Phospholipid Transfer Protein (PLTP) in Cholesterol Handling: Implications for Mitochondrial Lipid Homeostasis in...

Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) is a lipid transfer protein classically studied in the context of plasma lipoprotein metabolism, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) remodeling, and cardiovascular disease risk. PLTP facilitates phospholipid transfer between lipoproteins and regulates HDL particle size and composition through interactions with apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein A-II. While its systemic roles in cholesterol handling, reverse cholesterol transport, and inflammatory signaling are well established, the cell-autonomous functions of PLTP within cardiomyocytes remain poorly defined, particularly in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs). Extensive experimental and clinical studies demonstrate that PLTP enhances ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux primarily by stabilizing ABCA1 at the plasma membrane and by promoting the generation of lipid-poor apolipoprotein A-I and pre-β HDL particles, which serve as efficient cholesterol acceptors; the magnitude of these effects depends on cellular context, PLTP expression levels, and the availability of lipid acceptors. PLTP expression is metabolically regulated and widely distributed across tissues, including macrophages and other non-hepatic cells, supporting roles beyond circulating lipoprotein remodeling. Altered PLTP activity has been linked to atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory pathways, underscoring its relevance to cardiac pathophysiology. Emerging evidence further suggests that intracellular cholesterol distribution, rather than total cholesterol content alone, critically influences mitochondrial membrane composition, bioenergetics, and stress signaling in cardiomyocytes. These observations raise the possibility that PLTP-regulated lipid flux may indirectly shape mitochondrial function by modulating cellular cholesterol homeostasis. This review synthesizes current knowledge of PLTP biology, cholesterol metabolism, and lipoprotein remodeling, and integrates these concepts with emerging frameworks in cardiomyocyte lipid metabolism and mitochondrial physiology. We highlight human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes as a strategic and translationally relevant platform to investigate PLTP's non-canonical, cell-intrinsic roles, identify critical knowledge gaps, and propose future directions for elucidating how PLTP may influence mitochondrial function in human cardiac cells.