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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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Community contributions welcome

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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

The study found that if you break the HNF1 part of the gene’s control switch, even the SREBP2 part can’t turn on the gene properly — proving they need to work together.

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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 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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84%

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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81%

Berberine, a natural compound, lowers a protein called PCSK9 in liver cells by gently reducing two other proteins that help make PCSK9 — and when both of those go down together, PCSK9 drops even more than if only one did.

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74%