Lipoprotein in cholesterol transport: Highlights and recent insights into its structural basis and functional mechanism

Lipoproteins are protein-lipid macromolecular assemblies which are used to transport lipids in circulation and are key targets in cardiovascular disease (CVD). The highly dynamic lipoprotein molecules are capable of adopting an array of conformations that is crucial to lipid transport along the cholesterol transport pathway, among which high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are major players in plasma cholesterol metabolism. For a more detailed illustration of cholesterol transport process, as well as the development of therapies to prevent CVD, here we review the functional mechanism and structural basis of lipoproteins in cholesterol transport, as well as their structural dynamics in the plasma lipoprotein (HDL and LDL) elevations, in order to obtain better quantitative understandings on structure–function relationship of lipoproteins. Finally, we also provide an approach for further research on the lipoprotein in cholesterol transport.