Biomaterial Database

Cafestol, the cholesterol-raising factor in boiled coffee, suppresses bile acid synthesis by downregulation of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase and sterol 27-hydroxylase in rat hepatocytes. 1997

S M Post, and E C de Wit, and H M Princen

Gaubius Laboratory, TNO-PG, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Consumption of boiled coffee raises serum cholesterol levels in humans. The diterpenes cafestol and kahweol in boiled coffee have been found to be responsible for the increase. To investigate the biochemical background of this effect, we studied the effects of cafestol and a mixture of cafestol/kahweol/isokahweol (48:47:5 w/w) on bile acid synthesis and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase and sterol 27-hydroxylase in cultured rat hepatocytes. Dose-dependent decreases of bile acid mass production and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase and sterol 27-hydroxylase activity were found, showing a maximal reduction of -91%, -79%, and -49% respectively, at a concentration of 20 micrograms/mL cafestol. The decrease in 7 alpha-hydroxylase and 27-hydroxylase activity paralleled well the suppression of the respective mRNAs, being -79% and -77%, and -49% and -46%, respectively, at 20 micrograms/mL cafestol. Run-on data showed a reduction in 7 alpha-hydroxylase and 27-hydroxylase gene transcriptional activity after incubation with cafestol. The mixture of cafestol/kahweol/isokahweol was less potent in suppression of bile acid synthesis and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase. Cafestol (20 micrograms/mL) had no effect on lithocholic acid 6 beta-hydroxylase mRNA, another enzyme involved in bile acid synthesis. LDL-receptor, HMG-CoA reductase, and HMG-CoA synthase mRNAs were significantly decreased by cafestol (-18%, -20%, and -43%, respectively). We conclude that cafestol suppresses bile acid synthesis by downregulation of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase and of, to a lesser extent, sterol 27-hydroxylase in cultured rat hepatocytes, whereas kahweol and isokahweol are less active. We suggest that suppression of bile acid synthesis may provide an explanation for the cholesterol-raising effect of cafestol in humans.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008297	Male		Males
D011973	Receptors, LDL	Receptors on the plasma membrane of nonhepatic cells that specifically bind LDL. The receptors are localized in specialized regions called coated pits. Hypercholesteremia is caused by an allelic genetic defect of three types: 1, receptors do not bind to LDL; 2, there is reduced binding of LDL; and 3, there is normal binding but no internalization of LDL. In consequence, entry of cholesterol esters into the cell is impaired and the intracellular feedback by cholesterol on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase is lacking.	LDL Receptors,Lipoprotein LDL Receptors,Receptors, Low Density Lipoprotein,LDL Receptor,LDL Receptors, Lipoprotein,Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor,Low Density Lipoprotein Receptors,Receptors, Lipoprotein, LDL,Receptor, LDL,Receptors, Lipoprotein LDL
D002784	Cholesterol	The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.	Epicholesterol
D002788	Cholesterol Esters	Fatty acid esters of cholesterol which constitute about two-thirds of the cholesterol in the plasma. The accumulation of cholesterol esters in the arterial intima is a characteristic feature of atherosclerosis.	Cholesterol Ester,Cholesteryl Ester,Cholesteryl Esters,Ester, Cholesterol,Ester, Cholesteryl,Esters, Cholesterol,Esters, Cholesteryl
D002790	Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase	A membrane-bound cytochrome P450 enzyme that catalyzes the 7-alpha-hydroxylation of CHOLESTEROL in the presence of molecular oxygen and NADPH-FERRIHEMOPROTEIN REDUCTASE. This enzyme, encoded by CYP7, converts cholesterol to 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol which is the first and rate-limiting step in the synthesis of BILE ACIDS.	CYP7,CYP7A,Cytochrome P-450 CYP7,CYP 7,CYP 7A,Cholesterol 7-alpha-Monooxygenase,Cholesterol 7alpha-Hydroxylase,Cholesterol-7-Hydroxylase,Cytochrome P450 7,Cholesterol 7 Hydroxylase,Cholesterol 7 alpha Hydroxylase,Cholesterol 7 alpha Monooxygenase,Cholesterol 7alpha Hydroxylase,Cytochrome P 450 CYP7
D003069	Coffee	A beverage made from ground COFFEA beans (SEEDS) infused in hot water. It generally contains CAFFEINE and THEOPHYLLINE unless it is decaffeinated.
D003577	Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System	A superfamily of hundreds of closely related HEMEPROTEINS found throughout the phylogenetic spectrum, from animals, plants, fungi, to bacteria. They include numerous complex monooxygenases (MIXED FUNCTION OXYGENASES). In animals, these P-450 enzymes serve two major functions: (1) biosynthesis of steroids, fatty acids, and bile acids; (2) metabolism of endogenous and a wide variety of exogenous substrates, such as toxins and drugs (BIOTRANSFORMATION). They are classified, according to their sequence similarities rather than functions, into CYP gene families (>40% homology) and subfamilies (>59% homology). For example, enzymes from the CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 gene families are responsible for most drug metabolism.	Cytochrome P-450,Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme,Cytochrome P-450-Dependent Monooxygenase,P-450 Enzyme,P450 Enzyme,CYP450 Family,CYP450 Superfamily,Cytochrome P-450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P-450 Families,Cytochrome P-450 Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P-450 Oxygenase,Cytochrome P-450 Superfamily,Cytochrome P450,Cytochrome P450 Superfamily,Cytochrome p450 Families,P-450 Enzymes,P450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P 450,Cytochrome P 450 Dependent Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Enzyme,Cytochrome P 450 Enzyme System,Cytochrome P 450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P 450 Families,Cytochrome P 450 Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Oxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Superfamily,Enzyme, Cytochrome P-450,Enzyme, P-450,Enzyme, P450,Enzymes, Cytochrome P-450,Enzymes, P-450,Enzymes, P450,Monooxygenase, Cytochrome P-450,Monooxygenase, Cytochrome P-450-Dependent,P 450 Enzyme,P 450 Enzymes,P-450 Enzyme, Cytochrome,P-450 Enzymes, Cytochrome,Superfamily, CYP450,Superfamily, Cytochrome P-450,Superfamily, Cytochrome P450
D004224	Diterpenes	Twenty-carbon compounds derived from MEVALONIC ACID or deoxyxylulose phosphate.	Diterpene,Diterpenes, Cembrane,Diterpenes, Labdane,Diterpenoid,Labdane Diterpene,Norditerpene,Norditerpenes,Norditerpenoid,Cembranes,Diterpenoids,Labdanes,Norditerpenoids,Cembrane Diterpenes,Diterpene, Labdane,Labdane Diterpenes
D004790	Enzyme Induction	An increase in the rate of synthesis of an enzyme due to the presence of an inducer which acts to derepress the gene responsible for enzyme synthesis.	Induction, Enzyme