CYP7A1 promoter polymorphism −203A>C affects bile salt synthesis rate in patients after ileal resection

• Published in: Journal of lipid research Vol. 49; no. 12; pp. 2664 - 2667
• Main Authors: Leníček, Martin, Komárek, Viktor, Zimolová, Miluše, Kovář, Jan, Jirsa, Milan, Lukáš, Milan, Vítek, Libor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2008; American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Elsevier
• Subjects: atherosclerosis; bile acid; Bile Acids and Salts - biosynthesis; bile salt malabsorption; cholesterol; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase - genetics; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase - metabolism; Female; Humans; Ileum - metabolism; Ileum - surgery; Male; metabolism; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Genetic; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Up-Regulation; atherosclerosis; cholesterol; bile salt malabsorption; metabolism; bile acid
• ISSN: 0022-2275; 1539-7262
• DOI: 10.1194/jlr.M800364-JLR200

Cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) plays a crucial role in cholesterol metabolism and has been implicated in genetic susceptibility to atherosclerosis. Thus, an understanding of its transcriptional regulation is of considerable importance. We evaluated the effect of a common −203A>C polymorphism in the CYP7A1 promoter region on the activity of CYP7A1, estimated as the ratios of serum 7α-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one (C4) to either total or non-HDL-cholesterol. The study was performed on patients after resection of the distal ileum, leading to upregulation of CYP7A1 activity (n = 65). Healthy volunteers served as the control group (n = 66). Whereas higher CYP7A1 activity was associated with the −203A allele in the patient group (C4/cholesterol ratio, 29.0 vs. 14.8 μg/mmol, P = 0.032; C4/non-HDL-cholesterol ratio, 53.3 vs. 21.3 μg/mmol in −203AA and −203CC, P = 0.017, respectively), no differences were observed in the healthy controls. We conclude that under physiological conditions, the −203A>C polymorphism in the CYP7A1 gene promoter region does not seem to have any clinically relevant effect. However, in patients with severe bile salt malabsorption, this polymorphism markedly affects CYP7A1 activity.