Acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferases.
The enzymes acyl-coenzyme A (CoA):cholesterol acyltransferases (ACATs) are membrane-bound proteins that utilize long-chain fatty acyl-CoA and cholesterol as substrates to form cholesteryl esters. In mammals, two isoenzymes, ACAT1 and ACAT2, encoded by two different genes, exist. ACATs play important roles in cellular cholesterol homeostasis in various tissues. This chapter summarizes the current knowledge on ACAT-related research in two areas: 1) ACAT genes and proteins and 2) ACAT enzymes as drug targets for atherosclerosis and for Alzheimer's disease.
Chang
Ta-Yuan
TY
Department of Biochemistry, Dartmouth Medical School, 1 Rope Ferry Rd., Hanover, NH 03755-1404, USA. Ta.Yuan.Chang@Dartmouth.edu
Li
Bo-Liang
BL
Chang
Catherine C Y
CC
Urano
Yasuomi
Y
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase