Effect of probucol on cholesterol synthesis, plasma lipoproteins and the activities of lipoprotein and hepatic lipase in the rat

The postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and plasma HDL and LDL cholesterol concentrations, decreases significantly during probucol treatment of the rat. The reduction of the LPL activity obviously took place in adipose tissue. The activity of hepatic lipase and the in vitro synthesis of cholesterol in the liver or isolated jejunal villous cells were unaffected by the probucol treatment. Plasma triglyceride and VLDL cholesterol concentrations remained similar in the control and probucol groups despite the difference in the LPL activity, whereas the esterified VLDL cholesterol level was significantly reduced in the probucol group. The results suggest that the HDL lowering action of probucol is contributed by the reduced LPL activity probably via impaired VLDL metabolism.