High density lipoprotein: it's not just about lipid transport anymore

Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Jan;22(1):9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.tem.2010.10.001. Epub 2010 Nov 8.

Abstract

Plasma levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) have long been associated with protection against cardiovascular disease (CVD) in large populations. However, HDL-C has been significantly less useful for predicting CVD risk in individual patients. This has ignited a new debate on the merits of measuring HDL quantity versus quality in terms of protective potential. In addition, numerous recent studies have begun to uncover HDL functions that vary surprisingly from traditional lipid transport roles. In this paper, we review recent findings that point to important functions for HDL that go well beyond lipid transport. These discoveries suggest that HDL might be a platform that mediates protection from a host of disease states ranging from CVD to diabetes to infectious disease.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport / physiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / metabolism
  • Cholesterol, HDL / genetics
  • Cholesterol, HDL / metabolism*
  • Embryonic Development / physiology
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Models, Biological

Substances

  • Cholesterol, HDL