title: Hepatic cholesterol transport from plasma into bile: implications for gallstone disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The transhepatic traffic of cholesterol from plasma lipoproteins into the bile is critical for overall cholesterol homeostasis and its alterations may lead to cholesterol gallstone formation. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the key hepatic cholesterol metabolism-related proteins and pathways that influence biliary secretion of cholesterol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In cholesterol-fed apolipoprotein E knockout mice, the availability of dietary cholesterol for biliary disposal is decreased and diet-induced gallstone formation is impaired. Scavenger receptor class B type I is relevant for cholesterol transport from plasma HDL into the bile in chow-fed mice, however its expression is not critical for biliary cholesterol secretion and gallstone formation in lithogenic diet-fed mice. Intrahepatic cholesterol transport proteins (e.g. sterol carrier protein-2, Niemann Pick type C-1 protein) also determine liver cholesterol available for biliary secretion in mice. Genetic manipulation of canalicular ATP-binding cassette transporter G5 and G8 expression in mice has established their essential role for biliary cholesterol secretion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent studies have underscored that different proteins involved in hepatic cholesterol transport regulate the availability of cholesterol for biliary secretion. These advances may provide new avenues for prevention and treatment of various disease conditions linked to abnormal cholesterol metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Marcoleta 367, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zanlungo
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rigotti
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nervi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001646:Bile / Q000378:metabolism*; D001692:Biological Transport; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000378:metabolism*; D042882:Gallstones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D002784:Cholesterol