Abstract
Cholesterol homeostasis is essential in normal physiology of all cells. One of several proteins involved in cholesterol homeostasis is the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a transmembrane protein widely expressed in many tissues. One of its main functions is the efflux of intracellular free cholesterol and phospholipids across the plasma membrane to combine with apolipoproteins, mainly apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I), forming nascent high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) particles, the first step of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). In addition, ABCA1 regulates cholesterol and phospholipid content in the plasma membrane affecting lipid rafts, microparticle (MP) formation and cell signaling. Thus, it is not surprising that impaired ABCA1 function and altered cholesterol homeostasis may affect many different organs and is involved in the pathophysiology of a broad array of diseases. This review describes evidence obtained from animal models, human studies and genetic variation explaining how ABCA1 is involved in dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease (CHD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), thrombosis, neurological disorders, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, viral infections and in cancer progression.
Highlights
Published: 5 February 2021Cholesterol is an essential biomolecule, involved in a wide array of physiological and pathological processes
One of several proteins involved in cholesterol homeostasis is the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a transmembrane protein widely expressed in many tissues where it may have many different functions
Sci. 2021, 22, 1593 intracellular free cholesterol and phospholipids across the plasma membrane to combine with apolipoproteins, mainly apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), forming nascent high-density lipoprotein particles (HDLs), the first step of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) [5]
Summary
Cholesterol is an essential biomolecule, involved in a wide array of physiological and pathological processes. Its most studied function is the efflux of intracellular free cholesterol and phospholipids across the plasma membrane to combine with apolipoproteins, mainly apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), forming nascent high-density. 2021, 22, 1593 intracellular free cholesterol and phospholipids across the plasma membrane to combine with apolipoproteins, mainly apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), forming nascent high-density lipoprotein particles (HDLs), the first step of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) [5]. In addition to HDL-C formation, ABCA1 regulates cholesterol and phospholipid phospholipidcontent contentininthe theplasma plasmamembrane membrane and is involved in microcholesterol and and is involved in microparparticle formation and in cell signaling. For all these reasons, it is not surprising that ticle formation and in cell signaling.
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