From:  Balancing cholesterol in the brain: from synthesis to disposal

ABC lipid transporters expressed in the brain

ABC subfamilyTransporterCellular location within the brainLipid substrates (including brain and periphery)
NeuronsAstrocytesOligodendrocytesMicrogliaChoroid plexus epithelial cellsCapillary endothelial cellsReferences
ABCAABCA1••••••[87–89, 90–92]Cholesterol, phospholipids (PC, PS), oxysterols (24S-HC) [93–95]
ABCA2•••--•[87–89, 91, 92, 96]Cholesterol, sphingomyelin, glycosphingolipids [97–99]
ABCA3••••-•[87, 89, 92, 96]Possibly cholesterol, phospholipids (PC, PG) [89, 100–102]
ABCA7•-••--[87, 89]Possibly cholesterol, phospholipids (PC, sphingomyelin) [103–105]
ABCA8•••••-[87, 89, 106]Cholesterol [107]
ABCBABCB1••-•••[89, 91, 96, 108–110]Possibly cholesterol, phospholipids (PC, PE, PS, sphingomyelin), glucosylceramide, glycosphingolipids [111–115]
ABCCABCC6•----•[91, 116]Associated with plasma lipoprotein and HDL levels [117]
ABCDABCD1-•••-•[89, 91]Very long-chain fatty acids (preference for saturated species), fatty acyl-CoAs [118, 119]
ABCD2•-----[89, 118]Very long-chain fatty acids (preference for polyunsaturated species), fatty acyl-CoAs [118, 119]
ABCD3-----•[96]Very long-chain fatty acids, long and branched-chain acyl-CoA [118, 119]
ABCGABCG1••••••[88–91, 120, 121]Cholesterol, phospholipids (PC), oxysterols, desmosterol [88, 93, 120, 122, 123]
ABCG4••-•-•[89, 91, 120, 124]Cholesterol, cholesterol synthesis intermediates (desmosterol, lathosterol, lanosterol), oxysterols [120, 125–127]
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Note that the substrates listed here are not limited to the brain and may reflect data from systemic studies since investigations regarding the cholesterol/lipid-transporting activity of ABC transporters within the brain are still limited. “•” denotes expression has been observed in the cell line, “-” indicates no expression or no data. PC: phosphatidylcholine; PE: phosphatidylethanolamine; PG: phosphatidylglycerol; PS: phosphatidylserine; ABCB: ABC transporter subfamily B; ABCC: ABC transporter subfamily C