The Study On The Effects Of The Critical Genes In The Cholesterol Metabolism In The Formation Of Cholesterol Gallstones

Lithogenic bile is the major cause of cholesterol gallstone, but its pathogenesis is not well understood. The hypersecretion of biliary cholesterol is believed one important cause of lithogenic bile. HMGCR, CYP7A1 and SCP2 participate in cholesterol trafficking and metabolism and may play a key role in cholesterol gallstone formation. Objectives:To investigate the expression level of liver HMGCR,CYP7A1 and SCP2 gene in hereditary and non-hereditary cholesterol gallstone patients and non-cholesterol gallstone patients. Methods: The expression level of liver HMGCR, CYP7A1 and SCP2 mRNA was studied in 28 hereditary and 30 non-hereditary cholesterol gallstone patients and 32 non-cholesterol gallstone patients by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). At the same time the level of liver SCP2 protein was detected in above patients by Western blotting method .Results: The expression of HMGCR and SCP2 mRNA was increased significantly in cholesterol gallstone patients as compared with non-cholesterol gallstone patients. On the contrary, the expression of CYP7A1mRNA was decreased significantly in cholesterol gallstone patients as compared with non-cholesterol gallstone patients. Morerove, there is also a significant increase of the expression of SCP2 in hereditary cholesterol gallstone patients as compared with non-hereditary cholesterol gallstone patients. Conclusions: HMGCR and SCP2 was overexpressed in cholesterol gallstone patients,and CYP7A1 gene was underexpressed ,which indicated that HMGCR,CYP7A1 and SCP₂ may be one important cause of cholesterol gallstones.The overexpression of SCP2 may be a hereditary factor during the formation of cholesterol gallstones.