Removal Of Cellular Cholesterol Research Articles

Macrophage cholesterol efflux to plasma and HDL in subjects with low and high homocysteine levels: A FIELD substudy

ObjectivesIncreases of homocysteine (Hcy) by fenofibrate correlated inversely to changes in HDL-C and apoA-I in the FIELD study. This finding raised the question whether high Hcy may influence HDL function and counteract benefits of fenofibrate on cardiovascular outcomes.In a subset of the FIELD study we investigated whether fenofibrate therapy or high Hcy, separately or in concert, modulate: (1) ability of plasma or HDL to facilitate cholesterol efflux from THP-1 foam cells; (2) plasma potential to generate preβ-HDL; (3) plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity, serum PON-1 mass and activity, HDL particle size and distribution. MethodsWe selected 33 subjects in the FIELD fenofibrate arm according to quartiles of Hcy at 5th year: 17 subjects were in the lowest (Low Hcy group) and 16 subjects were in the highest quartile (High Hcy group). In addition, 14 subjects allocated to placebo were matched by close-out Hcy levels to Low Hcy group. This design allowed us to examine the effects of both fenofibrate (comparison between placebo vs Low Hcy groups) and Hcy (comparison between close-out Low and High Hcy groups) on plasma and HDL ability to facilitate cellular cholesterol removal in the efflux assay in vitro using THP-1 foam cells. ResultsHcy levels were 13.3±0.7μmol/L (placebo), 13.2±2μmol/L (Low Hcy) and 27.4±6.5μmol/L (High Hcy). Cholesterol efflux values to HDL and plasma, percentage of plasma preβ-HDL, PLTP activity, serum PON-1 mass and HDL particle size and distribution were similar in both fenofibrate groups and comparable to those of the placebo group. ConclusionsIn the present study cohort fenofibrate and high Hcy levels did not modulate HDL and plasma functions in the first step of reverse cholesterol transport, cholesterol efflux from foam cells.

Tangier disease phenotype diversity in dizygous twin sisters

Tangier disease (TD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a deficiency or absence of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) caused by mutations in the adenotriphosphate-binding cassette transporter-1 gene (ABCA1). Mutations of ABCA1 lead to a defect in cellular cholesterol removal and to deposition of cholesterol esters throughout the body. We report here on the case of a 53-year-old woman with a severe phenotype of TD. The patient had a dizygous twin sister who had only asymptomatic corneal opacities and thrombopenia. This family demonstrates the wide intrafamilial phenotype diversity of TD.

Pharmacological inhibition of ABCA1 degradation increases HDL biogenesis and exhibits antiatherogenesis

Expression of ABCA1 is regulated by transcription of the gene and calpain-mediated proteolytic degradation, and inhibition ABCA1 degradation results in increased ABCA1 and HDL biogenesis in vitro. We examined whether this approach could be a potential antiatherogenic treatment. Although probucol inhibits both the activity and degradation of ABCA1, its oxidized products, spiroquinone and diphenoquinone, reduce degradation of ABCA1 without inhibiting its activity or altering transcription of the ABCA1 gene. Accordingly, both compounds enhanced apolipoprotein A-I/ABCA1-dependent generation of HDL in vitro, and increased hepatic ABCA1 and plasma HDL without increasing antioxidant activity in plasma when given to rabbits. Both compounds also decreased vascular lipid deposition in cholesterol-fed rabbits. We therefore conclude that stabilization of ABCA1 against calpain-mediated degradation is a novel and potentially important strategy to increase HDL formation and prevent atherosclerosis. Spiroquinone and diphenoquinone are potential seeds for development of such drugs.

