SREBPs: Physiology and pathophysiology of the SREBP family

Abstract

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) have been established as physiological regulators of lipid synthesis. The molecular mechanisms by which cellular sterol balance and nutritional states regulate SREBP activities are the current research focus of this field. Meanwhile, it has been shown that overnutrition or disturbed energy balance causes accumulation of tissue lipids, leading to metabolic disorders, often referred to as 'lipotoxicity'. In this overview, I discuss the pathological aspects of SREBPs, which contribute to lipotoxicity in a wide variety of organs, including hepatic insulin resistance in hepatosteatosis, impaired insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells, diabetic nephropathy, cardiac arrythmiasis, and obesity. © 2008 FEBS.