title: Changes in mRNA expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase in chickens.
abstract: 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), essential enzymes of cholesterol synthesis and excretion, respectively, were isolated from a chicken liver cDNA library. When their recombinant proteins were overexpressed in HNK293 cells, corresponding enzyme activities were observed. The complete open reading frames of MHGR and CYP7A1 contained (i) 2625 base pairs (bp), predicting a protein of 875 amino acids, and (ii) 1539 bp, predicting a protein of 513 amino acids, respectively. By Northern blot analysis, chicken HMGR mRNA expression was detected in most tissues examined, however, the highest levels were found in liver, brain and ileum. CYP7A1 mRNA was detected only in the liver. Changes in chicken HMGR and CYP7A1 mRNA expression with nutritional state were examined and were shown to respond to certain nutritional treatments, i.e. fast refeeding and cholesterol supplementation. HMGR and CYP7A1 mRNA levels were significantly increased with maturation (i.e. egg producing), when compared to immature chickens. However, these stimulations were not associated with estrogen, although this does enhance triacylglycerol and very low density lipoprotein secretion by the chicken liver. The present study is the first to report the molecular characterization of HMGR and CYP7A1, key enzymes of cholesterol metabolism in avian species.
authors.affiliation: Animal Nutrition, Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. kan@bios.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohuchi
authors.forename: Seol Hyang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sook
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toyomizu
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akiba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000235:genetics*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004958:Estradiol; D002784:Cholesterol; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; D002790:Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase