Editorial: Endogenous and exogenous factors influencing the function and metabolism of lipoproteins

Alterations in the levels and composition of lipoproteins are associated with several diseases (Fernandes Das Neves et al., 2021). The classical view that these complex particles are mere carriers of lipids and are solely implicated in atherosclerosis is now considered amply outdated. For instance, the levels of routinely assessed plasma total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides are now regarded as strong risk factors for a plethora of diseases including, but not limited to, neurodegenerative diseases and auto-immune disorders (Marsillach et al., 2020). Alterations in the circulating lipid profile, termed dyslipidemia, is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). In this context, the lipoproteins classically associated with CVDs have been recently complemented with Lp(a). Within this framework, (Cremonini et al.) evaluated the ability of Lp(a) to identify subjects with more severe carotid atherosclerosis (CA) in a population of individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). They found that higher levels of Lp(a) were independently associated with severe CA when measured by carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) or the number of atherosclerotic plaques. However, these results need further validation in a larger cohort. Non-etheless, this may be a starting point for future studies aiming at the implementation of this marker for CV risk stratification even in both primary and secondary prevention of CVDs in subjects affected by MetS. Indeed, despite Lp(a) being increasingly acknowledged as a “non-classical” cardiovascular risk factor (Reyes-Soffer OPEN ACCESS