High Density Lipoproteins Phosphatidylcholine as a Regulator of Reverse Cholesterol Transport

Among blood plasma lipoproteins that transport lipids in the organism, a significant role belongs to high-density lipoproteins (HDL). They protect against atherosclerosis progression, mainly through their ability to accept cholesterol from cell membranes and subsequently deliver it to the liver for catabolism. Recently, it has been found that this HDL property is often disrupted, regardless of their concentration in the blood, and this is associated with a greater predisposition to cardiovascular diseases. The causes of these disorders associated with any modifications of proteins and/or lipids composing the HDL particles have not yet been revealed. Many data indicate the significance of possible changes in phospholipids (PL) of HDL. This review examines how cellular cholesterol is excreted to HDL with the participation of membrane proteins, ABCA1, ABCG1, and SR-B1, as well as components of the surface monolayer of HDL, apoprotein A1 (apoAl) and PL, particularly the predominant phosphatidylcholine (PC). The possibilities of correcting the dysfunctionality of HDL by phospholipidation, using apoA1-PC complexes or detergent PC emulsions, are also reviewed. Data of our research using soy PC nanoparticles less than 30 nm in size that activates the [3Н]cholesterol efflux from macrophages to plasma HDL are presented. Prospective new pharmacological approaches in PL therapy for normalization of HDL properties through their enrichment with PC are discussed.