Affinage

CYP11A1

Cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme, mitochondrial · UniProt P05108

Length
521 aa
Mass
60.1 kDa
Annotated
2026-04-28
100 papers in source corpus 44 papers cited in narrative 43 extracted findings

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

CYP11A1 (cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme, P450scc) is a mitochondrial inner-membrane monooxygenase that catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step of all steroidogenesis, converting cholesterol to pregnenolone via sequential hydroxylations, and also metabolizes alternative substrates including vitamin D3, 7-dehydrocholesterol, and lumisterol to bioactive hydroxylated products (PMID:12145347, PMID:14657394, PMID:25130438). The enzyme receives electrons through electrostatic interactions with adrenodoxin at residues Lys338, K403, K405, and R426, and its catalytic efficiency depends on the stoichiometry and proximity of the three-component electron transfer chain (CYP11A1–adrenodoxin–adrenodoxin reductase), while membrane phospholipid composition regulates substrate access by altering the Km for cholesterol (PMID:2506177, PMID:12081479, PMID:8517924, PMID:6251051). Transcription of CYP11A1 is controlled by SF-1 acting through proximal and distal promoter elements in cooperation with CBP/p300, TReP-132, Sp1, and C/EBPβ, and is responsive to cAMP/PKA, EGF/ras/MEK/AP-1, glucocorticoid receptor-mediated repression, and LH-induced histone remodeling (PMID:8247022, PMID:9468515, PMID:7629150, PMID:27428926). Loss-of-function mutations cause congenital adrenal insufficiency and CYP11A1 is the sole initiator of steroid biosynthesis in vivo, as demonstrated by the complete absence of steroids in Cyp11a1-null mice, while in non-classical steroidogenic tissues such as CD8+ T cells CYP11A1 activity drives pregnenolone-dependent cytokine skewing toward type 2 responses (PMID:12161514, PMID:12145347, PMID:23630275).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 13 steps
  1. 1976 High

    Establishing that a labile protein mediates ACTH-stimulated cholesterol delivery to CYP11A1 answered how trophic hormone signaling acutely activates steroidogenesis at the substrate-access level, preceding the later identification of StAR.

    Evidence EPR and optical spectroscopy on adrenal mitochondria from ACTH-treated rats with cycloheximide blockade

    PMID:11217

    Open questions at the time
    • Identity of the labile protein not established in this study
    • Whether cholesterol transfer is direct or involves intermediate carriers unclear
  2. 1980 High

    Demonstrating that membrane phospholipid composition alters the Km (not Vmax) for cholesterol established that substrate access to CYP11A1 is the rate-limiting parameter controlled by the lipid environment, not enzyme turnover itself.

    Evidence Reconstitution of purified bovine CYP11A1 into phosphatidylcholine vesicles of varying acyl composition with kinetic and spin-state analysis

    PMID:6251051

    Open questions at the time
    • Specific lipid species responsible in native mitochondrial membranes not identified
    • How lipid composition changes physiologically in response to hormones not addressed
  3. 1982 High

    Localization of CYP11A1 to the matrix face of the inner mitochondrial membrane and definition of the active-site geometry (heme–substrate distance) established the spatial framework for understanding how cholesterol must traverse the membrane to reach the catalytic center.

    Evidence Immunoelectron microscopy in bovine adrenal cortex; spectral and kinetic analysis with aminosteroid inhibitors on purified enzyme

    PMID:6813370 PMID:6964388

    Open questions at the time
    • Atomic-resolution structure not yet available at this time
    • Mechanism of cholesterol translocation across the membrane unresolved
  4. 1986 High

    Systematic structure-activity studies with steroid analogs defined the substrate specificity requirements (3β-hydroxyl, Δ5-ring, side-chain geometry) and identified enzyme residues that hydrogen-bond cleavage intermediates, establishing how CYP11A1 distinguishes cholesterol from other sterols.

    Evidence Spectral and kinetic analysis of purified bovine CYP11A1 with series of synthetic steroid analogs

    PMID:3549273 PMID:6688621 PMID:6822531

    Open questions at the time
    • Specific amino acid identities of hydrogen-bonding residues not determined
    • Whether intermediates dissociate between hydroxylation steps unclear
  5. 1989 High

    Identification of Lys338 as a key adrenodoxin-binding residue, combined with mapping of proximal and distal cAMP-responsive promoter elements, established both the electron-transfer interface and the transcriptional architecture governing CYP11A1 expression in steroidogenic cells.

