1. Effects of ethanol on lipids and atherosclerosis
Minna L. Hannuksela, Maria E. Rämet, Antti E.T. Nissinen, Marja K. Liisanantti, Markku J. Savolainen 
Pathophysiology 
Volume 10, Issue 2, Pages (April 2004)
DOI: /j.pathophys

2. Fig. 1
The role of high density lipoproteins (HDL) in reverse cholesterol transport. The alcohol-induced increase in HDL cholesterol has been usually taken as an indicator of a high rate of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) from peripheral tissues to the liver. However, HDL are heterogeneous populations of lipoprotein particles (HDL2, HDL3, etc.) and it is not clear which HDL fraction is mostly responsible for high capacity of RCT. It is possible that in contrast to the situation depicted in this figure, a minor fraction of HDL particles may have a dominant role in RCT whereas a larger fraction of HDL represents a pool of particles with low turnover. Moreover, some HDL subpopulations, and even the minor ones may exert important effects on vascular wall cells (red arrow). These are described in more detail in Fig. 3.
Pathophysiology  , DOI: ( /j.pathophys )

3. Fig. 2
Formation of phosphatidylethanol (PEth). In normal physiological conditions, in the presence of water, the action of phospholipase D (PLD) on phosphatidylcholine (PC) results in the formation of phosphatidic acid (PA). In the presence of ethanol (EtOH), however, phospholipase D catalyzes a transphosphatidylation reaction. The hydrogen in sn-3 position of esterified phosphoric acid of phosphatidate is substituted with an ethyl group from ethanol to create phosphatidylethanol.
Pathophysiology  , DOI: ( /j.pathophys )

4. Fig. 3
Effects of high density lipoproteins (HDL) on peripheral cells. Recent advances in lipoprotein research have shown that in addition to cholesterol transport, HDL have several other functions. HDL may interfere with the expression and/or synthesis of several molecules involved in the proliferation, growth and migration of peripheral cells, including cells of the arterial wall. Abbreviations: ABCA1, ATP binding cassette transporter; LCAT, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase; CETP, cholesteryl ester transfer protein; VLDL, very low density lipoproteins; LDL, low density lipoproteins; apo E, apolipoprotein E.
Pathophysiology  , DOI: ( /j.pathophys )

5. Fig. 4
Proposals for the mechanism of action of ethanol-derived abnormal lipids carried by high density lipoproteins (HDL). Modified lipids may be transferred from HDL particles into plasma membrane where they may alter the structure and/or function of any receptor at the outer surface of cells (Alternative 1). Another possibility is that abnormal lipids alter the structure of apolipoproteins of HDL and thereby interfere with the binding of HDL particles to their receptors or binding proteins residing on the cell surface (Alternative 2).
Pathophysiology  , DOI: ( /j.pathophys )