Adenosine-triphosphate-binding cassette transporter-1 trafficking and function.

Mutations in the adenosine-triphosphate-binding cassette transporter-1 (ABCA1) lead to Tangier disease, a genetic disorder characterized by an almost complete absence of plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Although the importance of ABCA1 localization to its cholesterol efflux function has been extensively characterized, the cellular itinerary of ABCA1 leading to the plasma membrane is not fully elucidated. This review will summarize the current knowledge of ABCA1 trafficking and its relationship to function. Understanding these crucial processes provides potential novel therapeutic targets to regulate high-density lipoprotein biogenesis through influencing pathways of ABCA1 trafficking.