HDL biology
Higher endogenous CETP activity boosts cholesterol efflux capacity via pre-beta1-HDL in women (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2012)
Original title: Elevated CETP activity improves plasma cholesterol efflux capacity from human macrophages in women
Researchers measured endogenous plasma CETP activity in 348 women and compared cholesterol efflux capacity between those in the lowest and highest activity tertiles. Women with high CETP activity showed significantly greater plasma capacity to mediate cholesterol efflux from human macrophages (+8.2%; P=0.001) and specifically through the ABCA1-dependent pathway (+23.4%; P=0.0001), independent of plasma lipid levels. Pre-beta1-HDL concentrations were significantly higher in the high CETP activity group (+29.6%; P=0.01) and correlated positively with efflux efficiency (r=0.29, P=0.02). The authors conclude that CETP activity supports cholesterol efflux capacity by promoting pre-beta1-HDL formation and ABCA1-mediated efflux, a function that should be preserved to prevent macrophage lipid accumulation.
Original abstract
Objective: We aim to identify the impact of endogenous cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity on plasma capacity to mediate free cholesterol efflux from human macrophages.
Methods And Results: Endogenous plasma CETP activity was measured in a population of 348 women. We defined a low CETP group corresponding to subjects displaying an endogenous plasma CETP activity within the first tertile and a high CETP group corresponding to subjects with an endogenous plasma CETP activity within the third tertile. Subjects from the high CETP activity group displayed a significant increase in the capacity of their plasma (+8.2%; P=0.001) to mediate cholesterol efflux from human acute monocytic leukemia cell line human macrophages and from ATP-binding cassette transporter A1-dependent pathway (+23.4%; P=0.0001) as compared with those from the low CETP activity group. Multivariate analyses revealed that the impact of CETP activity was independent of plasma lipids levels. Pre-β1-high-density lipoprotein concentrations were significantly elevated (+29.6%; P=0.01) in the high CETP activity group as compared with the low CETP activity group. A positive correlation between pre-β1-high-density lipoprotein levels and plasma efflux efficiency from human acute monocytic leukemia cell line human macrophages was observed (r=0.29, P=0.02).
Conclusions: CETP leading to the improvement of plasma efflux capacity, as a result of efficient pre-β-high-density lipoprotein formation and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 efflux, should be preserved to prevent lipid accumulation in human macrophages.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.