APOA1 and atherosclerosis: One of the most studied functions of HDL coupled with Apolipoprotein A-I (HDL/ApoA-I) is cholesterol efflux, by which cholesterol is transported from peripheral tissues and macrophages to the liver for excretion (reverse cholesterol transport (RCT)4), preventing lipid accumulation in peripheral tissues and the development of atherosclerosis (3–5, 7, 8).