AUTHOR=Banerjee Rakhee , Hohe Rachel C. , Cao Shijie , Jung Bryan M. , Horak Anthony J. , Ramachandiran Iyappan , Massey William J. , Varadharajan Venkateshwari , Zajczenko Natalie I. , Burrows Amy C. , Dutta Sumita , Goudarzi Maryam , Mahen Kala , Carter Abigail , Helsley Robert N. , Gordon Scott M. , Morton Richard E. , Strauch Christopher , Willard Belinda , Gogonea Camelia Baleanu , Gogonea Valentin , Pedrelli Matteo , Parini Paolo , Brown J. Mark 

TITLE=The nonvesicular sterol transporter Aster-C plays a minor role in whole body cholesterol balance

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1371096

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2024.1371096

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=The Aster-C protein (encoded by the Gramd1c gene) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident protein that has been reported to transport cholesterol from the plasma membrane to the ER . Although there is a clear role for the closely-related Aster-B protein in cholesterol transport and downstream esterification in the adrenal gland, the specific role for Aster-C in cholesterol homeostasis is not well understood. Here, we have examined whole body cholesterol balance in mice globally lacking Aster-C under low or high dietary cholesterol conditions. Methods: Age-matched Gramd1c +/+ and Gramd1c -/-mice were fed either low (0.02%, wt/wt) or high (0.2%, wt/wt) dietary