Differential expression and localization of lipid transporters in the bovine mammary gland during the pregnancy-lactation cycle

The transport of lipids across mammary gland epithelial cells (MEC) determines milk lipid content and composition. We investigated the expression of lipid transporters and their regulators in comparison to blood metabolites during lactation and dry period (DP) in dairy cows. Repeated mammary gland biopsies and blood samples were taken from 10 animals at 7 stages of the pregnancy-lactation cycle. Expression levels of the specific mRNAs were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, whereas ABCA1 was localized by immunohistochemistry. Blood serum metabolites were determined by common enzymatic chemistries. Elevated mRNA profiles of ABCA1 and ABCA7 were found during DP as compared with lactation and were inversely associated with blood cholesterol levels. Elevated levels of ABCG2, NPC1, SREBP1, SREBP2, LXRα, and PPARγ were found postpartum, whereas ABCG1 did not differ between the functional stages of the mammary gland. The ABCA1 protein was localized in MEC and showed differential activity between DP and lactation suggesting a role of ABCA1 in the removal of excess cellular cholesterol from MEC during the DP. The expression profiles of ABCA7 and NPC1 may reflect a role of these transporters in the clearance of apoptotic cells and the intracellular redistribution of cholesterol, respectively. Regulation of lipid transporters in the mammary gland is partially associated with transcription factors that control lipid homeostasis.

Pharmacological Approaches to Modifying HDL: More Basic Science to Understand HDL Metabolism is Necessary

While lowering LDL-C has well established benefits, modification of HDL by pharmacological therapy remains an elusive goal in demonstrating conclusive improvements in cardiovascular outcomes. Part of the challenge in developing therapeutic approaches to HDL is that it is unclear whether increasing HDL-C levels or modifying HDL function or increasing reverse cholesterol transport is (are) the mechanism(s) by which HDL protects against cardiovascular disease. In light of the spectacular failure of torcetrapib, a CETP inhibitor (with toxic off-target effects), it is prudent to better understand the means by which cells utilize HDL to efflux excess cholesterol. One potentially important target is the nuclear receptor Liver Receptor X (LXR). LXR is a nuclear receptor found in all cells (misnamed because it was originally discovered in liver cells) that regulates the genes involved in cholesterol efflux to protect the cell from cholesterol toxicity. LXR is known to upregulate ABCA1 in response to oxysterols promoting the efflux of free cholesterol into HDL as an acceptor. LXR agonists have been shown to increase reverse cholesterol transport and reduce atherosclerosis in animal models [1]. Ma et al, in this issue of Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy, demonstrate that Neumann-Pick C1 protein (NPC1) is regulated by LXR [2]. NO-1886, which was originally developed as a lipoprotein lipase activator, has been shown to activate LXR and thereby increase NPC1 expression. This effect is abolished in THP-1 macrophages if interference RNA which block LXR transcription is used in conjunction with NO-1886 [3]. Of interest is that NPC-IL1, the sterol transporter that is inhibited by ezetimibe in the intestine, also appears to be regulated by LXR. LXR, as a therapeutic target, has been difficult due in effect by increasing SREBP1c in the liver promoting triglyceride synthesis and hepatic steatosis. Therefore, developing selective LXR agonists for the macrophage is the key to identify a means to pharmacologically modify LXR to reduce atherosclerosis [4]. Infusing HDL to reduce atherosclerosis has been shown in pilot human data to reduce atheroma volume measured by intravascular ultrasound. However, unless the excess cholesterol is mobilized to be removed from the cell, HDL infusion alone may not be sufficient in the removal of the majority of excess cholesterol that is stimulating the atherosclerotic process. The work by Ma et al. [2] provides important insights into novel therapies that can be used to enhance the ability of cells, especially macrophages, to mobilize the free cholesterol substrate that HDL, as the acceptor, can remove and return to the liver for clearance into bile. HDL physiology appears to be far more complex than LDL metabolism and the more that can be learned regarding the regulation of cellular cholesterol removal, the more likely there will be pharmacological approaches developed that will translate into clinical benefits. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther (2009) 23:187–188 DOI 10.1007/s10557-009-6171-x

Cellular cholesterol substrate pools for adenosine-triphosphate cassette transporter A1-dependent high-density lipoprotein formation

