Abstract
Dietary plant sterols and cholesterol have a comparable chemical structure. It is generally assumed that cholesterol and plant sterols do not cross the blood-brain barrier, but quantitative data are lacking. Here, we report that mice deficient for ATP-binding cassette transporter G5 (Abcg5) or Abcg8, with strongly elevated serum plant sterol levels, display dramatically increased (7- to 16-fold) plant sterol levels in the brain. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-deficient mice also displayed elevated serum plant sterol levels, which was however not associated with significant changes in brain plant sterol levels. Abcg5- and Abeg8-deficient mice were found to carry circulating plant sterols predominantly in high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-particles, whereas ApoE-deficient mice accommodated most of their serum plant sterols in very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-particles. This suggests an important role for HDL and/or ApoE in the transfer of plant sterols into the brain. Moreover, sitosterol upregulated apoE mRNA and protein levels in astrocytoma, but not in neuroblastoma cells, to a higher extend than cholesterol. In conclusion, dietary plant sterols pass the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain, where they may exert brain cell type-specific effects. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 445-453 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Biochimica et biophysica acta-Molecular and cell biology of lipids |
Volume | 1761 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Apr-2006 |
Keywords
- cholesterol
- plant sterol
- campesterol
- sitosterol
- apolipoprotein E
- ABCG5
- ABCG8
- LIVER-X-RECEPTOR
- IN-VITRO
- CHOLESTEROL TRANSPORTER
- BETA-SITOSTEROL
- DEFICIENT MICE
- CACO-2 CELLS
- FATTY-ACIDS
- ACTIVATION
- BARRIER
- ABCA1