Interaction abolishment between mutant caveolin-1(Δ62-100) and ABCA1 reduces HDL-mediated cellular cholesterol efflux

Our previous study shows that caveolin-1 colocalizes and interacts with ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), which is intimately involved in cellular cholesterol efflux. In this study, we further clarified the region of caveolin-1 that interacts with ABCA1. We also examined the interaction between mutant caveolin-1 and ABCA1 in HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux. We constructed a panel of mutant caveolin-1 proteins and co-transfected them into rat aortic endothelial and human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. The co-immunoprecipitation shows that mutant oligomerization domain of caveolin-1, caveolin-1(Δ62-100), is required for the interaction of caveolin-1 with ABCA1. Caveolin-1(Δ62-100) did not colocalize with ABCA1 in the cholesterol-loaded cells after HDL incubation as observed by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Concomitantly, caveolin-1(Δ62-100) suppressed HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux. The results suggest that the region of caveolin-1 between amino acids 62 and 100 is an oligomerization domain as well as an attachment site for ABCA1 interaction that regulates HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux.