Apoptotic cell death following injury of vascular endothelium is assumed to play an important
role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this report, we demonstrate that high density
lipoproteins (HDL), a major anti-atherogenic lipoprotein fraction, protect endothelial cells
against growth factor deprivation-induced apoptosis. HDL blocked the mitochondrial
pathway of apoptosis by inhibiting dissipation of mitochondrial potential (Δψ m), generation
of reactive oxygen species, and release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm. As a …