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[8789, 9092]Cholesterol, phospholipids (PC, PS), oxysterols (24S-HC) [9395]
ABCA2--[8789, 91, 92, 96]Cholesterol, sphingomyelin, glycosphingolipids [9799]
ABCA3-[87, 89, 92, 96]Possibly cholesterol, phospholipids (PC, PG) [89, 100102]
ABCA7---[87, 89]Possibly cholesterol, phospholipids (PC, sphingomyelin) [103105]
ABCA8-[87, 89, 106]Cholesterol [107]
ABCBABCB1-[89, 91, 96, 108110]Possibly cholesterol, phospholipids (PC, PE, PS, sphingomyelin), glucosylceramide, glycosphingolipids [111115]
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[8891, 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, 125127]

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