Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase

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cytochrome P450, family 7, subfamily A, polypeptide 1
Identifiers
Symbol CYP7A1
Alt. Symbols CYP7
Entrez 1581
HUGO 2651
OMIM 118455
RefSeq NM_000780
UniProt P22680
Other data
EC number 1.14.13.17
Locus Chr. 8 q11-q12

Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of bile acid from cholesterol, catalyzing the formation of 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol.

It is downregulated by Sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBP) when plasma cholesterol levels are low. It is upregulated by the nuclear receptor LXR (liver X receptor) when cholesterol (specifically - oxysterol) levels are high.[1] The effect of this upregulation is to increase the production of bile acids and reduce the level of cholesterol in hepatocytes.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chawla A, Saez E, Evans RM (2000). "Don't know much bile-ology". Cell 103: 1–4. doi:10.1016/S0092-8674(00)00097-0. 

[edit] External links