Cholesterol in Seromucoid Fraction of Normal and Pathologic Sera. ∗

Abstract

Summary

1. A fairly fixed amount of free cholesterol and cholesterol esters is found in the perchloric acid soluble (seromucoid) fraction of human serum. Phenomena of co-precipitation or of adsorption are probably responsible for this finding. 2. Seromucoid fraction, total serum cholesterol, cholesterol found in the seromucoid fraction were studied quantitatively in pathologic sera obtained from patients with lymphoma, disseminated malignancies, acute leukemia and from selected patients with liver disease. Seromucoid fraction was elevated in all diseases. Cholesterol found in the seromucoid fraction was relatively increased in sera of patients with lymphomas and metastatic carcinomas; relatively or absolutely decreased in acute leukemias and liver disease. 3. The significance of these findings consisted in the indication of possible effects of perchloric acid on cholesterol-containing components of serum. Such effects seemed to vary from normal to pathologic conditions, thus suggesting the possible future value of this study in the investigation of abnormalities of cholesterol metabolism in disease.