CaCo-2 cells were used to address the effect of the plant sterol, beta-sitosterol, on
cholesterol trafficking, cholesterol metabolism, and apoB secretion. Compared to cells
incubated with micelles (5 mM taurocholate and 250 microM oleic acid) containing
cholesterol, which caused an increase in the influx of plasma membrane cholesterol to the
endoplasmic reticulum and increased the secretion of cholesteryl esters derived from the
plasma membrane, beta-sitosterol did not alter cholesterol trafficking or cholesteryl ester …