Cholesterol Synthesis Flashcards
Endogenous cholesterol is produced primarily in which organ?
liver
Cholesterol serve as precursors to which bio macromolecules?
Vitamin D, Sterol hormones, Bile acids
What enzyme catalyzes the rate limiting step of bile acid synthesis?
7-hydroxylase
How can a vegetable rich diet manage high cholesterol?
plant sterols in the diet inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the diet
What are 3 ways in which serum cholesterol levels can be lowered?
Decreased dietary intake of cholesterol; decrease cholesterol synthesis; increase excretion of bile acids
What type of cholesterol comes from extrahepatic tissues
HDL
In what form is cholesterol distributed throughout the blood stream?
VLDL
What extrahepatic organs can also synthesize cholesterol?
adrenals, gonads, intestine, placenta
cholesterol is synthesized in which part of the cell?
cytoplasm
Describe Stage 1 of cholesterol biosynthesis?
Excess acetylCoA from mitochondrial matrix gets converted to mevalonate by HMG CoA reductase
For stage 1 of cholesterol synthesis, what is the role of thiolase?
converts acetylCoA to Acetoacetyl CoA
What is the rate-limiting step for cholesterol synthesis?
HMG CoA reductase; conversion of Acetoacetyl CoA to Mevalonate; requires 2X NADPH; irreversible
what enzyme is involved in the esterification of cholesterol?
ACAT or LCAT (HDL)
Describe the SREBP/SCAP regulation of cholesterol synthesis when serum levels of cholesterol are low.
SCAP-SREBP complex is transported to golgi apparatus; Once in the Golgi, SCAP activates proteases to cleave SREBP to release the SREBP DNA-binding domain; this domain then translocates to the nucleus to bind to SRE which is the gene that encodes for the HMG CoA reductase
Describe the SREBP/SCAP regulation of cholesterol synthesis when serum levels of cholesterol are high.
cholesterol binds to SCAP and inactivates it
How is cholesterol synthesis regulated in post-transcriptional pathways when serum levels of cholesterol are high
proteolysis of HMG CaA reductase; degradation of mRNA carrying genetic code for HMG CoA reductase
how do glucagon & insulin affect cholesterol synthesis respectively?
Glucagon increases cholesterol synthesis by activating AMPK (phosphorylation); Insulin decreases cholesterol synthesis by activating phosphatase (dephosphorylation)
How do high levels of AMP affect cholesterol synthesis?
activates AMPK and increases cholesterol synthesis (phosphorylation)
what determines the density of lipoproteins?
amount of triglycerides; higher triglyceride to protein ratio is associated with Lower density
What type of lipoproteins transport dietary lipids from intestine to the liver & tissues?
Chylomicrons (least dense; biggest diameter)
What lipoproteins transport endogenous lipids from the liver?
VLDL
What lipoproteins transport cholesterol from liver to tissues with high cholesterol demands (adrenal, sex glands)?
LDL
What Lipoproteins transport cholesterol from tissue back to the liver?
HDL
Where are chylomicrons synthesized?
intestinal epithelial cells