(24R)-Cholest-5-ene-3-beta,24-diol or 24(R)-Hydroxycholesterol is a hydroxysterol. It is a substrate for Cytochrome P450 39A1 (EC 1.14.13.99), which is primarily a liver-specific enzyme. It is involved in the following reaction: (24R)-cholest-5-ene-3-beta,24-diol + NADPH + O(2) = (24R)-cholest-5-ene-3-beta,7-alpha,24-triol + NADP(+) + H(2)O. 24(R)-Hydroxycholesterol is an intermediate in bile acid metabolism. The majority of circulating 24-hydroxycholesterol in humans is made in the brain and is increased in serum of Alzheimer patients. 24(S)-Hydroxycholesterol is generally more abundant in human tissues than 24(R)-Hydroxycholesterol. It has also been shown that 24(R) and 24(S)-Hydroxycholesterols are substrates for hepatic cholesterol 7-a hydroxylase (CYP7A), leading to the production of 7-alpha hydroxylated bile acids.
belongs to the class of organic compounds known as dihydroxy bile acids, alcohols and derivatives. Dihydroxy bile acids, alcohols and derivatives are compounds containing or derived from a bile acid or alcohol, and which bears exactly two carboxylic acid groups.
