339 ± 0.050 [P < 0.0001], 0.453 ± 0.093 [P < 0.0001], and 0.193 ± 0.090 [P = 0.033], respectively). A comprehensive phospholipid molecular species mass spectra of the total phospholipid in LDL, VLDL, and HDL lipoprotein fractions and in purified LVPs of patient B illustrated the similar PF 01367338 molecular species profiles of VLDL and LVPs (Fig. 4A). Taken together, these data suggest that LVPs

are modified TRLs. From recent studies, HCV virions are thought to be hybrid particles that result from the combination of lipoprotein and virus moieties.7 Several lipoprotein-producing cell lines secrete the HCV envelope glycoproteins in absence of any other viral components.20 In these models, glycoproteins form low-density subviral nucleocapsid-free HCV particles. The current study reports for the first time that such subviral HCV low-density particles are also present in the blood of infected patients at high concentrations

and largely outnumber HCV RNA–positive LVPs. Protein A–purified LVPs are very rich in neutral lipids, TChol, and triacylglycerol, and contain HCV glycoprotein recognized by natural antibodies of the patient and all the apolipoproteins that characterize TRLs, including apoB in large quantity for 90% of the patients. The high ratio of apoB and E1E2-positive, click here nucleocapsid-free LVPs over HCV RNA–positive LVPs might be overestimated if TRLs could nonspecifically bind to a small number

of LVPs. However, this possibility is unlikely. Electron microscopy of LVPs revealed large and single particles.4 Similarly, in vitro–produced apoB and E1E2-positive, nucleocapsid-free particles have two- to three-fold larger diameters than E1E2-negative lipoproteins.32 In addition, the higher molar ratios of neutral lipids on apoB in LVPs compared with TRLs indicates that such particles are not agglomerates of standard lipoproteins with 17-DMAG (Alvespimycin) HCl LVPs. The association of apoB with LVPs that resists to detergent treatment further rejects this possibility.33 LVP density and composition in triacylglycerol and phospholipid clearly includes LVPs in the TRL family and distinguishes them from exosomes or circulating microvesicles.34, 35 Nevertheless, differences in phospholipid molecular species composition and higher neutral lipid content distinguish LVPs between specific TRLs defined by their density. Interestingly, most LVPs resemble empty, nucleocapsid-free subviral particles, similar to recombinant subviral envelope particles produced in vitro, whereas nucleocapsid-containing LVPs are only a subset of the whole LVP ensemble. Because all HCV proteins are generated from a unique precursor, it is intriguing that such large excess of two HCV proteins can be secreted and found in the blood without noticeable accumulation of the other peptides in any other sites.