Together, these results establish the involvement of TRPV2 in a stretch-activated calcium influx pathway in dystrophic cardiomyopathy, contributing to the defective cellular Ca2+ handling in this disease.

No abstract

In humans, sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) deficiency leads to cholesterol deposition in tendons and vasculature. Thus, in addition to its role in bile acid synthesis, where it converts cholesterol to 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC), CYP27A1 may also be atheroprotective. Cyp27A1-deficient (Cyp27A1(-/-)) mice were crossed with apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice. Cyp27A1(+/+)/apoE(-/-) [ApoE-knockout (KO)], Cyp27A1(+/-)/apoE(-/-) heterozygous (het), and Cyp27A1(-/-)/apoE(-/-) [double-knockout (DKO)] mice were challenged with a Western diet (WD) for 3 and 6 mo. ApoE-KO mice fed a chow diet or a WD were used as the control. The severity of atherosclerosis in DKO mice was reduced 10-fold. Compared with the control, the DKO mice had no 27-OHC, total plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein (LDL/VLDL) concentrations were reduced 2-fold, and HDL was elevated 2-fold. Expression of hepatic CYP7A1, CYP3A, and CYP8B1 were 5- to 10-fold higher. 3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) activity increased 4-fold. Fecal cholesterol was increased. In contrast, het mice fed a WD developed accelerated atherosclerosis and severe skin lesions, possibly because of reduced reverse cholesterol transport due to diminished 27-OHC production. CYP27A1 activity is involved in the control of cholesterol homeostasis and development of atherosclerosis with a distinct gene dose-dependent effect.

The intracellular availability of glucocorticoids is regulated by the enzymes 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (HSD11B1) and 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (HSD11B2). The activity of HSD11B1 is measured in the urine based on the (tetrahydrocortisolC5a-tetrahydrocortisol)/tetrahydrocortisone ((THFC5a-THF)/THE) ratio in humans and the (tetrahydrocorticosteroneC5a-tetrahydrocorticosterone)/tetrahydrodehydrocorticosterone ((THBC5a-THB)/THA) ratio in mice. The cortisol/cortisone (F/E) ratio in humans and the corticosterone/11-dehydrocorticosterone (B/A) ratio in mice are markers of the activity of HSD11B2. In vitro agonist treatment of liver X receptor (LXR) downregulates the activity of HSD11B1. Sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) catalyses the first step in the alternative pathway of bile acid synthesis by hydroxylating cholesterol to 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC). Since 27-OHC is a natural ligand for LXR, we hypothesised that CYP27A1 deficiency may up-regulate the activity of HSD11B1. In a patient with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis carrying a loss-of-function mutation in CYP27A1, the plasma concentrations of 27-OHC were dramatically reduced (3.8 vs 90-140 ng/ml in healthy controls) and the urinary ratios of (THFC5a-THF)/THE and F/E were increased, demonstrating enhanced HSD11B1 and diminished HSD11B2 activities. Similarly, in Cyp27a1 knockout (KO) mice, the plasma concentrations of 27-OHC were undetectable (!1 vs 25-120 ng/ml in Cyp27a1 WT mice). The urinary ratio of (THBC5a-THB)/THA was fourfold and that of B/A was twofold higher in KO mice than in their WT littermates. The (THBC5a-THB)/THA ratio was also significantly increased in the plasma, liver and kidney of KO mice. In the liver of these mice, the increase in the concentrations of active glucocorticoids was due to increased liver weight as a consequence of Cyp27a1 deficiency. In vitro, 27-OHC acts as an inhibitor of the activity of HSD11B1. Our studies suggest that the expression of CYP27A1 modulates the concentrations of active glucocorticoids in both humans and mice and in vitro. Journal of EndocrinologyResearch I VÖ GELI and others CYP27A1 and glucocorticoid metabolism in vivo