A 23-year-old female presents with low red blood cell count, corneal opacities, and renal insufficiency. She is diagnosed with a deficiency in ratio of lecithin to cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). In which of the following reactions is LCAT involved?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

LCAT is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of free cholesterol into cholesterol esters, which is essential for the maturation of HDL particles.  The primary mechanism by which HDL acquires peripheral tissue cholesterol is via an interaction with macrophages in the subendothelial spaces of the tissues. The free cholesterol transferred from macrophages to HDL is esterified by HDL-associated LCAT. LCAT is synthesized in the liver and so named because it transfers a fatty acid from the C-2 position of lecithin to the C-3-OH of cholesterol, generating a cholesterol ester and lysolecithin.

A 23-Year-Old Female Presents with Low Red Blood Cell Count