ATP-binding cassette transporters G1 and G4 mediate cellular cholesterol efflux to high-density lipoproteins

The mechanisms responsible for the inverse relationship between plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease are poorly understood. The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mediates efflux of cellular cholesterol to lipid-poor apolipoproteins but not to HDL particles that constitute the bulk of plasma HDL. We show that two ABC transporters of unknown function, ABCG1 and ABCG4, mediate isotopic and net mass efflux of cellular cholesterol to HDL. In transfected 293 cells, ABCG1 and ABCG4 stimulate cholesterol efflux to both smaller (HDL-3) and larger (HDL-2) subclasses but not to lipid-poor apoA-I. Treatment of macrophages with an liver X receptor activator results in up-regulation of ABCG1 and increases cholesterol efflux to HDL. RNA interference reduced the expression of ABCG1 in liver X receptor-activated macrophages and caused a parallel decrease in cholesterol efflux to HDL. These studies indicate that ABCG1 and ABCG4 promote cholesterol efflux from cells to HDL. ABCG1 is highly expressed in macrophages and probably mediates cholesterol efflux from macrophage foam cells to the major HDL fractions, providing a mechanism to explain the relationship between HDL levels and atherosclerosis risk.