Poster #101, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland
Investigating Soluble Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor (sLDLR) in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Plasma to Better Understand Cholesterol Regulation
Mentor: Sarah King, PhD
Cholesterol homeostasis is essential for normal cellular function, and disruptions in cholesterol metabolism have been linked to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) plays a critical role in regulating cholesterol levels by mediating the uptake of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles into cells. A soluble form of LDLR (sLDLR), produced through receptor cleavage, may provide insight into LDLR regulation and serve as a potential biomarker for altered cholesterol metabolism. The goal of this project is to investigate the presence and relative abundance of sLDLR in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma samples. Western blot analysis is being used to detect and compare sLDLR levels between sample types. Because this project is ongoing, data collection and analysis are still in progress. We anticipate that this study will improve our understanding of LDLR processing and determine whether sLDLR can be reliably detected in CSF and plasma. These findings may contribute to future research exploring the relationship between cholesterol regulation, LDLR biology, and diseases associated with disrupted cholesterol metabolism, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.