['Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is a strong independent cardiovascular risk factor, which has been attributed to its role in reverse cholesterol transport. Whereas HDL also has potent antiinflammatory effects, the relevance of this property remains to be established in humans. In the present study, we evaluated whether there is a relation between HDL and sensitivity toward a low-dose endotoxin challenge.', 'Thirteen healthy men with genetically determined isolated low HDL cholesterol (averaging 0.7+/-0.1 mmol/L) and 14 age- and body weight-matched healthy men with normal/high HDL cholesterol levels (1.9+/-0.4 mmol/L) were challenged with low-dose endotoxin intravenously (1 ng/kg body weight). The incidence and severity of endotoxin-associated clinical symptoms was increased in the low HDL group. Accordingly, both the inflammatory response (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) as well as thrombin generation (prothrombin activation fragments F(1+2)) were significantly increased in the low HDL group on endotoxin challenge.'] Does high-density lipoprotein attenuate inflammation and coagulation response on endotoxin challenge in humans?