Genetic background of cholesterol gallstone disease.
Cholesterol gallstone formation is a multifactorial process involving a multitude of metabolic pathways. The primary pathogenic factor is hypersecretion of free cholesterol into bile. For people living in the Western Hemisphere, this is almost a normal condition, certainly in the elderly, which explains the very high incidence of gallstone disease. It is probably because the multifactorial background genes responsible for the high incidence have not yet been identified, despite the fact that genetic factors clearly play a role. Analysis of the many pathways involved in biliary cholesterol secretion reveals many potential candidates and considering the progress in unraveling the regulatory mechanisms of the responsible genes, identification of the primary gallstone genes will be successful in the near future.
Kosters
Astrid
A
Department of Experimental Hepatology, AMC Liver Center S1-172, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 69-71, 1105 BK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.kosters@amc.uva.nl
Jirsa
Milan
M
Groen
Albert K
AK
D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / Q000235:genetics; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001646:Bile / Q000378:metabolism; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D001648:Bile Canaliculi / Q000378:metabolism; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D002784:Cholesterol; C095122:multidrug resistance protein 3; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase