| First Author | Griffiths WJ | Year | 2019 |
| Journal | Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids | Volume | 1864 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 191-211 |
| PubMed ID | 30471425 | Mgi Jnum | J:270315 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6277684 | Doi | 10.1016/j.bbalip.2018.11.006 |
| Citation | Griffiths WJ, et al. (2019) Additional pathways of sterol metabolism: Evidence from analysis of Cyp27a1-/- mouse brain and plasma. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 1864(2):191-211 |
| abstractText | Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 27A1 is a key enzyme in both the acidic and neutral pathways of bile acid biosynthesis accepting cholesterol and ring-hydroxylated sterols as substrates introducing a (25R)26-hydroxy and ultimately a (25R)26-acid group to the sterol side-chain. In human, mutations in the CYP27A1 gene are the cause of the autosomal recessive disease cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX). Surprisingly, Cyp27a1 knockout mice (Cyp27a1-/-) do not present a CTX phenotype despite generating a similar global pattern of sterols. Using liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry and exploiting a charge-tagging approach for oxysterol analysis we identified over 50 cholesterol metabolites and precursors in the brain and circulation of Cyp27a1-/- mice. Notably, we identified (25R)26,7alpha- and (25S)26,7alpha-dihydroxy epimers of oxysterols and cholestenoic acids, indicating the presence of an additional sterol 26-hydroxylase in mouse. Importantly, our analysis also revealed elevated levels of 7alpha-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, which we found increased the number of oculomotor neurons in primary mouse brain cultures. 7alpha-Hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one is a ligand for the pregnane X receptor (PXR), activation of which is known to up-regulate the expression of CYP3A11, which we confirm has sterol 26-hydroxylase activity. This can explain the formation of (25R)26,7alpha- and (25S)26,7alpha-dihydroxy epimers of oxysterols and cholestenoic acids; the acid with the former stereochemistry is a liver X receptor (LXR) ligand that increases the number of oculomotor neurons in primary brain cultures. We hereby suggest that a lack of a motor neuron phenotype in some CTX patients and Cyp27a1-/- mice may involve increased levels of 7alpha-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one and activation PXR, as well as increased levels of sterol 26-hydroxylase and the production of neuroprotective sterols capable of activating LXR. |
