The digestive tract is replete with complex and diverse microbial communities that are important for the regulation of multiple pathophysiological processes in humans and animals, particularly those involved in the maintenance of intestinal…
Objectives: Hepatic miR-34a expression is elevated in diet-induced or genetically obese mice, and patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), yet the role of hepatocyte miR-34a in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)…
Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase plays a crucial role in cholesterol homeostasis. We investigated the regulation of this enzyme in the hamster, a suitable animal model for studying cholesterol metabolism. DNase I hypersensitivity assay revealed the…
The cholesterol 7 alpha -hydroxylase gene (CYP7A1) plays an important role in regulation of bile acid biosynthesis and cholesterol homeostasis. Oxysterol receptor, LXR, stimulates, whereas the bile acid receptor, FXR, inhibits CYP7A1 transcription.…
Vitamin D receptor (VDR) mediates vitamin D signaling involved in bone metabolism, cellular growth and differentiation, cardiovascular function, and bile acid regulation. Mice with an intestine-specific disruption of VDR (Vdr(Delta IEpC)) have…
Bile acids concentration in liver is tightly regulated to prevent cell damage. Previous studies have demonstrated that deregulation of bile acid homeostasis can lead to cholestatic liver disease. Recently, we have shown that ER-bound transcription…
The cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene (CYP7A) is transcriptionally regulated by a number of factors, including hormones, bile acids, and diurnal rhythm. Previous studies have identified a region from nucleotides (nt) -74 to -55 of the rat CYP7A…
The gene for cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) contains a sequence at nt -149 to -118 that was found to play a large role in determining the overall transcriptional activity and regulation of the promoter. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4)…
Taurocholate, a relatively hydrophobic bile salt, is a potent down-regulator of HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol 7-alpha-hydroxylase (C7-alpha-H), the rate-determining enzymes of the cholesterol and bile acid biosynthetic pathways, respectively.…
Sterol 12alpha-hydroxylase (CYP8B1) is an obligatory enzyme for the synthesis of cholic acid and regulation of liver bile acid synthesis and intestine cholesterol absorption. The present study evaluates the roles for sterol regulatory element binding…
The FGF19- fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR4)-beta Klotho (KLB) pathway plays an important role in the regulation of bile acid (BA) homeostasis. Aberrant activation of this pathway has been described in the development and progression of a…
Diabetes and obesity have reached an epidemic status worldwide. Diabetes increases the risk for cardiovascular disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Primary bile acids are synthesized in hepatocytes and are transformed to secondary bile acids…
Nuclear hormone receptors regulate diverse metabolic pathways and the orphan nuclear receptor LRH-1 (also known as NR5A2) regulates bile acid biosynthesis. Structural studies have identified phospholipids as potential LRH-1 ligands, but their…