    Evidence FITC chemical modification/peptide mapping of purified bovine CYP11A1; promoter-reporter deletion analysis in Y-1 adrenal cells

    PMID:2506177 PMID:2712831 PMID:2831049

    Open questions at the time
    • Full set of adrenodoxin-contact residues not yet mapped
    • Identity of the adrenal-specific trans-acting factor(s) binding the distal element not known
  6. 1993 High

    Demonstration that SF-1 (Ad4BP) is the steroidogenic cell-specific transcription factor required for cAMP-dependent CYP11A1 transcription, and that CYP11A1 forms a functional complex with CYP11B1 in the mitochondrial membrane, established the regulatory logic and physical organization of the steroidogenic pathway.

    Evidence Gain-of-function cotransfection of SF-1 into non-steroidogenic cells; liposomal reconstitution and antibody neutralization of CYP11A1–CYP11B1 complex

    PMID:1730695 PMID:8247022

    Open questions at the time
    • Structural basis of CYP11A1–CYP11B1 interaction unknown
    • Whether the complex forms in all steroidogenic tissues not tested
  7. 1995 High

    Mapping the convergence of EGF/ras/MEK/AP-1 and cAMP/PKA/Sp1 signaling onto adjacent but distinct CYP11A1 promoter elements explained how growth factor and hormonal signals integrate to regulate steroidogenesis at the transcriptional level.

    Evidence Dominant-negative mutants, MEK inhibitor, gel shift with anti-JUN antibody, PKA catalytic subunit cotransfection in JEG-3 and SL2 cells

    PMID:10383457 PMID:7629150 PMID:8885243

    Open questions at the time
    • Chromatin context of signaling integration not addressed at this stage
    • Whether Sp1 phosphorylation is direct PKA target not established
  8. 1998 High

    Identification of CBP/p300 as SF-1 coactivators at the CYP11A1 promoter and the functional characterization of Ile-462 near the substrate side-chain binding site provided molecular resolution for both transcriptional control and catalytic mechanism.

    Evidence Co-IP, in vitro pulldown, two-hybrid, and E1A competition for SF-1–CBP; site-directed mutagenesis of human CYP11A1 with kinetic analysis

    PMID:9468515 PMID:9578606

    Open questions at the time
    • Crystal structure still lacking
    • Post-translational modifications of SF-1 that regulate CBP recruitment not explored
  9. 2002 High

    Cyp11a1 knockout mice established that CYP11A1 is the sole enzyme initiating steroid biosynthesis in vivo, while human loss-of-function mutations confirmed its essential role in clinical adrenal function, and mutagenesis of K403/K405/R426 completed the map of the adrenodoxin electrostatic interface.

    Evidence Cyp11a1-null mice (gene targeting); patient mutation analysis with COS-1 functional expression; systematic charged-residue mutagenesis with binding/activity assays

    PMID:12081479 PMID:12145347 PMID:12161514

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether compensatory pathways exist in specific tissues not fully excluded
    • No crystal structure to validate docking model of adrenodoxin interface
  10. 2003 High

    Discovery that CYP11A1 hydroxylates vitamin D3 and 7-dehydrocholesterol as alternative substrates expanded the enzyme's biological role beyond classical steroidogenesis to secosteroid/vitamin D metabolism.

    Evidence In vitro reconstituted assay with purified CYP11A1/adrenodoxin/adrenodoxin reductase; MS product identification; membrane topology probed by fluorescent labeling

    PMID:14637024 PMID:14657394

    Open questions at the time
    • Physiological relevance of vitamin D metabolism by CYP11A1 in vivo not demonstrated at this point
    • Relative flux through cholesterol vs vitamin D pathways in tissues unknown
  11. 2013 High

    CYP11A1 activity in non-classical steroidogenic cells (CD8+ and CD4+ T cells) was shown to be required for IL-4-driven type 2 cytokine skewing and intestinal anaphylaxis, establishing an immune-regulatory function for T cell-intrinsic steroidogenesis.

