title: Liver x receptor: a novel therapeutic target.
abstract: The liver X receptors alpha and beta are orphan nuclear receptors that are key regulators in maintaining cholesterol homeostasis. Originally they were found to play an important role in reverse cholesterol transport, a pathway for the removal of excess cellular cholesterol. However several groups have now shown that the liver X receptors also functions in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, cellular differentiation, apoptosis and many immune responses. Tissue distribution of the two paralogues differs with liver X receptor beta ubiquitously expressed, while liver X receptor alpha is confined to the liver, kidney, intestine, spleen, adipose tissue, macrophages and skeletal muscle. The endogenous ligands for the liver X receptors are certain oxidized derivatives of cholesterol, the oxysterols. Upon activation by oxysterols, the receptors form obligate heterodimers with retinoid X receptors alpha, beta and gamma; and become competent to activate the transcription of target genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shri Sarvajanik Pharmacy College, Near Arvind Baug, Mehsana - 384 001, India.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Oza
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Patel