Lipoprotein in cholesterol transport： Highlights and recent insights into its structural basis and functional mechanism

• Published in: Chinese physics B 2018-02, Vol.27 (2), p.11-20
• Main Authors: 陈淑玉, 李娜, 金桃丽, 缑璐, 郝东晓, 田芷淇, 张胜利, 张磊
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 结构功能关系; 血浆脂蛋白; 血浆胆固醇; 运输过程; 机制; 基础; 类脂化合物; 新陈代谢
• ISSN: 1674-1056; 2058-3834
• DOI: 10.1088/1674-1056/27/2/028702

Lipoproteins are protein-lipid macromolecular assemblies which are used to transport lipids in circulation and are key targets in cardiovascular disease （CVD）. The highly dynamic lipoprotein molecules are capable of adopting an array of conformations that is crucial to lipid transport along the cholesterol transport pathway, among which high-density lipopro- tein （HDL） and low-density lipoprotein （LDL） are major players in plasma cholesterol metabolism. For a more detailed illustration of cholesterol transport process, as well as the development of therapies to prevent CVD, here we review the functional mechanism and structural basis of lipoproteins in cholesterol transport, as well as their structural dynamics in the plasma lipoprotein （HDL and LDL） elevations, in order to obtain better quantitative understandings on structure-function relationship of lipoproteins. Finally, we also provide an approach for further research on the lipoprotein in cholesterol transport.