Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein Directly Mediates Selective Uptake of High Density Lipoprotein Cholesteryl Esters by the Liver

Abstract

CETP mediates selective uptake of HDL-CE by hepatocytes by both torcetrapib-sensitive (exogenous CETP) and torcetrapib-insensitive (cell-associated CETP) mechanisms. Hepatic expression of CETP in vivo results in a marked decrease in cholesterol in particles in the HDL density range, consistent with a physiological role for hepatocyte CETP in selective uptake.