RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Identification of a Nuclear Receptor for Bile Acids JF Science JO Science FD American Association for the Advancement of Science SP 1362 OP 1365 DO 10.1126/science.284.5418.1362 VO 284 IS 5418 A1 Makishima, Makoto A1 Okamoto, Arthur Y. A1 Repa, Joyce J. A1 Tu, Hua A1 Learned, R. Marc A1 Luk, Alvin A1 Hull, Mitchell V. A1 Lustig, Kevin D. A1 Mangelsdorf, David J. A1 Shan, Bei YR 1999 UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/284/5418/1362.abstract AB Bile acids are essential for the solubilization and transport of dietary lipids and are the major products of cholesterol catabolism. Results presented here show that bile acids are physiological ligands for the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), an orphan nuclear receptor. When bound to bile acids, FXR repressed transcription of the gene encoding cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase, which is the rate-limiting enzyme in bile acid synthesis, and activated the gene encoding intestinal bile acid–binding protein, which is a candidate bile acid transporter. These results demonstrate a mechanism by which bile acids transcriptionally regulate their biosynthesis and enterohepatic transport.