Zhang J, Akwa Y, Baulieu E E, Sjövall J
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
C R Acad Sci III. 1995 Mar;318(3):345-9.
27-hydroxycholesterol is shown to be 7 alpha-hydroxylated by microsomal preparations of rat brain. The apparent Km was about 2 microM and Vmax about 15 pmol/min x mg protein. The reaction might modulate biological functions of 27-hydroxycholesterol, such as its suppressive effect on the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, and supports the possibility of bile acid formation in the brain.