Methods and Apparatus for Creating Particle Derivatives of HDL with Reduced Lipid Content

Abstract

The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for creating derivatives of at least one form of HDL without substantially affecting LDL. These derivatives of HDL are particles with reduced lipid content, particularly reduced cholesterol content. These particles have the capacity to bind cholesterol and are administered to a patient to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and reduce cholesterol levels in cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. The present method is useful for treating atherogenic vascular disease and may be combined with other therapies such as statins, inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, niacin, anti-inflammatories, exercise and dietary restriction.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A kit for performing a method of modifying protein distribution in a fluid, wherein the kit comprises:
 a first tube portion adapted to be attached to a first fluid input container;   a lipid removing agent source container;   a second tube portion adapted to be attached to the lipid removing agent container, wherein the first tube portion and second tube portion merge into a third tube portion;   a mixer comprising a shaker bag, wherein the mixer is attached, at an input location, to the third tube portion, and attached, at an output location, to a fourth tube portion;   the fourth tube portion extending from the mixer and attached to a funnel-shaped bag separator;   the funnel-shaped bag separator attached, at an output location, to a fifth tube portion;   the fifth tube portion extending from the funnel-shaped bag separator to a sixth tube portion and a seventh tube portion, wherein the sixth tube portion is adapted to be attached to a waste container, wherein the seventh tube portion bifurcates into an eighth tube portion and ninth tube portion, wherein the eighth tube portion is adapted to be attached to at least one second fluid input container and wherein the ninth tube portion is adapted to be attached to a charcoal column;   the charcoal column having a tenth tube portion extending from an output location and bifurcating into an eleventh tube portion and twelfth tube portion, wherein the eleventh tube portion is attached to an output container for storing the fluid having the modified protein distribution and wherein the twelfth tube portion is adapted to be attached to a waste container.   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a lipid removing agent, wherein the lipid removing agent is stored in the lipid removing agent source container. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the lipid removing agent comprises isoflurane, sevoflurane, diisopropyl ether, diethyl ether, propylether or n-butanol. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the lipid removing agent further comprises ethanol. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the lipid removing agent comprises a combination of a C4 to C8 alcohol and a C4 to C8 ether, a combination of a fluoroether and a C4 to C8 alcohol, or a combination of C4 to C8 ether and a fluoroether. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the lipid removing agent comprises a combination of n-butanol with at least one of hexanol, diethyl ether, propylether, diisopropyl ether, isoflurane, or sevoflurane. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the lipid removing agent comprises a combination of diisopropyl ether with at least one of n-butanol, hexanol, ethanol, isoflurane, sevoflurane or trifluoroethane. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the lipid removing agent comprises a combination of sevoflurane with at least one of n-butanol, hexanol, ethanol, isoflurane, diisopropyl ether, or trifluoroethane. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid input container contains a fluid, the lipid removing agent source container contains a lipid removing agent, and the mixer is adapted to be positioned higher than the funnel-shaped bag separator such that the mixture of the fluid and the lipid removing agent moves from the mixer to the funnel-shaped bag separator by a force of gravity. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein the funnel-shaped bag separator is adapted to be positioned higher than a waste container such that waste fluid moves from the funnel-shaped bag separator to the waste container by a force of gravity. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a first valve positioned in said first tube portion and adapted to control the flow of fluid from said first fluid input container to said third tube portion and a second valve positioned in said second tube portion and adapted to control the flow of lipid removing agent from said lipid removing agent container to said third tube portion. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a third valve positioned in said sixth tube portion and adapted to control the flow of fluid from said funnel-shaped bag separator to said waste container and a fourth valve positioned in said ninth tube portion and adapted to control the flow of fluid from said funnel-shaped bag separator to said charcoal column. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 12 , wherein the opening and closing of said third and fourth valves is timed using mass balance calculations derived from weight determinations of said first fluid container, said lipid removing agent container, and said funnel-shaped bag separator. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein said third and fourth valves are adapted to open when a mass of said first fluid container combined with a mass of said lipid removing agent container balances with a mass of said funnel-shaped bag separator and after a pre-determined period of time has elapsed.