International Journal of Molecular Sciences Review The Role of the ATP-Binding Cassette A1 (ABCA1) in Human Disease Leonor Jacobo-Albavera 1,† , Mayra Domínguez-Pérez 1,† , Diana Jhoseline Medina-Leyte 1,2 , Antonia González-Garrido 1 and Teresa Villarreal-Molina 1,* 1 Laboratorio de Genómica de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Dirección de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City CP14610, Mexico;
[email protected] (L.J.-A.);
[email protected] (M.D.-P.);
[email protected] (D.J.M.-L.);
[email protected] (A.G.-G.) 2 Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Mexico City CP04510, Mexico * Correspondence:
[email protected] † These authors contributed equally to this work. Abstract: Cholesterol homeostasis is essential in normal physiology of all cells. One of several proteins involved in cholesterol homeostasis is the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a transmembrane protein widely expressed in many tissues. One of its main functions is the efflux of intracellular free cholesterol and phospholipids across the plasma membrane to combine with apolipoproteins, mainly apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I), forming nascent high-density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C) particles, the first step of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). In addition, ABCA1 regulates cholesterol and phospholipid content in the plasma membrane affecting lipid rafts, microparticle (MP) formation and cell signaling. Thus, it is not surprising that impaired ABCA1 function and altered cholesterol homeostasis may affect many different organs and is involved in the Citation: Jacobo-Albavera, L.; pathophysiology of a broad array of diseases. This review describes evidence obtained from animal Domínguez-Pérez, M.; Medina-Leyte, models, human studies and genetic variation explaining how ABCA1 is involved in dyslipidemia, D.J.; González-Garrido, A.; Villarreal- coronary heart disease (CHD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), thrombosis, neurological disorders, age-related Molina, T.