HDL functionality.
OBJECTIVE
HDL cholesterol concentration is inversely correlated with cardiovascular disease and has a wide range of functions involved in many systems. The purpose of this review is to summarize HDL functionality, its relevance to atherosclerosis and factors affecting HDL functions.


RESULTS
The contribution of HDL to reverse cholesterol transport may not be as great as first envisaged. However, it still plays an important role in cholesterol efflux from peripheral tissues. The capacity of HDL to promote cellular cholesterol efflux in an ex-vivo model has been reported to correlate more closely with carotid intima-media thickness than HDL cholesterol concentration. Recently, a variety of other functions of HDL have been described including antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiglycation, anti-inflammatory, nitric oxide--inducing, antithrombotic and antiatherogenic activity and immune modulation as well as a potential role in glucose homeostasis, diabetes pathophysiology and complications.


CONCLUSIONS
HDL has a wide range of functions some of which are independent of its cholesterol content. Its cargo of apolipoproteins, various proteins and phospholipids contributes most to its various functions. These functions are affected by a number of genetic, physiological and pathological factors.
University Department of Medicine, Central Manchester and Manchester Children University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, School of Biomedicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Handrean
H
Soran
Salam
S
Hama
Rahul
R
Yadav
Paul N
PN
Durrington
D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000378:metabolism
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL