Lecithin–cholesterol acyltransferase
Mammalian protein found in Homo sapiens / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lecithin–cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT, also called phosphatidylcholine–sterol O-acyltransferase) is an enzyme, in many animals including humans, that converts free cholesterol into cholesteryl ester (a more hydrophobic form of cholesterol), which is then sequestered into the core of a lipoprotein particle, eventually making the newly synthesized HDL spherical and forcing the reaction to become unidirectional since the particles are removed from the surface. The enzyme is bound to high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) (alpha-LCAT) and LDLs (beta-LCAT) in the blood plasma.[5] LCAT deficiency can cause impaired vision due to cholesterol corneal opacities, anemia, and kidney damage.[6] It belongs to the family of phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferases.