In low density lipoproteins (LDL) supplemented with aged cholesterol and oxidized in the presence of Cu2+, an increase of the lipid oxidation parameters was observed compared with pure cholesterol-enriched LDL. A compound, identified as 7-hydroperoxycholesterol (7HPC), isolated from aged cholesterol and added to LDL, reproduced the above effects. The results indicate that the pro-oxidant effect of 7HPC is dependent on the hydroperoxy group since the corresponding alcohol derivative, 7α-hydroxycholesterol, had no such effect. These data suggest that among the LDL-associated lipid peroxides, cholesterol peroxides may have important implications in the susceptibility of this lipoprotein to oxidation.
