Modulation of cell phospholipids and membranes by 7-ketocholesterol and their role in cholesterol efflux.

动脉粥样硬化是澳大利亚人死亡的主要原因。这种疾病是由于在主要血管壁上形成大量胆固醇沉积而引起的。这种胆固醇来自血液中携带胆固醇的颗粒，这些颗粒渗透到血管组织中。它们被组织中的细胞吸收，这些细胞被大量的胆固醇填满，被称为“泡沫细胞”。这些泡沫细胞也含有少量但重要的损坏（氧化）形式的胆固醇，称为氧化甾醇。我们发现一种叫做7-酮胆固醇的氧甾醇会使细胞难以去除多余的胆固醇。因此，这种氧甾醇可能是泡沫细胞形成的部分原因。该项目将研究7-酮胆固醇如何阻止胆固醇从细胞中移除。这可能会导致药物的发展，以消除或防止7-ketcholesterol在血管中的积累，从而预防或逆转动脉粥样硬化。

Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death in Australia. The disease is caused by the formation of large deposits of cholesterol in the walls of major blood vessels. This cholesterol comes from cholesterol-carrying particles in the blood which penetrate into the tissue of the blood vessel. They are taken up by the cells of the tissue which become engorged with large amounts of cholesterol and are called 'foam cells'. These foam cells also contain a small but signficant amount of damaged (oxidised) forms of cholesterol, called oxysterols. We have found than an oxysterol called 7-ketocholesterol makes it difficult for cells to get rid of excess cholesterol. Therefore this oxysterol may be part of the reason why foam cells develop. This project will study how 7-ketocholesterol blocks cholesterol removal from cells. This may lead to the development of drugs which remove or prevent 7-ketcholesterol accumulation in the blood vessel and so prevent or reverse atherosclerosis.