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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-11-25
pubmed:abstractText
The de novo production of steroids and neurosteroids begins in mitochondria by the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone through cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage (CYP11A1) enzymatic activity. The C-terminal amino acid domain of the translocator protein (TSPO) has been demonstrated to bind cholesterol, thereby determining its mitochondrial translocation. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effect of the Ala147Thr single-nucleotide polymorphism localized in this TSPO region on pregnenolone production in healthy volunteers. Pregnenolone production was evaluated in a peripheral cell model, represented by circulating lymphomonocytes. First, CYP11A1 expression, both at mRNA and protein level, was demonstrated. Pregnenolone production varied among genotype groups. Comparison of pregnenolone mean values revealed that Thr147 homozygous or heterozygous individuals had significantly lower pregnenolone levels compared with Ala147 homozygous individuals. These findings suggested a dominant effect of the minor allelic variant Thr147 to produce this first metabolite of the steroidogenesis pathway. Interestingly, Ala147 homozygous individuals exhibited significant higher levels of circulating cholesterol-rich low-density lipoproteins with respect to heterozygous individuals. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the Ala147Thr spontaneous amino acid substitution within TSPO is able to affect pregnenolone production; this should encourage further studies to investigate its potential role in polygenic dyslipidemias.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
1945-7170
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
150
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
5438-45
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Alleles, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Amino Acid Substitution, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Analysis of Variance, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Base Sequence, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Blotting, Western, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Female, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Gene Frequency, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Genotype, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Leukocytes, Mononuclear, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Lymphocytes, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Male, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Middle Aged, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Molecular Sequence Data, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Monocytes, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Pregnenolone, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Receptors, GABA, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid, pubmed-meshheading:19846611-Young Adult
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
The spontaneous Ala147Thr amino acid substitution within the translocator protein influences pregnenolone production in lymphomonocytes of healthy individuals.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Human Morphology and Applied Biology, University of Pisa, 4-56126 Pisa, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't