Osteopontin (OPN) is a proinflammatory cytokine and adhesion molecule implicated in the chemoattraction of monocytes and in cell-mediated immunity. We have recently reported that genetic OPN-deficiency attenuates the development of atherosclerosis in apoE / mice identifying OPN as potential target for pharmacological intervention in atherosclerosis. Synthetic agonists for the Liver X Receptor (...

The recent identification of liver X receptors (LXR) as regulators of the cholesterol and phospholipid export pump ABCA1 has raised the possibility that LXR agonists could be developed as HDL-raising agents, possibly also acting on the artery wall to stimulate cholesterol efflux from lipid-laden macrophages. Presently several pharmaceutical companies are working to develop such compounds, which...

The liver X-receptors (lxrs) act as cholesterol sensors and participate in the regulation of lipid and cholesterol metabolism. The objective of this study was to determine the role of lxr during development using the zebrafish model. By in situ hybridization we showed distinct expression of lxr in the brain and the retina in the developing and adult zebrafish. lxr ligand activation affected the...

The nuclear receptors liver X receptor (LXR) LXR and LXR are differentially expressed ligand-activated transcription factors that induce genes controlling cholesterol homeostasis and lipogenesis. Synthetic ligands for both receptor subtypes activate ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)-mediated cholesterol metabolism, increase reverse cholesterol transport, and provide atheroprotection i...

Recent studies have identified the liver X receptors (LXR alpha and LXR beta) as important regulators of cholesterol metabolism and transport. LXRs control transcription of genes critical to a range of biological functions including regulation of high density lipoprotein cholesterol metabolism, hepatic cholesterol catabolism, and intestinal sterol absorption. Although LXR activity has been prop...

Nuclear receptor transcription factors are ligand-activated proteins that control various biological events from cell growth and development to lipid metabolism, and energy and glucose homeostasis. Nuclear receptors are important drug targets for metabolic diseases. Liver X receptors (LXRs) are nuclear receptor transcription factors that play essential roles in regulation of cholesterol, trigly...

ASC-2 (activating signal co-integrator-2) is a transcriptional co-activator that mediates the transactivation of NRs (nuclear receptors) via direct interactions with these receptors. ASC-2 contains two separate NR-interaction domains harbouring a core signature motif, LXXLL (where X is any amino acid), named the NR box. Although the first NR box (NR box-1) of ASC-2 interacts with many different...

Liver X receptor (LXR) alpha and beta are ligand-activated transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes involved in the removal of cholesterol from cells by high-density lipoproteins, the transport of cholesterol to the liver and the biliary excretion of cholesterol. LXRs are activated by oxygenated cholesterol derivatives such as 24(S),25-epoxycholesterol or 24(S)-, 25- and 27-h...

The Liver X Receptors (LXR and LXR ) are members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily.1 These sterol-responsive transcription factors regulate the expression of a number of genes involved in intestinal cholesterol absorption, conversion of cholesterol to bile acids, and reverse cholesterol transport. Activation of LXRs blocks cholesterol absorption and induces cholesterol efflux from lip...

PURPOSE Atherosclerosis is the primary independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease, and Liver X Receptors (LXRalpha and LXRbeta) activation may play an anti-atherosclerosis effect. In this article, we summarize the current state of knowledge of roles of LXRs in physiology and homeostasis as well as the links between LXR action and atherosclerosis, and discuss the potential therapeutic eff...