Definition of ApoA-I Milano

ApoA-I Milano: A variant of apolipoprotein A-I identified in about 40 inhabitants of Limone sul Garde, a small town in rural North Italy, who had extraordinarily low HDL levels, levels so low that they were off the scale. Because HDL is the "good" cholesterol, it was expected that these people would have very high rates of heart disease. Instead, they seemed to be protected from heart disease and to enjoy longer lives than usual. The infusion of recombinant ApoA-I Milano-phospholipid complexes reportedly produces rapid regression of coronary artery atherosclerosis.