Dysfunctional HDL and Cardiovascular Disease

Even with substantial improvements in CVD treatments, cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death in China. Epidemiologic studies and large-scale clinical trials have conclusively established a strong inverse relationship between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk. Insight into the dynamic differences in HDL biology and function in complication prone individual will identify new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in subjects with CVD. To gain this insight we propose to develop state-of the art mass spectrometry based platform to identify and validate novel HDL protein markers that would predict risk of endothelial dysfunction in CVD patients. The proposed study will examine the roles of myeloperoxidase (MPO)-oxidized HDL and HDL proteome in vascular dysfunction in Chinese patients, comparing this data to data collected at UMHS.