Liver X Receptors and their Agonists: Targeting for Cholesterol Homeostasis and Cardiovascular Diseases.
Liver X receptors α (LXRα) and β (LXRβ) are essential for protection against cardiovascular diseases. LXRs are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily of DNA-binding transcription factors and act as sensors of cholesterol homeostasis. In this review, we introduce LXRs and briefly describe the roles of LXRs in reverse cholesterol transport and trans-intestinal cholesterol efflux. We discuss LXR agonists and the downstream genes of LXRs that are involved in the regulation of cholesterol transport. In addition, we describe the cardioprotective effects of LXRs against atherosclerosis, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and myocardial hypertrophy. Finally, we expand our discussion to the actions of LXRs in atherosclerosis and suggest several potential research avenues that may be of interest to clinicians and basic scientists. The information included herein may be useful for the design of future experimental research studies and may advance the investigation of LXRs as therapeutic targets.
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China.
Zhiqiang
Z
Ma
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 127 Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China.
Chao
C
Deng
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China.
Wei
W
Hu
Department of Medical Engineering, Beidaihe Sanatorium, Beijing Military Area Command, 4 West Beach Road, Qinhuangdao 066100, China.
Jie
J
Zhou
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 1 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China.
Chongxi
C
Fan
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 1 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China.
Shouyin
S
Di
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishi Road, Beijing 100037, China.
Dong
D
Liu
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China.
Yang
Y
Yang
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China.
Dongjin
D
Wang
D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D000071518:Liver X Receptors / Q000819:agonists* / Q000378:metabolism*
D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D002784:Cholesterol