Key result
Proton NMR fails to accurately quantify HDL particle size and concentration compared to independent methods.
Why the study?
Proton NMR can rapidly assess lipoprotein concentrations and sizes, but accurately quantifying HDL subclasses remains challenging, prompting a critical review of its strengths and limitations.
Proton NMR may inaccurately quantify HDL particle numbers and sizes, suggesting its measurements should be termed 'HDL-NMR' and interpreted cautiously regarding cardiovascular risk.
NMR HDL data warrant cautious clinical interpretation; leaves open accurate assessment of HDL particle roles in CVD risk.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can rapidly assess lipoprotein concentrations and sizes in biological samples. It may be especially useful for quantifying high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which exhibits diverse particle sizes and concentrations. We provide a critical review of the strengths and limitations of NMR for quantifying HDL subclasses. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies using NMR have shed light on HDL's role in various disorders, ranging from residual cardiovascular risk to host susceptibility to infection. However, accurately quantifying HDL particle number, size, and concentration (HDL-P) remains a challenge. Discrepancies exist between NMR and other methods such as gel electrophoresis, ion mobility analysis and size-exclusion chromatography in estimating the abundance of HDL species and the ratio of apolipoprotein A-I (APOA1) to HDL particles. SUMMARY: NMR is a low-cost method for quantifying HDL-P that is readily applicable to clinical and translational studies. However, inconsistencies between the results of NMR quantification of HDL-P and other independent methods hinder the interpretation of NMR results. Because proton NMR apparently fails to accurately quantify the sizes and concentrations of HDL, the relevance of such studies to HDL biology poses challenges. This limits our understanding of pathophysiological implications of HDL-P as determined by NMR, particularly in determining cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
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Vaisar et al. (2024) conducted a review in Dyslipidemia and Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) quantification of HDL-P vs. Other methods (gel electrophoresis, ion mobility analysis, size-exclusion chromatography) was evaluated on Accuracy and consistency of HDL particle quantification. Proton NMR fails to accurately quantify the sizes and concentrations of HDL particles compared to independent methods, limiting the interpretation of such studies in HDL biology and cardiovascular disease risk.
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