Apolipoprotein A-I (
ApoA-I) is the major
protein of
high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles and has a crucial role in reverse
cholesterol transport (RCT). It has been postulated that elevating production of de novo
ApoA-I might translate into the formation of new functional HDL particles that could lower
cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk via RCT. During
inflammation, serum
ApoA-I concentrations are reduced, which contributes to the development of dysfunctional HDL particles as
Serum Amyloid A (SAA) overtakes the position of
ApoA-I within the HDL particles. Therefore, instead of elevating serum
HDL cholesterol concentrations, rescuing lower serum
ApoA-I concentrations could be beneficial in both normal and inflamed conditions. Several nutritional compounds, amongst others
short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), have shown their capacity to modulate hepatic
lipoprotein metabolism. In this review we provide an overview of HDL and more specific
ApoA-I metabolism, SCFAs physiology and the current knowledge regarding the influence of SCFAs on
ApoA-I expression and synthesis in human liver cells. We conclude that the current evidence regarding the effect of SCFAs on
ApoA-I transcription and secretion is promising, however there is a need to investigate which dietary fibres could lead to increased SCFAs formation and consequent elevated
ApoA-I concentrations.