Polarized cholesterol and phospholipid efflux in cultured gall-bladder epithelial cells: evidence for an ABCA1-mediated pathway

Gall-bladder epithelial cells (GBEC) are exposed to high concentrations of cholesterol in bile. Whereas cholesterol absorption by GBEC is established, the fate of this absorbed cholesterol is not known. The aim of this study was to determine whether ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter A1) mediates cholesterol efflux in GBEC. Polarized canine GBEC were cultured on porous membrane filters allowing separate access to apical (AP) and basolateral (BL) compartments. After AP loading of cells with model bile and [¹⁴C]cholesterol, cholesterol efflux was measured. Cholesterol loading together with 8-bromo-cAMP treatment, which increased ABCA1 expression, led to a significant increase in cholesterol efflux with apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) as the acceptor. Cholesterol efflux was observed predominantly into the BL compartment. Similar results were found for phospholipid efflux. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy showed a predominantly BL ABCA1 localization. Interestingly, apoA-I added to either the AP or the BL compartments elicited BL lipid efflux with cAMP treatment. No paracellular or transcellular passage of ¹²⁵I-apoA-I occurred. Ligands for the nuclear hormone receptors liver X receptor α (LXRα) and retinoid X receptor (RXR) elicited AP and BL cholesterol efflux, suggesting the involvement of both ABCA1- and non-ABCA1-mediated pathways. In summary, BL cholesterol/phospholipid efflux consistent with an ABCA1-mediated mechanism occurs in GBEC. This efflux pathway is stimulated by cAMP and by LXRα/RXR ligands, and in the case of the cAMP pathway appears to involve a role for biliary apoA-I.