[Esterification of cholesterol in patients with renal transplants. Determination of lecithin:cholesterol-acyl-transferase (LCAT) activity].

In man, cholesterol esterification is controlled by lecithin:cholesterol-acyl-transferase (LCAT), which is a key-role enzyme of lipid metabolism. Though LCAT is synthesized by the hepatocytes, its activity seems to be linked to the kidney: in fact, LCAT activity is lowered in uremic and anephric subjects, and probably also in long-term haemodialysis patients. On the contrary, in successfull renal allografts we found fully restored LCAT activity. But physiopathological mechanisms underlying relationships between LCAT and kidney are still unclarified