Novel mechanisms of intracellular cholesterol transport: oxysterol-binding proteins and membrane contact sites

Abstract

Cholesterol is an essential membrane constituent, and also plays a key role in cell signalling. Within a cell, how cholesterol is transported and how its heterogeneous distribution is maintained are poorly understood. Recent advances have identified novel pathways and regulators of cholesterol trafficking. Sterol transfer by lipid-binding proteins, such as OSBP (oxysterol-binding protein), coupled with phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate exchange at membrane contact sites (MCSs) has emerged as a new theme of cholesterol transport between organellar membranes. Moreover, a previously unappreciated role of peroxisomes in cholesterol trafficking has been revealed recently. These discoveries highlight the crucial role of MCSs, or junctions, in facilitating lipid movement, and provide mechanistic insights into how cholesterol is sorted in cells.