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Intracellular Sterol Esterification: Two Acyl CoA:Cholesterol Acyltransferases in Mammals

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Intracellular Cholesterol Trafficking

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Abstract

The formation of sterol esters from free sterols and fatty acyl CoAs is a fundamental pathway in lipid metabolism of eukaryotic cells. In vertebrates, the sterol esterification reaction is catalyzed by acyl CoA:cholesterol acytransferase (ACAT; EC 2.3.1.26), an enzyme located primarily in the endoplasmic reticulum. In addition to its role in cellular cholesterol homeostasis, ACAT has been hypothesized to participate in a number of processes involving mammalian cholesterol metabolism. Recent studies have provided evidence that more than one ACAT enzyme exists in mammals. Here we review the recent research that has led to the identification and characterization of two mammalian ACAT enzymes, ACAT-1 and ACAT-2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Research Institute, and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94110, USA

    Robert V. Farese Jr., Sylvaine Cases & Sabine Novak

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  1. Robert V. Farese Jr.
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  2. Sylvaine Cases
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  3. Sabine Novak
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dartmouth Medical School, USA

    T. Y. Chang

  2. University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, USA

    Dale A. Freeman

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Farese, R.V., Cases, S., Novak, S. (1998). Intracellular Sterol Esterification: Two Acyl CoA:Cholesterol Acyltransferases in Mammals. In: Chang, T.Y., Freeman, D.A. (eds) Intracellular Cholesterol Trafficking. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5113-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5113-3_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7326-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-5113-3

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