Lipoprotein(a): Nonhuman primate models

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a low density lipoprotein which has apo(a) disulfide-linked to apoB100. Apo(a) has recently been shown to have a striking homology with plasminogen, a knowledge that has stimulated a lot of interest in the mechanism of atherogenicity and thrombogenicity of this lipoprotein particle. Several studies have documented the presence of Lp(a) in nonhuman primates with particular reference to the rhesus monkeys and baboons. The Lp(a) of rhesus monkey is structurally very similar to that of humans, except for the absence of kringle V and the amino acid composition of the catalytic region. The Lp(a) of nonhuman primates, like their human counterparts, exhibit a wide range of interindividual plasma levels and also a wide size polymorphism of apo(a). Nonhuman primates appear to represent a good model for the study of the structure and biology of Lp(a).