肝X受体与肝脏疾病

Liver X receptors and liver diseases

肝X受体(liver X receptors,LXRs)是核受体超家族的成员,在胆固醇代谢、糖代谢、脂代谢和炎症反应的过程中发挥着重要作用,有望成为非酒精性脂肪性肝炎、病毒性肝炎和肝纤维化等肝脏疾病的治疗靶点,其不良反应则是可能导致肝脂肪病变.因此,了解LXRs调节胆固醇代谢及炎症反应的直接靶基因及其机制,研发特异性的LXRs激动剂或拮抗剂,对研究肝脏疾病及LXRs的临床应用将是很好的途径.

Liver X receptors （LXRs） are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, which have important roles in cholesterol metabolism, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and inflammatory reactions. Although liver X receptors are expected to become targets for the treatment of liver fibrosis, nonalcoholic hepatitis, viral hepatitis and other liver diseases, they may lead to liver steatosis. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand the direct target genes of LXRs for regulation of cholesterol metabolism and inflammatory reactions and find specific LXRs agonists or antagonists.