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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

High-throughput Screening for Chemical Modulators of Post-transcriptionally Regulated Genes
Published on: March 3, 2015
Transcriptional regulation of the StAR gene
A J Reinhart1, S C Williams, D M Stocco
1Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock 79430, USA.
Abstract:
The steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein regulates the rate-limiting step of steroidogenesis. In steroidogenic tissues, the StAR gene is regulated acutely by trophic hormone through a cAMP second messenger pathway. Thus, the gene encoding StAR must be finely regulated so that it is expressed in steroidogenic tissues at the proper time in development, and must be rapidly induced in response to cAMP stimulation. We have summarized the available information concerning the regulation of StAR mRNA levels including promoter mapping and transactivation studies. We also discuss the various transcription factors which have been implicated in the regulation of the StAR gene thus far, and propose models of how StAR transcription may be regulated.
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