... in cholesterol efflux, reduced macrophage neutral lipid mass and lipogenesis and limited cholesterol esterification following exposure to AcLDL. Thus, targeting TSPO reduces macrophage lipid content and prevents macrophage foam cell formation, via enhanced cholesterol efflux to (apo)lipoprotein acceptors...

...Faye Borthwick; Anne-Marie Allen; Janice M. Taylor; Annette Graham Dysregulated macrophage cholesterol homoeostasis lies at the heart of early and developing atheroma, and removal of excess cholesterol from macrophage foam cells, by efficient transport mechanisms, is central to stabilization...