Carrier protein. Binds to some hydrophobic molecules and promotes their transfer between the different cellular sites. Binds with high affinity to alpha-tocopherol. Also binds with a weaker affinity to other tocopherols and to tocotrienols. May have a transcriptional activatory activity via its association with alpha-tocopherol. Probably recognizes and binds some squalene structure, suggesting that it may regulate cholesterol biosynthesis by increasing the transfer of squalene to a metabolic active pool in the cell.