Plasma lipoproteins under the effect of cold exposure in normotensive and hypertensive rats

In thermoneutral conditions, inherited stress-induced arterial hypertensive (ISIAH) rats had a lower level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in plasma and a higher value of the atherogenic coefficient in comparison with normotensive Wistar rats. Five days after cooling, there were different changes in the fractional composition of plasma lipoproteins in normo- and hypertensive rats. These changes depended on the cooling rate and were more expressed after slow cooling. Slow cooling caused a more significant increase in plasma HDL and a marked decrease in low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in hypertensives compared to normotensives. These changes resulted in normalization of plasma HDL and a decrease in the atherogenic coefficient value in hypertensive rats. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.