Aster-dependent nonvesicular transport facilitates dietary cholesterol uptake

Science. 2023 Nov 10;382(6671):eadf0966. doi: 10.1126/science.adf0966. Epub 2023 Nov 10.

Abstract

Intestinal absorption is an important contributor to systemic cholesterol homeostasis. Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1) assists in the initial step of dietary cholesterol uptake, but how cholesterol moves downstream of NPC1L1 is unknown. We show that Aster-B and Aster-C are critical for nonvesicular cholesterol movement in enterocytes. Loss of NPC1L1 diminishes accessible plasma membrane (PM) cholesterol and abolishes Aster recruitment to the intestinal brush border. Enterocytes lacking Asters accumulate PM cholesterol and show endoplasmic reticulum cholesterol depletion. Aster-deficient mice have impaired cholesterol absorption and are protected against diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. Finally, the Aster pathway can be targeted with a small-molecule inhibitor to manipulate cholesterol uptake. These findings identify the Aster pathway as a physiologically important and pharmacologically tractable node in dietary lipid absorption.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport
  • Cholesterol, Dietary* / metabolism
  • Enterocytes* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Absorption* / drug effects
  • Intestinal Absorption* / physiology
  • Jejunum / metabolism
  • Liver X Receptors / metabolism
  • Membrane Transport Proteins* / genetics
  • Membrane Transport Proteins* / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout

Substances

  • Cholesterol, Dietary
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Npc1l1 protein, mouse
  • Liver X Receptors
  • GRAMD1B protein, human