Genetic deficiency or inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) leads to a marked increase in plasma levels of large HDL-2 particles. However, there is concern that such particles may be dysfunctional in terms of their ability to promote cholesterol efflux from macrophages. Recently, the ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCG1, a macrophage liver X receptor (LXR) target, has been s...

OBJECTIVE Abnormal expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 in the placenta can elicit lipid metabolism disorder and adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, whether it is associated with preterm delivery remains unclear. Our present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between abnormal expression of ABCA1 or ABCG1 and preterm delivery. METHODS Maternal blood and placental tissues from women with sponta...

The ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 1 (ABCG1) exports cellular cholesterol to high-density lipoproteins (HDL). However, a number of recent studies have suggested ABCG1 is predominantly localised to intracellular membranes. In this study, we found that ABCG1 was organized into two distinct cellular pools: one at the plasma membrane and the other associated with the endoplasmic reticulum...

Plasma HDL levels are inversely related to the incidence of atherosclerotic disease. Some of the atheroprotective effects of HDL are likely mediated via preservation of EC function. Whether the beneficial effects of HDL on ECs depend on its involvement in cholesterol efflux via the ATP-binding cassette transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1, which promote efflux of cholesterol and oxysterols from macroph...

OBJECTIVE Adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been identified as a regulator of vascular function via the preservation of endothelial cell (EC) function. In this study, we examined whether the beneficial effects of AMPK on ECs are dependent on its involvement in cholesterol efflux and its impact on hypercholesterolemia-induced endothelial dysfunction. METHODS AND RESUL...

ABCG4 belongs to the ABCG subfamily, the members of which are half transporters composed of a single transmembrane and a single nucleotide-binding domain. ABCG proteins have a reverse domain topology as compared to other mammalian ABC transporters, and have to form functional dimers, since the catalytic sites for ATP binding and hydrolysis, as well as the transmembrane domains are composed of d...

OBJECTIVE The lungs of Abcg1-/- mice accumulate macrophage foam cells that contain high levels of unesterified and esterified cholesterol, consistent with a role for ABCG1 in facilitating the efflux of cholesterol from macrophages to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and other exogenous sterol acceptors. Based on these observations, we investigated whether loss of ABCG1 affects foam cell depositio...

In Response: Xie et al suggest that an alternative interpretation may explain the observation that LXR activation in macrophage preferentially presents ABCG1 at cell surface.1 They indicate that the newly synthesized ABCG1 on LXR activation may reach the cell surface through Golgi apparatus in macrophage, rather than via redistribution of preexisting ABCG1 from intracellular pools. Our interpre...

Among the known mechanisms of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), ATP binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1)-mediated free cholesterol (FC) transport is the most recent and least studied. Here, we have characterized the efficiencies of different acceptors using baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells transfected with human ABCG1 cDNA, which is inducible upon treatment with mifepristone. When normaliz...

ABCG1, a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter superfamily, is highly expressed in multiple cells of the lung. Loss of ABCG1 results in severe pulmonary lipidosis in mice, with massive deposition of cholesterol in both alveolar macrophages and type 2 cells and the accumulation of excessive surfactant phospholipids. These observations are consistent with ABCG1 controlling cellular stero...