Oxidation Effects on Lipoproteins Measured by Dynamic Light Scattering”

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality, surpassing cancer. Every 34 seconds, one person dies in the United States from cardiovascular disease. The early detection and prevention of CVD are critical, especially considering its comorbidities with emerging infectious diseases. Lipoproteins in the blood, mainly low-density lipoprotein (LDL), are central to CVD development due to their role in cholesterol transport and the potential for oxidative modification, which can lead to atherosclerosis. This project explores the application of dynamic light scattering (DLS) to assess the oxidative modification of lipoproteins, specifically HDL, LDL, and VLDL. We investigate two nonenzymatic pathways: hydrogen peroxide-induced peroxidation and a nitration reaction involving hypochlorous acid and nitrite ion to generate nitryl chloride, a potent oxidizing agent. Our findings demonstrate the potential of DLS as a novel method for characterizing changes in size distributions due to oxidative damage to lipoproteins, offering a promising tool for deepening our understanding of CVD pathogenesis and early CVD risk assessment.