Role of the ABC transporters A1 and G1, key reverse cholesterol transport proteins, in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Epidemiology studies firmly established an inverse relationship between atherogenesis and distorted lipid metabolism, in particular, higher levels of total cholesterol, an accumulation of CH-laden macrophages (foam cells), and lower plasma levels of antiatherogenic high density lipoprotein (HDL). It is believed that the reverse cholesterol transport, a process that removes excess cholesterol from peripheral tissues/cells including macrophages to circulating HDL, is one of the main mechanisms responsible for anti-atherogenic properties of HDL. The key proteins of reverse cholesterol transport—ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 (ABCA1) and G1 (ABCG1)—mediate the cholesterol efflux from macrophages and prevent their transformation into foam cells. This review focuses on the role of ABC transporters A1 and G1 in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.