title: Atherosclerosis: lessons from LXR and the intestine.
abstract: Modulation of the cholesterol-sensing liver X receptors (LXRs) and their downstream targets has emerged as promising therapeutic avenues in atherosclerosis. The intestine is important for its unique capabilities to act as a gatekeeper for cholesterol absorption and to participate in the process of cholesterol elimination in the feces and reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). Pharmacological and genetic intestine-specific LXR activation have been shown to protect against atherosclerosis. In this review we discuss the LXR-targeted molecular players in the enterocytes as well as the intestine-driven pathways contributing to cholesterol homeostasis with therapeutic potential as targets in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis..
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Lipid Metabolism and Cancer, Department of Translational Pharmacology, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, Via Nazionale 8/A, 66030 Santa Maria Imbaro (CH), Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonamassa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moschetta
mesh_terms: D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1 / Q000502:physiology; D000071018:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 5; D000071019:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 8; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors / Q000502:physiology*; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000502:physiology; D000097587:Sterol O-Acyltransferase 2
chemical_list: D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; D000071018:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 5; D000071019:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 8; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D002784:Cholesterol; D008074:Lipoproteins; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase; D000097587:Sterol O-Acyltransferase 2; C416945:ABCG5 protein, human; C416946:ABCG8 protein, human; C410800:NPC1L1 protein, human