THE STUDY OF HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (HDL) FUNCTION TO REMOVE CHOLESTEROL FROM CELLS VIA ABCA1 RECEPTORS BY CELL CULTURE METHOD

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health concern in Thailand with a steadily increasing incidence. The primary pathological mechanism underlying CVD is atherosclerosis, characterized by the accumulation of cholesterol within the arterial wall. Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) plays an important role in removing excess cholesterol from vascular tissues by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) levels are currently measured in the bloodstream. Conventionally, CVD risk predictions have relied on HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. However, previous studies indicate that HDL-C concentration does not fully reflect the functional capacity of HDL in promoting cholesterol efflux from peripheral cells. Therefore, assessment of CEC may provide more accurate insight into atherosclerotic risk than HDL-C levels alone. This study aimed to evaluate ABCA1-mediated CEC by cell-based assay and examine its relationship with conventional lipid parameters. Blood samples were obtained from healthy volunteers (n = 16) and diabetic patients (n = 19). Comparison of CEC between groups using an unpaired t-test revealed no statistically significant difference observed (t = 1.025, df = 33, p = 0.3128). This study highlights the functional role of HDL in promoting cholesterol efflux from cells. However, further research is required to clarify the relationship between CEC values and other clinical markers to support more comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment in the Thai population.