High levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) are associated with lowered risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in epidemiological studies. However, recent genetic and drug studies have shown that HDL-C itself is probably not causal in reducing CVD risk. Instead, a consensus is building that HDL functions may protect against CVD, and that treating for the biomarker of HDL-C may not always coincide with increased HDL function. One of the functions of HDL that may play a role in its protective effect is its role in the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) pathway, in which cholesterol is removed from peripheral tissues and transferred to the liver for excretion. HDL and its major protein constituent, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), are critical components of this process. In the first ste of the RCT pathway, lipid-poor apoA-I acts as an acceptor for cell cholesterol and phospholipids via the cell membrane protein ABCA1, generating nascent HDL through a mechanism which is not understood at the molecular level. ABCA1 has two well characterized activities, the outward translocation of phosphatidylserine, and the cell surface binding of its ligand apoA-I. We recently characterized a third activity of ABCA1, the ability to unfold apoA-I's N-terminal helical hairpin.
In Aim 1, we explore our novel finding that phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) play a role in nascent HDL biogenesis.
In Aim 2, we explore the mechanism by which ABCA1 helps partially unfold apoA-I on the cell surface, including the role of our novel finding of ABCA1 mediated acidification of apoA-I on the cell surface. Successful completion of the proposed studies will increase our knowledge of the mechanism of de novo HDL production, which may yield insights into new strategies to increase HDL biogenesis and HDL function, and aid in the prevention of CVD.

Public Health Relevance

Although HDL-cholesterol is associated with decreased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), recent genetic and drug studies have shown that HDL-cholesterol may not itself be protective. Instead the consensus is that HDL function may be protective, particularly the ability of apoA-I, the major HDL protein, to accept cholesterol from cells in the arterial wall. Nascent HDL is formed when apoA-I is lipidated in a reaction mediated by the plasma membrane protein ABCA1; however, the mechanism for ABCA1 lipidation of apoA-I is not understood. The proposed studies will test novel hypotheses for the mechanism of ABCA1's lipidation of apoA-I. These studies may lead to a better understanding of HDL biogenesis and provide the basis for future therapeutic strategies to increase prevent CHD.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL128268-03
Application #
9438444
Study Section
Atherosclerosis and Inflammation of the Cardiovascular System Study Section (AICS)
Program Officer
Liu, Lijuan
Project Start
2016-04-01
Project End
2020-02-28
Budget Start
2018-03-01
Budget End
2019-02-28
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Cleveland Clinic Lerner
Department
Other Basic Sciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
135781701
City
Cleveland
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
44195
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Halawani, Dalia; Gogonea, Valentin; DiDonato, Joseph A et al. (2018) Structural control of caspase-generated glutamyl-tRNA synthetase by appended noncatalytic WHEP domains. J Biol Chem 293:8843-8860
Gulshan, Kailash; Brubaker, Gregory; Conger, Heather et al. (2016) PI(4,5)P2 Is Translocated by ABCA1 to the Cell Surface Where It Mediates Apolipoprotein A1 Binding and Nascent HDL Assembly. Circ Res 119:827-38