The removal of cellular cholesterol and phospholipids to apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), facilitated by the membrane transporter ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), is the rate-limiting step in the formation of high density lipoprotein particles. This review summarizes recent literature concerning the relative contributions of different cellular pools of cholesterol used by ABCA1 in the initial lipidation of apoA-I for high density lipoprotein particle formation. Cell culture studies have shown that apart from lipidating apoA-I directly, ABCA1 can also mediate cholesterol delivery indirectly to apoA-I in the plasma membrane. Moreover, it is now clear that the late endosome/lysosome pool of cholesterol is a critical part of the total cholesterol substrate pool for ABCA1. Internalization of ABCA1 appears to be a requirement for maximum ABCA1-mediated cholesterol mobilization for high density lipoprotein formation. Current evidence suggests that ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux to apoA-I involves mobilization of cholesterol from plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, trans-Golgi network, late endocytic and lysosomal compartments, and cholesteryl ester droplets. Apart from lipidating apoA-I directly, ABCA1 has also been found to efflux cholesterol indirectly to apoA-I in plasma membranes.

Liver X Receptor: A novel therapeutic target

The liver X receptors α and β are orphan nuclear receptors that are key regulators in maintaining cholesterol homeostasis. Originally they were found to play an important role in reverse cholesterol transport, a pathway for the removal of excess cellular cholesterol. However several groups have now shown that the liver X receptors also functions in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, cellular differentiation, apoptosis and many immune responses. Tissue distribution of the two paralogues differs with liver X receptor β ubiquitously expressed, while liver X receptor α is confined to the liver, kidney, intestine, spleen, adipose tissue, macrophages and skeletal muscle. The endogenous ligands for the liver X receptors are certain oxidized derivatives of cholesterol, the oxysterols. Upon activation by oxysterols, the receptors form obligate heterodimers with retinoid X receptors α, β and γ; and become competent to activate the transcription of target genes.

Atherogenic, enlarged, and dysfunctional HDL in human PLTP/apoA-I double transgenic mice

In low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-deficient mice, overexpression of human plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) results in increased atherosclerosis. PLTP strongly decreases HDL levels and might alter the antiatherogenic properties of HDL particles. To study the potential interaction between human PLTP and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), double transgenic animals (hPLTPtg/hApoAItg) were compared with hApoAItg mice. PLTP activity was increased 4.5-fold. Plasma total cholesterol and phospholipid were decreased. Average HDL size (analyzed by gel filtration) increased strongly, hPLTPtg/hApoAItg mice having very large, LDL-sized, HDL particles. Also, after density gradient ultracentrifugation, a substantial part of the apoA-I-containing lipoproteins in hPLTPtg/hApoAItg mice was found in the LDL density range. In cholesterol efflux studies from macrophages, HDL isolated from hPLTPtg/hApoAItg mice was less efficient than HDL isolated from hApoAItg mice. Furthermore, it was found that the largest subfraction of the HDL particles present in hPLTPtg/hApoAItg mice was markedly inferior as a cholesterol acceptor, as no labeled cholesterol was transferred to this fraction. In an LDLR-deficient background, the human PLTP-expressing mouse line showed a 2.2-fold increased atherosclerotic lesion area. These data demonstrate that the action of human PLTP in the presence of human apoA-I results in the formation of a dysfunctional HDL subfraction, which is less efficient in the uptake of cholesterol from cholesterol-laden macrophages.

Old Drug, New Tricks

See related article, pages 156–165 Ironically, even though there are currently only a few drugs to specifically treat low high-density lipoprotein (HDL), numerous drugs have been observed to inadvertently alter HDL levels.1 This has been particularly noted for some antihypertensive drugs. Because they are used long-term, any positive or negative effect of antihypertensive drugs on lipids and lipoproteins can significantly impact on their effectiveness in preventing cardiovascular disease. Recently, advances in our understanding of HDL metabolism have helped us to unravel the mechanism of action of these and other drugs that unexpectedly alter HDL levels. This work has largely been led by the laboratory of Shinji Yokoyama and colleagues, who have previously identified the mechanism of action of three drugs on HDL metabolism. Probucol, which has been used to treat patients at risk for cardiovascular disease, is an antioxidant and lowers LDL, but it also lowers HDL. Probucol is now known to decrease HDL by inhibiting the activity of the ABCA1 transporter,2 a key protein involved in reverse cholesterol transport pathway and in HDL biogenesis.3 Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, which can be used as antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic agent, and fenofibrate, a lipid-lowering drug, both raise HDL by increasing the gene expression of the ABCA1 transporter.4,5 In this issue of Circulation Research ,6 Iwamoto et al describe the mechanism of action of a fourth agent that unexpectedly alters HDL, namely the antihypertensive agent doxazosin. The results of this study raise the possibility of a new strategy for developing drugs to increase HDL. Doxazosin (Cardura) is a quinazoline based compound that is sold by Pfizer and is a long lasting selective inhibitor of the α-1a subtype of adrenergic receptors. It blocks the binding of norepinephrine to adrenergic receptors in the autonomic nervous system, which leads …

