fractionated into six subclasses within an interval of less than 1 pH unit (pH 5.1-4.2). All fractions floated in the ultracentrifuge at density = 1.21 g X ml-1, retained a typical HDL electron micrographic morphology and as a single band, alpha-migration on agarose electrophoresis. Compositional analysis of the subclasses revealed an inverse relationship between cholesterol ester and cholesterol on a molar basis. Distinct differences in the distribution of the apolipoproteins between the fractions were found. Two of the subclasses contained only apolipoprotein A-I and were therefore considered to be two forms of the lipid-combined form of apolipoprotein A-I, i.e., lipoprotein A-I. One subclass contained only apolipoproteins A-I + A-II and was, therefore, lipoprotein A. One subclass contained apolipoproteins A-I + A-II + D, and the two remaining contained additionally apolipoproteins C and E. Lipoprotein A-I was also demonstrated after immunoabsorption of apolipoprotein A-II-containing lipoproteins from whole serum. It is suggested that this method, which allows the fractionation of HDL into subclasses with distinct differences in apolipoprotein composition, offers new avenues for the study of the structural and metabolic heterogeneity of HDL.