Mechanism of cholesterol transfer from the Niemann-Pick type C2 protein to model membranes supports a role in lysosomal cholesterol transport.

Cells acquire cholesterol either by de novo synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum or by internalization of cholesterol-containing lipoproteins, particularly low density lipoprotein (LDL), via receptor-mediated endocytosis. The inherited disorder Niemann-Pick type C (NPC), in which abnormal LDL-cholesterol trafficking from the endo/lysosomal compartment leads to substantial cholesterol and glycolipid accumulation in lysosomes, is caused by defects in either of two genes that encode for proteins designated as NPC1 and NPC2. NPC2 is a small intralysosomal protein that has been characterized biochemically as a cholesterol binding protein.

Higher maternal plasma docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy is associated with more mature neonatal sleep-state patterning.

Background: The effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the developing fetal central nervous system (CNS) and related functional outcomes in infancy remain unexplored. Sleep and wake states of newborns provide a tool for assessing the functional integrity of the CNS.

Objective: We investigated whether CNS integrity in newborns, measured with sleep recordings, was associated with maternal concentrations of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially DHA.