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[Progress of Niemann-Pick type C1 Like 1 on cholesterol metabolism.] [Article in Chinese]

YANG JunYao, HU YanWei, ZHANG Peng, ZHENG Lei, WANG Qian^*

Laboratory Medicine Centre, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China

Abstract

The polytopic transmembrane protein, Niemann-Pick type C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1), is the key point of exogenous cholesterol absorption and plays an important role in cholesterol metabolism. However, the molecular mechanism of NPC1L1’s role in cholesterol uptake remains unclear. NPC1L1 expression is highly regulated by a variety of molecular actors. Nuclear receptors regulate NPC1L1 expression through its promoter region. Polyunsaturated fatty acids down-regulates NPC1L1 expression by the way of sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBP2). In addition, curcumin and sphingosine-phosphate take part in the regulation of NPC1L1 expression. NPC1L1 has been recognized as an essential protein for sterol absorption and is the molecular target of ezetimibe. Moreover, inhibition of the expression of NPC1L1 has been shown to have beneficial effects on components of the metabolic syndrome. The recent progress in the structure, function and regulation of NPC1L1 is reviewed.

Key words: Niemann-Pick type C1- Like 1; cholesterol; ezetimibe

Received: 2012-03-01　　Accepted: 2012-06-04

Corresponding author: 王前　　E-mail: nfyywangqian@163.com

Citing This Article：

YANG JunYao, HU YanWei, ZHANG Peng, ZHENG Lei, WANG Qian. [Progress of Niemann-Pick type C1 Like 1 on cholesterol metabolism.] [Article in Chinese] . Acta Physiol Sin 2012; 64 (6): 721-728 (in Chinese with English abstract).