title: Acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferases.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Dartmouth Medical School, 1 Rope Ferry Rd., Hanover, NH 03755-1404, USA. Ta.Yuan.Chang@Dartmouth.edu
authors.forename: Ta-Yuan
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Bo-Liang
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Catherine C Y
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yasuomi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Urano
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase