Characterization of Novel Liver X Receptor Regulatory Circuits

Author(s): Sallam, Tamer | Advisor(s): Tontonoz, Peter | Abstract: The liver X receptors (LXRs) are members of the nuclear receptors superfamily of transcription factors. Multiple lines of evidence established LXRs as crucial regulators of metabolic homeostasis. Upon activation by cholesterol intermediates, LXRs induce the expression of a cluster of genes involved in cholesterol efflux, catabolism, and storage. In addition, activation of LXRs represses inflammatory signaling and enhances cellular survival against noxious stimuli. The diverse biologic roles of LXRs have made them attractive targets for pharmacologic manipulation.In this work, we utilized unbiased high-throughput genome-wide screens to identify novel LXR target genes.