Over the period from 1972 to 1998 the major focus of Dr. Swaney's research concerned the study of how lipoprotein function, especially that of the high density lipoproteins, is dependent upon chemical and physical structure. These studies led to the discovery of a new class of apolipoproteins (apo A-IV). Later studies on reverse cholesterol transport were directed at identifying key players in the process of uptake of cellular cholesterol. Dr. Swaney and colleagues found that they could enhance the ability of serum to extract cholesterol from cells after reaction of whole serum with certain phospholipids. The hope is that study of this process will lead to insights into ways in which lipid deposition and atherosclerosis might be retarded.

Selected References

"Scavenger Receptor B1 as a Mediator of Cellular Cholesterol Efflux to Lipoproteins and Phospholipid Acceptors"
Jian, B, de la Llera Moya, M, Ji, Y,Wang, N, Phillips, MC, Swaney, JB, Tall, AR, and Rothblat, GH
J. Biol. Chem. 273:5599-5606 (1998).

"Scavenger Receptor B1 promotes high density lipoprotein cellular cholesterol efflux"
Ji, Y, Jian, B, Wang, N, de la Llera Moya, M., Phillips, MC, Rothblat, GH, Swaney, JB and Tall, AR
J. Biol. Chem. 272:20982-20985 (1997).

"Modification of the cholesterol efflux properties of serum by enrichment with phospholipid"
Jian, B, de la Llera-Moya, M, Rothblat, G, Francone, O and Swaney, JB
J. Lipid Res. 38: 738-744 (1997).

"The role of HDL phospholipid in efflux of cell cholesterol to whole serum: Studies with human apo A-I transgenic rats"
Fournier, N, de la Llera Moya, M, Burkey, B, Swaney, JB, Paterniti, J, Moatti, N, Atger, V, and Rothblat, G
J. Lipid Res. 37:1704-1711 (1996).