Insights into Cholesterol Efflux in Vascular Endothelial Cells

Vascular endothelial dysfunction is considered an initial step of atherogenesis, and the complicated cellular events of atherosclerosis begin with focal inflammation leading to foam cell formation and accumulation of cholesterol in the subendothelial space. Of the cells that make up atherosclerotic plaque, vascular endothelial cells (ECs) are the most resistant to cholesterol accumulation. However, ECs express receptors for modified lipoproteins and have the biochemical pathways for sterol synthesis and receptor-mediated endocytosis of lipoproteins. Cholesterol efflux continues even when cellular cholesterol mass is unchanged. Therefore, cholesterol efflux pathways may play an important role in endothelial cholesterol homeostasis. Recent study results suggest that apolipoprotein A-I and high density lipoproteins promote cellular cholesterol efflux through mechanisms depending on ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 in ECs. Caveolae and its structural protein caveolin-1 are abundant in ECs and could be contributors to cholesterol trafficking as well. However, the roles of each pathway in efflux and homeostasis of cellular cholesterol in ECs are still controversial. This article reviews recent progress in the understanding of cholesterol efflux and underlying mechanisms in ECs and proposes a model of efflux of cellular cholesterol. Such a cholesterol efflux pathway could provide insight into the efficient removal of excess cellular cholesterol in preventing atherogenesis.

Increased Phospholipid Transfer Protein Activity Associated with the Impaired Cellular Cholesterol Efflux in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects with Coronary Artery Disease

Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is the pathway, by which the excess of cholesterol is removed from peripheral cells to the liver. An early step of RCT is the efflux of free cholesterol from cell membranes that is mediated by high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) transfers phospholipids between apolipoprotein-B-containing lipoproteins (i.e., chylomicrons and very low-density lipoproteins) and HDL. PLTP contributes to the HDL maturation and increases the ability of HDL to extract the cellular cholesterol. It is known that RCT is impaired in type 2 diabetic patients, especially when cardiovascular complication is associated with. In this study, we measured the serum capacity that promotes cellular cholesterol efflux and the plasma PLTP activity in type 2 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (n = 35), those without CAD (n = 24), and 35 healthy subjects as a sex- and age-matched control. In patients with CAD, plasma triglyceride level was higher compared to controls (p < 0.01) and HDL-cholesterol was lower (p < 0.01 vs control and the patients without CAD). In diabetic patients with or without CAD, PLTP activity was consistently increased, compared to controls, while cellular cholesterol efflux activity was decreased by 20% (p < 0.001) or 13.5% (p < 0.01), respectively. In conclusion, plasma PLTP activity was increased in type 2 diabetic patients with or without CAD, which could impair cellular cholesterol removal and might accelerate atherosclerosis in diabetic patients.

Correction of Apolipoprotein A-I-mediated Lipid Efflux and High Density Lipoprotein Particle Formation in Human Niemann-Pick Type C Disease Fibroblasts

