High-density lipoprotein and atherosclerosis: Roles of lipid transporters

Core Tip

Core tip: The reverse cholesterol transport pathway played with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) has several potential antiatherogenic properties. Both ATP-binding cassette (ABC) A1 and ABCG1 are lipid transporters and have been involved in mediating cholesterol effluxes from cells in the presence of HDL or apoA-I, and they exerted antiatherosclerotic effects. As a therapeutic approach for increasing HDL cholesterol levels, much focus has been placed on increasing not only HDL cholesterol levels, but also HDL-biological functions. Reconstituted HDL and apoA-I mimetics have significant atheroprotective potential, as it uses lipid transporter-targeting agents, and may prove to be a novel therapeutic tool for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.