Caveolin-1

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is a 178-amino acid scaffolding protein that organizes caveolar membrane microdomains by forming heterooligomeric complexes with caveolin-2 and recruiting CAVIN proteins (UniProt: Q03135). It regulates multiple signaling pathways including T-cell receptor activation, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and transforming growth factor-beta signaling through receptor internalization and degradation. The protein also binds oxysterols and interacts with G-protein alpha subunits.

CAV1 is associated with several metabolic and cardiovascular disorders including congenital generalized lipodystrophy, familial partial lipodystrophy, and primary pulmonary hypertension (UniProt: Q03135). Its role in lipid homeostasis and membrane organization suggests broader relevance to cellular dysfunction in metabolic disease.

In Alzheimer's disease, CAV1 is significantly upregulated in post-mortem AD brain tissue compared to age-matched controls, with a mean log2 fold-change of +0.86 (Chaparral AD proteomics). This elevation was detected across subcellular fractions in a TMT-labeled quantitative proteomic study, suggesting potential involvement in AD-associated alterations to membrane dynamics or lipid metabolism in affected neural tissue.