Cholesterol 7-alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1)
Cofactors used
Clinical / pharmacological. Rate-limiting for bile acid synthesis; up-regulated by bile acid sequestrants
What it does, reaction by reaction
Bile Acid Synthesis Lipid Metabolism · ER + mitochondrion + peroxisome
Cholesterol + O2 + NADPH -> 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol
Converts Cholesterol O2 NADPH into 7-Alpha-hydroxycholesterol
› Notes
Rate-limiting and committed step of the classic (neutral) pathway; feedback-inhibited by bile acids returning via FXR/FGF19, and induced when bile acids are sequestered by resins.
Lipoprotein Metabolism (Exogenous and Endogenous Pathways: chylomicrons, VLDL, LDL, HDL) Lipid Metabolism · Intestine, liver, plasma, capillary endothelium
Hepatic cholesterol → bile acids/free cholesterol → biliary secretion or enterohepatic recycling
Converts Cholesterol into Bile acid
› Notes
Liver disposes of cholesterol by secretion into bile and by conversion to bile acids, initiated by cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1). This terminal stage completes reverse cholesterol transport and is a major route of cholesterol elimination from the body.
Showing all 2 reactions.
What accelerates and inhibits it
Regulation is pathway-specific, so each context is listed separately
No regulation recorded for this enzyme in the source documents.
Recent literature
Europe PMC · from cache · sorted by publication date
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1
Mulberry leaf flavonoids alleviate type 2 diabetes by remodeling the gut microbiota-bile acid axis and activating FXR signaling.
Shi L, Zhao Y, Yang Y, Liu G, Bu S, Wang G, Liu S, Du Y, Xie J, He C, Huang Y, An Y, Zhang H, Fu W, Dong Y, Z… · 2026-07-26
unreviewed -
2
Anti-gallstone effects of Jieshiqing Capsule and its active component verbascoside and the underlying mechanisms.
Yongbo X, Li X, Chen H, Jiang K, Xia W, Feng Y, He M. · 2026-06-24
unreviewed -
3
From gut microbiota metabolism to microvascular injury: Exploring the role and mechanisms of gut microbiota in obesity-induced coronary microcirculation dysfunction.
Liu Y, Wang Y, Teng H, Nie W, Qiao X, Shen Y, Wang Z, Yao X. · 2026-06-02
open access unreviewed -
4
Gut microbes mediate the synergistic effects of dietary cholesterol and saturated fat in driving fibrosing MASH.
Hermanson JB, Tolba SA, Gazi MA, Chrisler EA, Kaur M, Sidebottom AM, Liu Y, Martinez-Boggio G, Lucas LN, Amad… · 2026-05-10
open access unreviewed -
5
A novel bile salt hydrolase-producing <i>Ligilactobacillus salivarius</i> prevents diet-induced obesity via regulation of bile acid metabolism and glucagon-like peptide 1 restoration.
Lv J, Zhou L, Dai X, Landberg R, Meng H, Tian H, Zhang S, Liu T, Yin X, Zhang J, Song X, Bonny C, Blum S, Cao… · 2026-05-06
open access unreviewed -
6
The gut microbiome-bile acid-FXR interplay: a pivotal axis in metabolic and gastrointestinal diseases.
Shou J, Fu T. · 2026-05-01
open access unreviewed -
7
Glucagon-like peptide-1: a critical link between gut microbiota dysbiosis and degenerative musculoskeletal diseases.
Yang W, Hao C, Wang N, Xie J, Zhou B, Yang Z, Zheng A, Wei J, Li C, Xie C, Li H, Lei G, Zeng C. · 2026-04-22
open access unreviewed -
8
Gut microbiota metabolic reprogramming drives the development of metabolic diseases in the host.
Wang Y, Huang B, Wei X, Guan Y, Li L, Zheng Y, Sun W. · 2026-03-14
cited 10× open access unreviewed -
9
A novel exopolysaccharide from <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> H6 improves cholesterol metabolism via <i>Muribaculum-</i>mediated activation of the enterohepatic FXR-FGF15 axis.
Li Y, Wang J, Wang H, Ma X, Ren D, Wang B. · 2026-02-02
cited 1× open access unreviewed -
10
Advances in pharmacological interventions for hepatic fibrosis: from pathogenic mechanisms to novel therapeutic targets.
Zhang W, Shao T, Wang C, Wang S, An L. · 2026-01-26
cited 2× open access unreviewed
External claims. These come from an index outside this database and are not checked against it. Treat them as leads.