    Evidence Aminoglutethimide inhibition and shRNA knockdown of Cyp11a1 in T cells; adoptive transfer into CD8-deficient mice; peanut allergy model

    PMID:23630275 PMID:23870673

    Open questions at the time
    • Which steroid metabolite(s) downstream of pregnenolone mediate T cell skewing not identified
    • Whether CYP11A1 activity in other immune cell types has similar functions unknown
  12. 2016 Medium

    Demonstration that CYP11A1 expression shapes mitochondrial cristae morphology and that LH-induced histone remodeling (H3K4me3 increase, H3K9me3/H3K27me3 decrease) drives rapid Cyp11a1 transcriptional upregulation added epigenetic and organelle-structural dimensions to CYP11A1 biology.

    Evidence Electron microscopy of transgenic Cyp11a1-overexpressing mice; ChIP for histone marks and C/EBPβ at Cyp11a1 promoter in rat granulosa cells

    PMID:27428926 PMID:27815210

    Open questions at the time
    • Mechanism by which CYP11A1 protein alters cristae structure is unknown
    • Whether histone remodeling is necessary (not just correlated) for Cyp11a1 induction not tested by loss-of-function
  13. 2024 High

    Identification of LONP1 as a mitochondrial protease that degrades CYP11A1 protein, enhanced by artemisinins, established a post-translational degradation pathway for CYP11A1 with therapeutic relevance to androgen excess in PCOS.

    Evidence Target identification of artemisinin–LONP1 binding, co-IP of LONP1–CYP11A1, LONP1 overexpression in cells, rodent PCOS models, human patient validation

    PMID:38870290

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether LONP1-mediated degradation of CYP11A1 is constitutive or stress-induced under physiological conditions is unclear
    • Structural basis of LONP1 recognition of CYP11A1 not defined
    • Long-term safety of targeting this pathway therapeutically not established

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • A high-resolution structure of human CYP11A1 in a membrane environment, the identity of the specific steroid intermediates mediating T cell immune skewing, and the mechanism by which CYP11A1 protein influences mitochondrial cristae morphology remain unresolved.
  • No published crystal or cryo-EM structure of human CYP11A1 in membrane context
  • Downstream steroid(s) from CYP11A1 that drive T cell cytokine reprogramming not identified
  • Whether CYP11A1 structural role in cristae is direct or mediated by metabolites unknown

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0016491 oxidoreductase activity 8 GO:0016787 hydrolase activity 3
Localization
GO:0005739 mitochondrion 4
Pathway
R-HSA-74160 Gene expression (Transcription) 9 R-HSA-1430728 Metabolism 7 R-HSA-162582 Signal Transduction 6 R-HSA-168256 Immune System 2 R-HSA-392499 Metabolism of proteins 1
Partners
CREBBPCYP11B1EP300FDX1FDXRLONP1NR5A1STAR
Complex memberships
CYP11A1–CYP11B1 inner mitochondrial membrane complexCYP11A1–adrenodoxin–adrenodoxin reductase electron transfer chain