Impaired cell cholesterol trafficking in Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease results in the first known instance of impaired regulation of the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a lipid transporter mediating the rate-limiting step in high density lipoprotein (HDL) formation, as a cause of low plasma HDL-cholesterol in humans. We show here that treatment of human NPC1(-/-) fibroblasts with the liver X receptor (LXR) agonist TO-901317 increases ABCA1 expression and activity in human NPC1(-/-) fibroblasts, as indicated by near normalization of efflux of radiolabeled phosphatidylcholine and a marked increase in efflux of cholesterol mass to apoA-I. LXR agonist treatment prior to and during apoA-I incubation resulted in reduction in filipin staining of unesterified cholesterol in late endosomes/lysosomes, as well as cholesterol mass, in NPC1(-/-) cells. HDL species in human NPC disease plasma showed the same pattern of diminished large, cholesterol-rich alpha-1 HDL particles as seen in isolated heterozygous ABCA1 deficiency. Incubating NPC1(-/-) fibroblasts with the LXR agonist normalized the pattern of HDL particle formation by these cells. ABCG1, another LXR target gene involved in cholesterol efflux to HDL, also showed diminished expression in NPC1(-/-) fibroblasts and increased expression upon LXR agonist treatment. These results suggest that NPC1 mutations can be largely bypassed and that NPC1 protein function is non-essential for the trafficking and removal of cellular cholesterol if the down-stream defects in ABCA1 and ABCG1 regulation in NPC disease cells are corrected using an LXR agonist.

ABCA7 expression is regulated by cellular cholesterol through the SREBP2 pathway and associated with phagocytosis

ABCA7 is highly homologous to ABCA1 and mediates cellular cholesterol and phospholipid release by apolipoproteins when transfected in vitro. However, expression of ABCA7 was downregulated by increased cellular cholesterol while ABCA1 was upregulated, and the results were consistent by forced expression or downregulation of sterol-responsive/regulatory element (SRE) binding proteins (SREBPs). We analyzed the promoter of the ABCA7 gene and identified the new exon encoding 96 bp (mouse) and 95 bp (human) of the 5' untranslated region and the transcription start site at 1,122 bp (mouse) and 1,260 bp (human) upstream of the initiation methionine codon. At 5' upstream of this exon is the ABCA7 proximal promoter containing multiple binding sites of transcription factors for hematopoiesis and SRE of 9 bp at 212 bp (mouse) and 179 bp (human) upstream of the new exon. The apolipoprotein A-I-mediated lipid release was not influenced by suppression of the endogenous ABCA7 with small interfering RNA in mouse fibroblasts or by its increase in ABCA1-deficient mouse cells. In contrast, phagocytic activity was altered in parallel to the ABCA7 expression in these cells. When phagocytosis was induced, the messages increased for SREBP2, ABCA7, and other SREBP2-regulated proteins. The ABCA1 message decreased in this condition. We conclude that the ABCA7 gene is regulated by sterol in the opposite direction to ABCA1 through SRE/SREBP2 and that expression of ABCA7 by this regulation is associated with phagocytic activity.

Variations on a Gene: Rare and Common Variants in ABCA1 and Their Impact on HDL Cholesterol Levels and Atherosclerosis

Cholesterol and its metabolites play a variety of essential roles in living systems. Virtually all animal cells require cholesterol, which they acquire through synthesis or uptake, but only the liver can degrade cholesterol. The ABCA1 gene product regulates the rate-controlling step in the removal of cellular cholesterol: the efflux of cellular cholesterol and phospholipids to an apolipoprotein acceptor. Mutations in ABCA1, as seen in Tangier disease, result in accumulation of cellular cholesterol, reduced plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and increased risk for coronary artery disease. To date, more than 100 coding variants have been identified in ABCA1, and these variants result in a broad spectrum of biochemical and clinical phenotypes. Here we review genetic variation in ABCA1 and its critical role in cholesterol metabolism and atherosclerosis in the general population.

Absence of endogenous phospholipid transfer protein impairs ABCA1-dependent efflux of cholesterol from macrophage foam cells

