Liver X receptor

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The liver X receptor (LXR) is a nuclear hormone receptor with activity similar to that seen in other steroid receptors such as estrogen or progesterone but more similar in form to PPAR, FXR and RXR.

There are two isoforms known as LXR-alpha and LXR-beta. Metabolites of cholesterol known as oxysterols are the natural ligands for LXR and like other steroid receptors, when activated, it translocates to the cell nucleus, forms a dimer (in this case a heterodimer) and binds to hormone response elements on DNA which elicits expression or transrepression of gene products. LXR's are known to play important roles in lipid metabolism and inflammatory signalling.