Plasma membrane cholesterol trafficking in steroidogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Cholesterol is an important component of plasma membranes (PMs) and the precursor of all steroid hormones. In steroidogenic tissues, upon hormone stimulation, there is a rapid transfer of cholesterol to the mitochondria, which is the site of the initial step in steroidogenesis. In the current study, we examined PM cholesterol trafficking for steroidogenesis. In a mitochondrial reconstitution assay, adrenal PMs supported steroidogenesis in the absence of additional transport proteins. Depletion of cholesterol in PMs by 50% eliminated the membranes' ability to support steroidogenesis in vitro and reduced steroid production in intact Y1 adrenocortical cells. Syntaxin (STX)-5 and α-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein (α-SNAP) are enriched in adrenal PMs, and adrenocort

SUBMITTER: Deng B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6988844 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature