Robertson MD, et al. - In this ancillary analysis of 30 healthy men, researchers assessed the possible association between gut barrier function (gut permeability) and concentration of serum lipids and lipoproteins. They assessed the percentage of the urinary recovery of ^51-Cr-labelled EDTA absorbed within 24 hours, to measure serum lipids, lipoproteins and functional gut permeability. Also, they measured serum lipopolysaccharide, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 as markers of low-grade inflammation. They observed that gut permeability was positively related to serum high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. Overall, the observed significant link between increased gut permeability and elevated serum HDL-cholesterol was consistent with the role of HDL as an acute phase reactant, and in this situation, potentially dysfunctional lipoprotein.