Expression of SR-BI receptor and StAR protein in rat ocular tissues

Abstract The class-B type-I scavenger receptor (SR–BI) plays a key role in cholesterol homeostasis; it mediates the selective uptake of lipoprotein cholesterol to steroidogenic tissues. We show by RT–PCR, western blot, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry analysis that SR–BI is highly expressed in different neuro-retinal and non-neuronal cells types on rat eye. Immunohistochemistry of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) involved in neurosteroid production showed the same expression pattern than SR–BI in rat eye. Our results may suggest a key role of these genes in the ocular cholesterol metabolism for membranes biosynthesis and neurosteroidogenesis. To cite this article: A.C. Provost et al., C. R. Biologies 326 (2003).