Foam cell formation because of excessive accumulation of cholesterol by macrophages is a pathological hallmark of atherosclerosis, the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Western societies. Macrophages cannot limit the uptake of cholesterol and, therefore, depend on cholesterol efflux pathways for preventing their transformation into foam cells. Several ABC transporters, including adenosi...

The uterus is an organ where lipid distribution plays a critical role for its function. Here we show that nuclear receptor for oxysterols LXRbeta prevents accumulation of cholesteryl esters in mouse myometrium by controlling expression of genes involved in cholesterol efflux and storage (abca1 and abcg1). Upon treatment with an LXR agonist that mimics activation by oxysterols, expression of the...

Foam cell formation because of excessive accumulation of cholesterol by macrophages is a pathological hallmark of atherosclerosis, the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Western societies. Macrophages cannot limit the uptake of cholesterol and, therefore, depend on cholesterol efflux pathways for preventing their transformation into foam cells. Several ABC transporters, including adenosi...

The molecular cloning and identification of mutations in ATP-binding cassette transporters in hereditary diseases have greatly expanded our knowledge of the normal physiology of intracellular lipid transport processes. In addition to the well-known ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) molecule, ABC transporters belonging to the ABCG (White) subfamily (ABCG1, ABCG5, and ABCG8) have been s...

BACKGROUND Of the cells that compose the atherosclerotic plaque, vascular endothelial cells are the most resistant to cholesterol accumulation. Cholesterol efflux pathways may play an important role in endothelial cholesterol homeostasis. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined the global genetic response of endothelial cells to cholesterol and in particular the contribution of the cholesterol efflux...