Patent ID: 7270971

Claim:
A method of measuring fluorescence, wherein said fluorescence is used to measure the CETP catalyzed transfer of a non-polar fluorescent ester between lipoprotein particles, comprising the steps of: (A) Preparing a suspension comprising: (1) A synthetic donor lipoprotein particle which comprises (a) a lipophilic non-polar cholesteryl ester of a fluorescent molecule which comprises the fluorescent heterocyclic BODIPY ring system, (b) an apolipoprotein, (c) a fluorescence quencher, said fluorescence quencher being effective in quenching fluorescence emitted by said lipophilic non-polar fluorescent ester, stable to diffusion, and not diffused by CETP; (d) a triglyceride, and (e) a phospholipid; (2) An acceptor lipoprotein particle selected from the group consisting of a native lipoprotein particle and a synthetic high density lipoprotein particle; and (3) A buffered solution which comprises CETP; (B) Irradiating said suspension with light which stimulates fluorescence from said fluorescent ester; and (C) Measuring the fluorescence from said fluorescent ester at one or more times after said suspension is prepared.