Epigenetic Regulation of Cholesterol Homeostasis

Steve Meaney, Technological University Dublin

Document Type Article

Frontiers in Genetics; Vol 5, No 311, 2014

Abstract

Althoughbestknownasariskfactorforcardiovasculardisease,cholesterolisavitalcomponentofallmammaliancells.Inadditiontokeystructuralroles,cholesterolisavitalbiochemicalprecursorfornumerousbiologicallyimportantcompoundsincludingoxysterolsandbileacids,aswellasactingasanactivatorofcriticalmorphogenicsystems(e.g.,theHedgehogsystem).Avarietyofsophisticatedregulatorymechanismsinteracttocoordinatetheoveralllevelofcholesterolincells,tissuesandtheentireorganism.Accumulatingevidenceindicatesthatinadditionaltothemore“traditional”regulatoryschemes,cholesterolhomeostasisisalsounderthecontrolofepigeneticmechanismssuchashistoneacetylationandDNAmethylation.Theavailableevidencesupportingaroleforthesemechanismsinthecontrolofcholesterolsynthesis,elimination,transportandstoragearethefocusofthisreview.