Scientists found that if they break a specific 'on switch' near a gene called PCSK9 in liver cancer cells, the gene barely works anymore—meaning this switch is super important for making the gene active.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1α Plays a Critical Role in PCSK9 Gene Transcription and Regulation by the Natural Hypocholesterolemic Compound Berberine*

Cross-Sectional Study

In Vitro

2009 Oct 16

Scientists changed a specific part of the DNA in liver cancer cells that helps turn on the PCSK9 gene, and when they did, the gene’s activity dropped by over 90% — proving that this part is essential for the gene to work.

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Source Study

Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1α Plays a Critical Role in PCSK9 Gene Transcription and Regulation by the Natural Hypocholesterolemic Compound Berberine*

Score: 6

DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M109.052407

Similar Assertions

In liver cells, two specific DNA switches work together to turn on a gene called PCSK9 — if you break one switch (HNF1), the other one (SRE) can’t do its job properly, even if it’s still intact.

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81%

In a type of liver cell called HepG2, a protein called HNF1α is the main switch that turns on the PCSK9 gene — when scientists turned off HNF1α, PCSK9 dropped by 85%, but turning off a similar protein, HNF1β, only cut it by 44%.

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79%