Evidence

Reading pass · 43 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
1982 CYP11A1 (P450scc) is localized to the matrix side of the inner mitochondrial membrane in bovine adrenal cortex parenchymal cells, with heterogeneity in staining among mitochondria within a single cell, established by horseradish peroxidase-labeled antibody immunoelectron microscopy. Peroxidase-labeled antibody immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy The journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry High 6813370
1982 The substrate binding site and heme-iron catalytic site of CYP11A1 are in close proximity: a 22-amino steroid analog competitively inhibits cholesterol binding while its amine group coordinates directly to the heme iron, placing the two sites within a defined distance of each other. Spectral analysis and kinetic inhibition studies with purified bovine CYP11A1, active-site directed inhibitors Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 6964388
1976 ACTH treatment increases the temperature-dependent binding of cholesterol to CYP11A1 in adrenal mitochondria (high-spin EPR signal at g=8.2), and this effect is blocked by cycloheximide, indicating that a labile protein mediates cholesterol transfer to CYP11A1 in response to ACTH. EPR spectroscopy and spectrophotometric absorbance on adrenal mitochondria from ACTH-treated rats; cycloheximide inhibition The Journal of biological chemistry High 11217
1980 The phospholipid composition of the membrane modulates CYP11A1 activity by altering the Km for cholesterol (not Vmax), and the degree of cholesterol binding (spin state) inversely correlates with rate of pregnenolone formation, implicating membrane composition as a regulator of substrate access to the enzyme. Reconstitution of purified bovine CYP11A1 into phosphatidylcholine vesicles of varying fatty acyl composition; spectrophotometric spin-state measurement The Journal of biological chemistry High 6251051
1989 Lysine 338 of CYP11A1 is a key residue at the adrenodoxin binding site; covalent modification of Lys338 with FITC inhibits adrenodoxin binding by ~85%, and pre-formed adrenodoxin complex protects Lys338 from labeling. Chemical modification with FITC, HPLC peptide mapping, amino acid sequencing, adrenodoxin binding assay with purified bovine P450scc The Journal of biological chemistry High 2506177
1983 The heme iron of CYP11A1 is located at a fixed, defined distance from the cholesterol binding site: the position of the amine on a series of side-chain-shortened steroid analogs determines whether direct heme iron coordination occurs, establishing the geometry of the active site. Synthesis of a series of amino-steroid analogs, spectrophotometric and kinetic analysis with purified bovine CYP11A1 The Journal of biological chemistry High 6688621 6822531
1986 CYP11A1 exhibits high substrate specificity requiring the 3β-hydroxyl, Δ5-ring configuration, and the 20-22 side chain organization of cholesterol for binding; an enzyme residue hydrogen-bonds to the 3β-hydroxyl and a residue near the heme iron stereospecifically binds the 22R-hydroxyl of cleavage intermediates. Review integrating spectral and kinetic data from reconstituted purified bovine CYP11A1 with steroid analogs Endocrine research Medium 3549273
1987 The N-terminal ~15 amino acids of the CYP11A1 precursor extension peptide (mitochondrial targeting sequence) are required for mitochondrial import; synthetic peptides SEP1-15 and SEP1-20 block internalization of the precursor into mitochondria without affecting surface binding or processing. Synthesis of partial extension peptides, in vitro mitochondrial import assay with radiolabeled precursors Journal of biochemistry High 3436954
1988 The 5'-flanking region (5.4 kb) of the human CYP11A1 gene contains cis-acting DNA element(s) that confer cAMP-dependent transcriptional regulation specifically in steroidogenic adrenal (Y-1) cells, as demonstrated by reporter gene transfection. Transient transfection of P450scc promoter-CAT fusion gene into Y-1 adrenal tumor and non-steroidogenic cells; primer extension analysis European journal of biochemistry High 2831049
1989 The CYP11A1 promoter contains an adrenal-specific transcriptional activating domain within ~2500 bp upstream of the transcription start; a basal promoter activity resides within -145 bp and is cell-type independent. Deletion analysis of CYP11A1 5'-region fused to CAT reporter, transfection into adrenal Y-1 and non-steroidogenic cells Biochemical and biophysical research communications Medium 2712831
1990 CYP11A1, adrenodoxin, and adrenodoxin reductase are all induced coordinately in granulosa cells upon cAMP stimulation and are uniformly incorporated into all mitochondria; adrenodoxin localizes to the matrix side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, co-distributing with the integral membrane protein CYP11A1. Immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy in transformed and primary rat granulosa cells The Journal of cell biology High 2170421
1992 cAMP-dependent transcription of the CYP11A1 gene is mediated by a minimal cAMP-responsive sequence (-118 to -100 bp) containing a binding site for Sp1 (or an Sp1-related protein) and an overlapping adrenal-specific protein binding site. Deletion analysis, gel shift/competition assays with nuclear extracts from Y-1 adrenal cells, transient transfection reporter assays Molecular endocrinology High 1333053
1992 P450scc mRNA is regulated primarily at the transcriptional level (shown by RNA polymerase run-on assay), while adrenodoxin mRNA is regulated post-transcriptionally; the 3'-UTR AUUUA sequences of adrenodoxin mRNA are not required for cycloheximide-induced mRNA accumulation. Chimeric mRNA transfection in JEG-3 cells, RNA polymerase run-on assay, actinomycin-D stability assay Endocrinology High 1446636
1992 CYP11A1 (P450scc) physically interacts with CYP11B1 (P45011β) in liposomal and inner mitochondrial membranes to form an equimolar complex; this interaction stimulates CYP11A1 cholesterol desmolase activity and CYP11B1 11β-hydroxylase activity while suppressing aldosterone synthesis by CYP11B1. Liposomal reconstitution, kinetic analysis, antibody neutralization in native bovine adrenal inner mitochondrial membranes The Journal of biological chemistry High 1730695
1993 Steroidogenic cell-specific transcription factor Ad4BP (SF-1) transactivates both CYP11A1 and CYP11B gene promoters through Ad4 cis-elements; cAMP-dependent transcription via Ad4 in steroidogenic cells requires Ad4BP, as demonstrated by co-transfection into non-steroidogenic PC-12 cells that lack Ad4BP. Transient transfection reporter assays in steroidogenic and non-steroidogenic cells; immunoblot for Ad4BP; cotransfection of Ad4BP expression vector Molecular endocrinology High 8247022
1993 Fusion proteins of the CYP11A1 system in which P450scc is linked to adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin (P450scc-AdRed-Adx order) produce substantially more pregnenolone than individual components co-transfected, demonstrating that the stoichiometry and proximity of the three-component electron transfer system determines catalytic efficiency. Construction and expression of fusion protein expression vectors in COS-1 cells; pregnenolone production assay DNA and cell biology High 8517924
1993 Dexamethasone inhibits ACTH/forskolin-induced CYP11A1 mRNA accumulation at the transcriptional level via the glucocorticoid receptor (blocked by RU 486), as shown by inhibition of transfected CYP11A1-CAT constructs. Northern blot, transient transfection of CYP11A1-CAT reporter, glucocorticoid receptor antagonist (RU 486), primary bovine adrenocortical cells Molecular endocrinology High 8385739
1994 Ad4BP (SF-1) contributes to transcriptional activation of the human CYP11A1 gene through distal promoter elements (-1.8 to -1.5 kb) containing two Ad4 sites and a CRE; distal and proximal promoter elements show functional interactions with different tissue-specific requirements. Transient transfection of CAT reporter constructs with CYP11A1 distal promoter segments in steroidogenic cells; cAMP stimulation Journal of biochemistry Medium 7798178
1995 EGF and c-Jun stimulate CYP11A1 transcription through a common AP-1-like element (-92 to -77 bp); EGF acts via a ras/MEK/ERK/AP-1 pathway converging on this element, while cAMP acts through an adjacent GC-rich element, demonstrating convergence of distinct signaling pathways on neighboring CYP11A1 promoter elements. Transient transfection reporter assays, dominant-negative mutants, gel shift with anti-JUN antibody, MAP kinase activity assay in JEG-3 cells The Journal of biological chemistry High 7629150
1996 EGF induces CYP11A1 promoter activity through a ras/MEK1/AP-1-dependent pathway; c-Ets-2 activates the CYP11A1 promoter through a separate proximal ras-responsive element distinct from the AP-1/EGF-RE element. Dominant-negative ras and MEK1 mutants, MEK inhibitor (PD098059), dominant-negative SEK1, constitutively active ras in JEG-3 cells; transient transfection reporter assays Molecular endocrinology High 8885243
1998 Regulation of human CYP11A1 promoter by SF-1 is mediated through interaction with the co-activators CBP and p300; two domains of CBP (aa 1-451 and 1460-1891) interact with SF-1 in vitro, confirmed by co-IP and two-hybrid analysis in intact cells; E1A blocks this interaction through its CBP/p300-binding domain. Transfection reporter assays in NCI-H295 adrenal cells, in vitro pulldown, co-IP/Western blot, two-hybrid analysis, E1A domain deletion mutants The Journal of biological chemistry High 9468515
1998 Sp1 and Sp3 bind the CYP11A1 -118/-100 cAMP-responsive element and mediate cAMP-dependent transcription; introduction of Sp1 alone into Sp-negative Drosophila SL2 cells reconstitutes cAMP-dependent CYP11A1 promoter activity via the protein kinase A pathway. Reporter assays in Sp-negative SL2 cells with cotransfection of Sp factor expression vectors; mutation of -118/-100 element; cotransfection of PKA catalytic subunit The Journal of biological chemistry High 10383457
1998 Human CYP11A1 expressed in E. coli is catalytically active; mutation of Ile-462 to Leu decreases kcat with cholesterol and increases Km for 22R-hydroxycholesterol but not for 20α-hydroxycholesterol, indicating Ile-462 is near the side-chain binding site and that different intermediates occupy slightly different positions in the active site. Site-directed mutagenesis of human CYP11A1, bacterial expression, purification, kinetic assays with cholesterol, 22R-OH-cholesterol, and 20α-OH-cholesterol Archives of biochemistry and biophysics High 9578606
1999 Lys338 of bovine CYP11A1 is located at the adrenodoxin binding interface; FRET between FITC at Lys338 and the heme reports large-scale conformational changes during substrate binding, adrenodoxin binding, spin-state changes, and membrane insertion, indicating that functionally important conformational changes are not restricted to the active site. FITC chemical modification of recombinant bovine CYP11A1, FRET measurement under various functional conditions Biochimica et biophysica acta Medium 10556557
2001 The proximal SF-1 binding site (P, at -40) is essential for CYP11A1 expression in adrenal and testis; the upstream SF-1 site (U, at -1600) is required for hormonal (ACTH/hCG) stimulation of CYP11A1 transcription in vivo, as demonstrated in transgenic mice bearing mutant promoter-LacZ constructs. Transgenic mouse lines with mutant CYP11A1 promoter-LacZ reporter; ACTH and hCG stimulation in vivo Molecular endocrinology High 11328860
2002 Residues K403, K405, and R426 on the proximal surface of bovine CYP11A1 participate in electrostatic interactions with adrenodoxin (Adx): K405Q and R426Q mutations decrease Adx binding and enzymatic activity, with R426Q completely abolishing Adx binding while retaining chemical reducibility, identified by mutagenesis and homology-model docking. Site-directed mutagenesis of 13 charged residues, adrenodoxin binding assay, enzyme activity measurement, homology modeling and docking Biochemistry High 12081479
2002 Homozygous or compound heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in CYP11A1 (R353W reducing activity, A189V causing missplicing) cause congenital adrenal insufficiency, confirming that CYP11A1 activity is essential for human steroidogenesis; R353 is a crucial amino acid for P450scc catalytic activity. Patient sequencing, functional expression in COS-1 cells measuring pregnenolone production, splicing analysis The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism High 12161514
2002 Cyp11a1 null mice do not synthesize any steroids, die postnatally but can be rescued by steroid injection; male null mice are feminized due to lack of androgen; adrenals and gonads accumulate excess lipid; absence of glucocorticoid feedback elevates ACTH and causes ectopic Cyp21 expression in testis. Gene targeting (neo insertion in exon 1) to generate Cyp11a1 knockout mice; hormone measurements, histology, gene expression Molecular endocrinology High 12145347
2002 TReP-132 interacts directly with SF-1 through its N-terminal LXXLL motif (confirmed by pulldown, co-IP, and two-hybrid assays) and cooperates synergistically with SF-1 and CBP/p300 to activate the human CYP11A1 promoter in adrenal NCI-H295 cells. Pulldown assay, co-immunoprecipitation/Western blot, two-hybrid analysis, cotransfection reporter assays, deletion/mutation of LXXLL motifs The Journal of biological chemistry High 12101186
2003 Purified CYP11A1 reconstituted with adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase hydroxylates vitamin D3 sequentially at C20 and C23 to produce 20-hydroxyvitamin D3 and 20,22-dihydroxyvitamin D3 as major products in an NADPH-dependent manner; it also converts 7-dehydrocholesterol to 7-dehydropregnenolone via side-chain cleavage. In vitro reconstituted enzyme assay with purified mitochondrial CYP11A1, adrenodoxin, adrenodoxin reductase; product identification by mass spectrometry Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 14657394
2003 The F-G loop region (residues V212, L219) of CYP11A1 interacts with the phospholipid membrane in a monotopic fashion; fluorescent labeling shows these residues move to a more hydrophobic environment upon membrane association, while deletion of the A' helix reduces membrane association. Cysteine mutagenesis, NBD fluorescent labeling, acrylamide tryptophan quenching, membrane fractionation of E. coli-expressed mutants, phospholipid vesicle binding assays Biochimica et biophysica acta High 14637024
2005 Overexpression of CYP11A1 (and adrenodoxin) in non-steroidogenic cell lines generates reactive oxygen species in mitochondria, disrupts mitochondrial membrane potential, releases cytochrome c, and activates caspases to induce apoptosis independently of p53. Transient overexpression in 11 cell lines, ROS measurement, mitochondrial membrane potential assay (ΔΨ), cytochrome c release, caspase activation assay Biological chemistry Medium 15927889
2008 Vitamin D3 quantitatively associates with phospholipid membranes and can be hydroxylated by membrane-associated CYP11A1 to 20(OH)D3 and then 20,23(OH)2D3; kinetic constants show vitamin D3 is a poorer substrate than cholesterol; N-62 StAR protein stimulates vitamin D3 exchange between vesicles. Gel filtration of phospholipid vesicles, kinetic analysis of purified P450scc in vesicles and cyclodextrin, substrate exchange assay with StAR The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology High 18573681
2010 CYP11A1 partial loss-of-function mutation A269V (retaining 11% activity) causes a clinical phenotype indistinguishable from nonclassic lipoid CAH, establishing a genotype-activity-phenotype correlation for P450scc deficiency; activity was measured in the F2 fusion protein system in COS-1 cells. CYP11A1 sequencing, recreation of mutations in F2 fusion protein (P450scc-ferredoxin reductase-ferredoxin), transfection of COS-1 cells, pregnenolone production assay The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism High 21159840
2011 CYP11A1 produces 22-hydroxyvitamin D3 and 20,22-dihydroxyvitamin D3 as additional products from vitamin D3; 20,22(OH)2D3 can be generated from both 22(OH)D3 and 20(OH)D3; these metabolites act as partial VDR agonists, stimulating VDR nuclear translocation and inhibiting keratinocyte proliferation. In vitro P450scc assay with purified enzyme, NMR structure determination, keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation assays, VDR siRNA knockdown, VDR translocation by immunofluorescence Drug metabolism and disposition High 21677063
2013 CYP11A1 overexpression disrupts corpus luteum development in transgenic mice: luteal cell mitochondria become elongated and reduced in number (resembling granulosa cell morphology), progesterone secretion is insufficient during early pregnancy, and parturition is delayed, demonstrating that precise CYP11A1 dosage controls mitochondrial morphology and luteal cell differentiation. BAC transgenic mice overexpressing Cyp11a1; histology, progesterone measurement, electron microscopy of mitochondria, gene expression Biology of reproduction High 23966322
2013 CYP11A1 enzymatic activity is required for IL-4-driven conversion of CD8+ T cells from IFN-γ to IL-13 producers (type 2 skewing); aminoglutethimide inhibition or shRNA knockdown of Cyp11a1 prevents this conversion without affecting T-bet or GATA3 expression; adoptive transfer of inhibitor-treated cells fails to restore airway hyperresponsiveness. Pharmacological inhibition (aminoglutethimide), shRNA knockdown, adoptive transfer into CD8-deficient mice; cytokine and transcription factor assays Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 23630275
2013 Cyp11a1 enzymatic activity is required for peanut-induced intestinal anaphylaxis and TH2/TH17 cytokine production; shRNA silencing of Cyp11a1 in polarized TH2 CD4+ T cells reduces pregnenolone and IL-13 levels, placing Cyp11a1-mediated steroidogenesis upstream of IL-13 and IL-17A production in T cells. Pharmacological inhibition, shRNA gene silencing, cytokine measurement (mRNA and protein), mouse peanut sensitization-challenge model The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology High 23870673
2014 CYP11A1 metabolizes lumisterol 3 (L3) to 22-hydroxy-L3, 24-hydroxy-L3, and 20,22-dihydroxy-L3 as major products (structures confirmed by NMR), and to pregnalumisterol by side-chain cleavage; this pathway was demonstrated in pig adrenal fragments, establishing a new endogenous CYP11A1 substrate. In vitro incubation of L3 with purified bovine and human CYP11A1 in cyclodextrin; NMR structure determination; LC/MS analysis of pig adrenal fragments The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology High 25130438
2016 CYP11A1 in steroidogenic cell mitochondria influences mitochondrial cristae morphology: steroidogenic cells with CYP11A1 display tubular-vesicular cristae (distinct from lamellar cristae in non-steroidogenic cells), and overexpression of Cyp11a1 causes elongated mitochondria and altered morphology, suggesting CYP11A1 has a structural role in shaping mitochondria in addition to its enzymatic function. Electron microscopy of steroidogenic vs non-steroidogenic cells; Cyp11a1 transgenic mouse mitochondrial morphology analysis Molecular and cellular endocrinology Medium 27815210
2016 Histone modifications at the Cyp11a1 proximal promoter in granulosa cells undergoing luteinization: LH surge rapidly increases H3K4me3 (active mark) and decreases H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 (repressive marks), accompanied by chromatin decondensation and increased C/EBPβ binding, driving rapid Cyp11a1 upregulation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) for histone marks and C/EBPβ, DNase I hypersensitivity, luciferase reporter assays in rat granulosa cells Endocrinology High 27428926
2018 A common CYP11A1 variant (rs6161, c.940G>A, p.Glu314Lys), predicted benign, causes primary adrenal insufficiency through missplicing when compound heterozygous with rare disruptive variants; two synonymous variants (c.990G>A, c.1173C>T) also affect splicing, producing nonfunctional protein in mammalian cells despite no loss-of-function in E. coli. Next-generation sequencing, in silico and in vitro splicing analysis, bacterial expression enzymatic assay, mammalian cell functional assay Journal of the Endocrine Society High 30620006
2024 Artemisinins directly target LONP1 (lon peptidase 1), enhance LONP1-CYP11A1 protein-protein interaction, and thereby facilitate LONP1-catalyzed proteolytic degradation of CYP11A1, reducing ovarian androgen synthesis; LONP1 overexpression alone replicates the androgen-lowering effect. Target identification of artemisinins binding LONP1, co-IP of LONP1-CYP11A1 complex, LONP1 overexpression in cells, rodent PCOS models, human patient studies Science High 38870290

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 100 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
2014 Novel activities of CYP11A1 and their potential physiological significance. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology 251 25448732
2009 Transcriptional regulation of steroidogenic genes: STARD1, CYP11A1 and HSD3B. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.) 213 19491374
1993 Activation of CYP11A and CYP11B gene promoters by the steroidogenic cell-specific transcription factor, Ad4BP. Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.) 211 8247022
1997 Association of the steroid synthesis gene CYP11a with polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperandrogenism. Human molecular genetics 200 9147642
1996 ACTH receptor, CYP11A1, CYP17 and CYP21A2 genes are expressed in skin. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 186 8675607
1992 Regulation of cholesterol movement to mitochondrial cytochrome P450scc in steroid hormone synthesis. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology 150 22217822
2003 A pathway for the metabolism of vitamin D3: unique hydroxylated metabolites formed during catalysis with cytochrome P450scc (CYP11A1). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 142 14657394
2013 The role of CYP11A1 in the production of vitamin D metabolites and their role in the regulation of epidermal functions. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology 136 24176765
2010 Products of vitamin D3 or 7-dehydrocholesterol metabolism by cytochrome P450scc show anti-leukemia effects, having low or absent calcemic activity. PloS one 133 20360850
1993 Construction and function of fusion enzymes of the human cytochrome P450scc system. DNA and cell biology 133 8517924
1998 Regulation of the human P450scc gene by steroidogenic factor 1 is mediated by CBP/p300. The Journal of biological chemistry 130 9468515
2002 Steroid deficiency syndromes in mice with targeted disruption of Cyp11a1. Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.) 118 12145347
1982 Cytochrome P-45011 beta and P-450scc in adrenal cortex: zonal distribution and intramitochondrial localization by the horseradish peroxidase-labeled antibody method. The journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry : official journal of the Histochemistry Society 109 6813370
2001 Functions of the upstream and proximal steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1)-binding sites in the CYP11A1 promoter in basal transcription and hormonal response. Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.) 97 11328860
1998 Age- and region-specific expressions of the messenger RNAs encoding for steroidogenic enzymes p450scc, P450c17 and 3beta-HSD in the postnatal rat brain. Brain research 97 9729406
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