Molecular Insights into Cholesterol Metabolism

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue presents molecular insights into cholesterol metabolism. In 1985, M. S. Brown and J. L. Goldstein were awarded the Novel Prize for their pioneering work that unraveled the cell molecular control of the cholesterol metabolism. Since then, although remarkable progress in the field has been observed, questions about cholesterol metabolism and its consequences for human atherosclerosis remain; these are detailed in this symposium.

Various drugs have been suggested to reduce the plasma concentration of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), but have been abandoned due to undesirable side effects. Nevertheless, some researchers continue to advocate their use in preventing atherosclerotic vascular disease. This controversy is explored in this symposium.

It has been known for decades that the human intestine has no fixed limit to its ability to absorb dietary cholesterol. However, it is not known whether the efficiency of intestinal absorption is regulated by genetic-dependent mechanisms in genetic hypercholesterolemias.

It is known that reverse cholesterol transport participates in the elimination of cholesterol from the human intestine, but it is not known whether certain pathologies that interfere with cholesterol metabolism, notably diabetes mellitus, disrupt this transport; this subject should therefore be studied.

Other proteins, such as those that transfer cholesterol and phospholipids between plasma proteins and between these and cells, are not known to be effectively involved in atherosclerosis; this is the case with phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) and, notably, lecithin-cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT), which is modified by well-established genetic causes that have been explored more extensively.

More recently, there has been research linking intestinal flora to the cholesterol metabolism, which leads us to assume that there may be a connection between these factors; there is therefore a need to explore whether the intestinal flora may have an unfavorable influence on cholesterol metabolism.

The treatment of hypercholesterolemia with a vast arsenal of cholesterol-lowering drugs is effective in protecting against atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; meanwhile, animals with cholesterolemia characterized by low apoB-containing particles and increased apoA-containing particles are genetically protected against atherosclerosis. This leads to ask how drastic a reduction in apoB and an increase in apoA should be attained to achieve more effective protection against atherosclerosis. Linked to this question, it is essential to discuss the role of marine and plant-based n-3 PUFA in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This area of research includes the efficacy versus the inconvenience of dietary supplementation with phytosterols and phytostanols.

Underlying this problem is also the question of whether plasma non-cholesterol sterols are reliable markers of cholesterol synthesis and intestinal absorption; this would allow genetic alterations to be identified and therefore treated and prevented.

Prof. Dr. Eder Rocha Quintão
Guest Editor

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• cholesterol metabolism
• CETP
• PLTP
• LCAT
• sitosterol
• sitostanol
• plant sterols
• LDL
• HDL
• reverse cholesterol transport
• non-cholesterol sterols
• atherosclerosis