Research Status and Latest Progress in the Regulatory Mechanisms of ABCA1

Cholesterol is an essential lipid in the human body, involved in critical physiological processes such as cell membrane composition and hormone synthesis. The homeostasis of cholesterol is vital for the normal functioning of the organism. Reverse Cholesterol Transport (RCT) is a core mechanism maintaining this balance, and ABCA1, as a key membrane transporter, plays a decisive role in RCT by mediating cholesterol efflux to HDL precursors, thereby promoting the initial formation of HDL. The regulatory mechanism of ABCA1 is extremely complex, with its regulation mainly occurring through two dimensions: transcriptional expression and post-translational modification. Currently, clinical drugs for regulating cholesterol are dominated by statins, supplemented by ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, and others. However, these drugs have certain limitations, and research on ABCA1-targeted drugs is relatively scarce. Therefore, summarizing the research progress on the regulatory mechanism of ABCA1 is expected to provide important insights for the development of new therapies to maintain cholesterol homeostasis.