In vitro experiments have demonstrated that exogenous phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP), i.e. purified PLTP added to macrophage cultures, influences ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux from macrophages to HDL. To investigate whether PLTP produced by the macrophages (i.e., endogenous PLTP) is also part of this process, we used peritoneal macrophages derived from PLTP-knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. The macrophages were transformed to foam cells by cholesterol loading, and this resulted in the upregulation of ABCA1. Such macrophage foam cells from PLTP-KO mice released less cholesterol to lipid-free apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and to HDL than did the corresponding WT foam cells. Also, when plasma from either WT or PLTP-KO mice was used as an acceptor, cholesterol efflux from PLTP-KO foam cells was less efficient than that from WT foam cells. After cAMP treatment, which upregulated the expression of ABCA1, cholesterol efflux from PLTP-KO foam cells to apoA-I increased markedly and reached a level similar to that observed in cAMP-treated WT foam cells, restoring the decreased cholesterol efflux associated with PLTP deficiency. These results indicate that endogenous PLTP produced by macrophages contributes to the optimal function of the ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux-promoting machinery in these cells. Whether macrophage PLTP acts at the plasma membrane or intracellularly or shuttles between these compartments needs further study.

Intracellular trafficking of recycling apolipoprotein E in Chinese hamster ovary cells

We have investigated apolipoprotein E (apoE) recycling in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, a peripheral cell that does not produce lipoproteins or express apoE. Using a pulse-chase protocol in which cells were pulsed with 125I-apoE-VLDL and chased for different periods, approximately 30% of the apoE internalized during the pulse was resecreted within a 4 h chase in a relatively lipid-free state. The addition of lysosomotropic agents or brefeldin A had no effect on apoE recycling. Unlike previous results with hepatocytes and macrophages, neither apoA-I nor upregulation of ABCA1 stimulated apoE recycling. However, cyclodextrin, which extracts cholesterol from plasma membrane lipid rafts, increased recycling. Confocal studies revealed that apoE, internalized during a 1 h pulse, colocalizes with early endosomal antigen-1, Rab5, Rab11a, and lysobisphosphatidic acid but not with lysosomal-associated membrane protein-1. Colocalization of apoE and Rab11a persisted even after cells had been chased for 1 h, suggesting a pool of apoE within the endosomal recycling compartment (ERC). Our data suggest that apoE recycling in CHO cells is linked to cellular cholesterol removal via the ERC and phospholipid-containing acceptors in a pathway alternative to the ABCA1-apoA-I axis.

Measurement of cholesterol bidirectional flux between cells and lipoproteins

We developed an assay that quantitates bidirectional cholesterol flux between cells and lipoproteins. Incubating Fu5AH cells with increasing concentrations of human serum resulted in increased influx and efflux; however, influx was 2- to 3-fold greater at all serum concentrations. With apolipoprotein B (apoB)-depleted serum, the ratio of influx to efflux (I/E) was close to 1, indicating cholesterol exchange. The apoB fraction of serum induced influx and little efflux, with I/E > 1. Using block lipid transport-1 to block scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI)-mediated flux with different acceptors, we determined that 50% to 70% of efflux was via SR-BI. With HDL, 90% of influx was via SR-BI, whereas with LDL or serum, 20% of influx was SR-BI-mediated. Cholesterol-enriched hepatoma cells produced increased efflux without a change in influx, resulting in reduced I/E. The assay was applied to cholesterol-normal and -enriched mouse peritoneal macrophages exposed to serum or LDL. The enrichment enhanced efflux without shifts in influx. With cholesterol-enriched macrophages, HDL efflux was enhanced and influx was greatly reduced. With all lipoproteins, cholesterol enrichment of murine peritoneal macrophages led to a reduced I/E. We conclude that this assay can simultaneously and accurately quantitate cholesterol bidirectional flux and can be applied to a variety of cells exposed to isolated lipoproteins or serum.

HDLs in apoA-I transgenic Abca1 knockout mice are remodeled normally in plasma but are hypercatabolized by the kidney

Patients homozygous for Tangier disease have a near absence of plasma HDL as a result of mutations in ABCA1 and hypercatabolize normal HDL particles. To determine the relationship between ABCA1 expression and HDL catabolism, we investigated intravascular remodeling, plasma clearance, and organ-specific uptake of HDL in mice expressing the human apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) transgene in the Abca1 knockout background. Small HDL particles (7.5 nm), radiolabeled with (125)I-tyramine cellobiose, were injected into recipient mice to quantify plasma turnover and the organ uptake of tracer. Small HDL tracer was remodeled to 8.2 nm diameter particles within 5 min in human apolipoprotein A-I transgenic (hA-I(Tg)) mice (control) and knockout mice. Decay of tracer from plasma was 1.6-fold more rapid in knockout mice (P < 0.05) and kidney uptake was twice that of controls, with no difference in liver uptake. We also observed 2-fold greater hepatic expression of ABCA1 protein in hA-I(Tg) mice compared with nontransgenic mice, suggesting that overexpression of human apoA-I stabilized hepatic ABCA1 protein in vivo. We conclude that ABCA1 is not required for in vivo remodeling of small HDLs to larger HDL subfractions and that the hypercatabolism of normal HDL particles in knockout mice is attributable to a selective catabolism of HDL apoA-I by the kidney.

Cholesterol removal by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin inhibits poliovirus entry.

Upon binding to the poliovirus receptor (PVR), the poliovirus 160S particles undergo a conformational transition to generate 135S particles, which are believed to be intermediates in the virus entry process. The 135S particles interact with host cell membranes through exposure of the N termini of VP1 and the myristylated VP4 protein, and successful cytoplasmic delivery of the genomic RNA requires the interaction of these domains with cellular membranes whose identity is unknown. Because detergent-insoluble microdomains (DIMs) in the plasma membrane have been shown to be important in the entry of other picornaviruses, it was of interest to determine if poliovirus similarly required DIMs during virus entry. We show here that methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD), which disrupts DIMs by depleting cells of cholesterol, inhibits virus infection and that this inhibition was partially reversed by partially restoring cholesterol levels in cells, suggesting that MbetaCD inhibition of virus infection was mediated by removal of cellular cholesterol. However, fractionation of cellular membranes into DIMs and detergent-soluble membrane fractions showed that both PVR and poliovirus capsid proteins localize not to DIMs but to detergent-soluble membrane fractions during entry into the cells, and their localization was unaffected by treatment with MbetaCD. We further demonstrate that treatment with MbetaCD inhibits RNA delivery after formation of the 135S particles. These data indicate that the cholesterol status of the cell is important during the process of genome delivery and that these entry pathways are distinct from those requiring DIM integrity.

Clinical significance of High-Density lipoproteins and the development of atherosclerosis: focus on the role of the adenosine triphosphate–Binding cassette protein A1 transporter

Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol constitute a risk factor for coronary artery disease, and there is evidence that increasing HDL cholesterol levels reduces cardiovascular risk. The phenotype of low HDL cholesterol with or without elevated triglycerides is at least as common in patients hospitalized for cardiovascular disease as is hypercholesterolemia, and it is characteristic of diabetes and the metabolic syndrome, conditions associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Recent studies have elucidated mechanisms by which HDL acts to reduce cardiovascular risk, bolstering the rationale for targeting of HDL in lipid-modifying therapy. In particular, HDL (1) carries excess cholesterol from peripheral cells to the liver for removal in the process termed reverse cholesterol transport, (2) reduces oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and (3) inhibits cytokine-induced expression of cellular adhesion molecules on endothelial cells. Studies of the newly described adenosine triphosphate–binding cassette protein A1 (ABCA1) transporter have established a crucial role for this transporter in modulating the levels of plasma HDL and intracellular cholesterol in the liver as well as in peripheral cells. Elevated levels of intracellular cholesterol stimulate the liver X receptor pathway, enhancing the expression of ABCA1, which increases intracellular trafficking of excess cholesterol to the cell surface for interaction with lipid-poor apolipoprotein A-I to form nascent HDL. Nascent HDL facilitates the removal of additional excess cellular cholesterol, which is esterified by lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase with conversion of the nascent HDL to mature spherical HDL. Overexpression of ABCA1 in mice on a regular chow or Western diet results in a marked increase in plasma HDL, increased LDL, and increased transport of cholesterol to the liver. On a high cholesterol/cholate diet, transgenic mice overexpressing ABCA1 have increased HDL, reduced LDL, increased HDL–mediated cholesterol flux to the liver, and reduced atherosclerosis. Ongoing investigation of mechanisms by which HDL acts to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis will provide several new targets for the development of drugs to decrease the risk of atherosclerosis.