THE INFLUENCE OF GONADAL HORMONES ON SERUM LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS: STUDIES IN NORMAL AND HYPOGONADAL SUBJECTS

Abstract

A 4-year study of the serum lipids and lipoproteins (determined by analytical ultracentrifugation at solvent density 1.21 g/ml) in 60 human subjects has revealed that high density -S1.21 0-12 ("alpha") lipoprotein concentrations and high density/low density ("alpha"/"beta") lipoprotein ratios are extremely sensitive to alteration by gonadal steroid administration, increasing regularly and significantly when estrogen is administered, decreasing when androgen is given. When high density (alpha) lipoprotein concentrations are altered by gonadal steroids, lower density (beta) lipoprotein concentrations usually change in the opposite direction, although they may remain relatively unchanged or, infrequently, vary in the same direction as the high density lipoporteins. The response of the serum cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations appears to be determined by the nature of the responses of the major lipoprotein fractions. It is possible that these serum lipoprotein-endocrine relationships are causally related to the sex difference in the incidence of coronary atherosclerosis.