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Review
. 2013 May 22;371(1-2):15-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2012.10.012. Epub 2012 Oct 23.

Cholesterol ester droplets and steroidogenesis

Fredric B Kraemer  1 , Victor K Khor, Wen-Jun Shen, Salman Azhar
Affiliations
Review

Cholesterol ester droplets and steroidogenesis

Fredric B Kraemer et al. Mol Cell Endocrinol. .

Abstract

Intracellular lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles that contain a number of associated proteins including perilipin (Plin) and vimentin. Cholesteryl ester (CE)-rich LDs normally accumulate in steroidogenic cells and their mobilization is the preferred initial source of cholesterol for steroidogenesis. Plin1a, 1b and 5 were found to preferentially associate with triacylglycerol-rich LDs and Plin1c and Plin4 to associate with CE-rich LDs, but the biological significance of this remains unanswered. Vimentin null mice were found to have decreased ACTH-stimulated corticosterone levels, and decreased progesterone levels in females, but normal hCG-stimulated testosterone levels in males. Smaller LDs were seen in null cells. Lipoprotein cholesterol delivery to adrenals and ovary was normal, as was the expression of steroidogenic genes; however, the movement of cholesterol to mitochondria was reduced in vimentin null mice. These results suggest that vimentin is important in the maintenance of CE-rich LDs and in the movement of cholesterol for steroidogenesis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cartoon of adrenal steroidogenesis and movement of cholesterol to mitochondria.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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