OBJECTIVE: The ATP binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) is a key participant in the reverse cholesterol process whereby mediates cholesterol efflux directly to HDL particles. The aim of this study was to investigate whether long-term treatment with conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in post-menopausal women could affect their leukocytes ABCA1 expression. Changes in various serum lipids and lipoprotein fractions were also investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 60 non-obese normolipidaemic post-menopausal women treated with oral oestrogen together with progestin therapy for 3 months were selected. Leukocytes ABCA1 gene expression and serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations were measured at the start and end of the HRT. RESULTS: HRT led to significant increases in HDL cholesterol (P = 0.001) and apoA-I (P = 0.046) and significant decrease in apoB (P = 0.049) and LDL cholesterol (P = 0.022) when compared with the baseline levels. Analysis of leukocytes ABCA1 mRNA showed a significant increase in ABCA1 gene expression after HRT (P = 0.001). There was also a significant inverse association (r = -0.28, P = 0.03) between ABCA1 gene expression and log TG/HDL cholesterol changes related to HRT. CONCLUSION: The beneficial cardiovascular effects of HRT could be explained, at least in part, by increasing the ABCA1 gene expression.
OBJECTIVE: The ATP binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) is a key participant in the reverse cholesterol process whereby mediates cholesterol efflux directly to HDL particles. The aim of this study was to investigate whether long-term treatment with conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in post-menopausal women could affect their leukocytes ABCA1 expression. Changes in various serum lipids and lipoprotein fractions were also investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 60 non-obese normolipidaemic post-menopausal women treated with oral oestrogen together with progestin therapy for 3 months were selected. Leukocytes ABCA1 gene expression and serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations were measured at the start and end of the HRT. RESULTS: HRT led to significant increases in HDL cholesterol (P = 0.001) and apoA-I (P = 0.046) and significant decrease in apoB (P = 0.049) and LDL cholesterol (P = 0.022) when compared with the baseline levels. Analysis of leukocytes ABCA1 mRNA showed a significant increase in ABCA1 gene expression after HRT (P = 0.001). There was also a significant inverse association (r = -0.28, P = 0.03) between ABCA1 gene expression and log TG/HDL cholesterol changes related to HRT. CONCLUSION: The beneficial cardiovascular effects of HRT could be explained, at least in part, by increasing the ABCA1 gene expression.
Authors: Teresa Villarreal-Molina; Carlos Posadas-Romero; Sandra Romero-Hidalgo; Erika Antúnez-Argüelles; Araceli Bautista-Grande; Gilberto Vargas-Alarcón; Eric Kimura-Hayama; Samuel Canizales-Quinteros; Juan Gabriel Juárez-Rojas; Rosalinda Posadas-Sánchez; Guillermo Cardoso-Saldaña; Aída Medina-Urrutia; María Del Carmen González-Salazar; Rocío Martínez-Alvarado; Esteban Jorge-Galarza; Alessandra Carnevale Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-11-09 Impact factor: 3.240