Caveolae-associated protein 1

CAVIN1 (caveolae-associated protein 1) is a 390-amino acid scaffold protein essential for caveolae biogenesis and organization across tissues (UniProt: Q6NZI2). It functions as a core component of the CAVIN complex, recruiting the complex to caveolae in conjunction with caveolin-1 (CAV1) and promoting proper CAV1 oligomerization. The protein also plays roles in ribosomal transcriptional regulation during metabolic stress in adipocytes and in protein secretion pathways.

CAVIN1 is involved in lipid membrane architecture and metabolic homeostasis. Genetic mutations cause congenital generalized lipodystrophy type 4 (CGL4), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by near-total adipose tissue absence, insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia, and hepatic steatosis, sometimes accompanied by muscular dystrophy and cardiac anomalies (UniProt: Q6NZI2).

In Alzheimer's disease, CAVIN1 is significantly upregulated in post-mortem AD brain tissue compared to age-matched controls (mean log2 fold-change +1.373; Chaparral AD proteomics). This upregulation was detected via TMT-labeled quantitative proteomics across multiple subcellular fractions (P2, P3, S2, S3), suggesting altered caveolar dynamics or membrane remodeling may contribute to AD pathophysiology.