Cholesterol and bile acid Metabolism & Function Flashcards
What is the structure/characteristic of cholesterol
- fused rings
- very non-polar
- even more non-polar when esterified to fatty acid
- extremely water insoluble
- stabilizing component of cell membranes
What is cholesterol synthesized out of?
acyl-CoA
What are the major sites of cholesterol synthesis?
Liver
Intestine epithelial
What is cholesterol a precursor of?
Bile salts (liver) steroid hormones (endocrine glands)
Can cholesterol be degraded?
No.
There are no enzymes that degrade cholesterol
Why sis cholesterol associated with vascular disease?
- Can’t be degraded
- High non-polarity
is cholesterol synthesized in plants?
no
how is cholesterol transported?
In the blood in lipoproteins
How is cholesterol excreted from the body?
by converting it to bile salts
this is why it is essential to transport cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the liver
What are the 4 phases in the pathway of cholesterol synthesis?
- Acetyl-CoA units condense to form mevalonate
- Mevalonate is converted to 5C isoprene units
- Six C5 isoprene units condense to form the C30 squalene
- Squalene cyclizes to form the 4 ring lanosterol. Carbons are released to convert lanosterol to 27C cholesterol
What are the 3 ways HMG-CoA reductase is regulated?
- Transcription control
- Regulation by proteolysis
- Regulation by phosphorylation
How is HMG-CoA reductase regulated by transcription control?
High levels of cholesterol negatively regulate the rate of synthesis of HMG-CoA mRNA via repression of transcription of HMG-CoA gene
How is HMG-CoA reductase regulated by proteolysis?
Rising level of cholesterol and bile salts (in the liver) makes enzyme more susceptible to proteolysis
How is HMG-CoA reductase regulated by phosphorylation?
Phosphorylated HMG-CoA reductase is inactive
Dephosphorylated HMG-CoA reductase is active
How is cholesterol esterified?
Cholesterol OH at position 3 is esterified to form cholesterol ester (CE)
Where does the enzyme LCAT esterifies cholesterol?
in HDL particles
LCAT is located in the blood
Where does the enzyme ACAT esterifies cholesterol?
In cells
Which enzyme hydrolyzes CE?
CEH - cholesterol ester hydrolase
What is the purpose of esterification?
- Causes cholesterol to become more hydrophobic to facilitate incorporation into lipoproteins
- Contributes to govern free cholesterol levels in blood and cells