Lipoptoteins containing apoB enter the arterial wall and undergo oxidative modification and then contribute to atherogenesis.
Oxidative modification affects the structure of apoB molecule or the phospholipid membrane of these lipoproteins yielding scavenger receptors of macrophages in the arterial wall (Witzum JL, Steinberg D).
Cholesterol accumulation and crystallization in macrophages leads to the formation of foam cells and progression to a atherosclerotic plaque (Duewell P et al).
Apolipoprotein B100 (apoB100) is the primary protein in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
The apoB100 test measures the amount of this type of cholesterol in the blood.
Childhood apoliproteins B levels, which indicate total atherogenic lipoprotein particle concentration, independent of the cholesterol content within those particles, may predict adult subclinical atherosclerosis even more strongly than cholesterol levels.
LDL is often referred to as bad cholesterol because high levels of it can damage the heart and blood vessels.
Each LDL particle has one copy of apoB100, so a measurement of apoB100 levels shows how many LDL particles there are in the blood.
High levels of apoB100 indicate high cholesterol, which is a known risk factor for heart disease.