Demonstration of an abnormality of C apoprotein of very low density lipoprotein in patients with gout.

The very low density (VLDL) apolipoproteins of 12 male patients with gout have been studied by analytical isoelectric focusing. The relative percentage distribution of the C apolipoproteins was calculated and compared with that from 12 normolipidaemic and 12 'lipid-matched' controls. In the gout patients apolipoprotein CII (apo CII) represented 19.6% of the VLDL C proteins and the CII/CIII2 ratio was 0.57. In the normolipidaemic controls apo CII represented 28.8% and in the lipid-matched controls 33.1% of VLDL apo C, and the CII/CIII2 ratio approached one in each control group. These differences were significant. This suggests that a reduction in VLDL apo CII may predispose to the hypertriglyceridaemia that is commonly found in patients with gout.