Screening and Validation of potential protein interactors of Cholesteryl-ester probe

Abstract

Cholesterol and cholesteryl esters are sterol containing lipid biomolecules that play roles beyond maintaining structure, energy storage, and transport. They may also act as key regulators of cellular signaling. Among them cholesteryl esters, are the esterified forms of cholesterol, remain poorly understood in the context of protein- mediated signaling. In this study we use a chemo-proteomics approach which provides a versatile platform to globally map the cellular targets, using photoreactive bio- orthogonal lipid probes to find the true protein interactors of cholesteryl esters. Our study, consist two objectives, firstly aiming an analysing and literature review on known protein ligands of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters. Second objective, to investigate and the functional significance of potential protein interactors using mammalian overexpression. We have narrow down eight proteins on the basis of their potential cellular relevance. Further cloned and validate in the mammalian cell line, explaining cholesteryl ester as true protein interactors. This helps to elucidate the role of these proteins in cholesteryl ester metabolism. This study provides a comprehensive overview on the putative interactors of cholesteryl esters and this can be further extended in the future for uncovering novel signaling pathways mediated by these lipids in pathophysiological conditions like atherosclerosis, alzheimer’s disease, and cancers.