Lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase (CYP51) - a cholesterol biosynthetic enzyme involved in production of meiosis activating sterols in oocytes and testis - a minireview

Authors
Citation
D. Rozman, Lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase (CYP51) - a cholesterol biosynthetic enzyme involved in production of meiosis activating sterols in oocytes and testis - a minireview, PFLUG ARCH, 439(3), 2000, pp. R56-R57
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Physiology
Journal title
PFLUGERS ARCHIV-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY
ISSN journal
00316768 → ACNP
Volume
439
Issue
3
Year of publication
2000
Supplement
S
Pages
R56 - R57
Database
ISI
SICI code
0031-6768(2000)439:3<R56:L1A(-A>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
CYP51 is an evolutionarily conserved, housekeeping gene of the cytochrome P 450 superfamily which is involved in cholesterol biosynthesis in animals. T he two intermediates of cholesterol biosynthetis pathway, sterol FF-MAS, pr oduced by CYP51 and the following sterol T-MAS, accumulate: in follicular f luid and in testis. CYP51 is expressed in all tissues in mammals with the h ighest level in the testis. In rat, expression peaks in postmeiotic male ge rm cells of the testis. Promoters of the human and fat CYP51 genes contain SRE and CRE elements which indicate two main regulatory routes - the sterol -dependent regulation and the cAMP-dependent regulation. While feedback reg ulation by sterols is characteristic for all genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis and homeostasis, the cAMP-dependent regulation is unique, indi cating that CYP51 may play tissue-specific roles distinct from cholesterol biosynthesis.