Coenzyme A

Coenzyme A (CoA) is an essential small molecule and ubiquitous biological cofactor involved in numerous metabolic pathways. It plays a central role in the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids and the oxidation of pyruvate in the citric acid cycle. CoA acts as an acyl group carrier via its reactive thiol group to form thioester derivatives such as acetyl-CoA. These derivatives are crucial for energy production and biosynthetic processes including lipid metabolism and protein modification. CoA is synthesized from cysteine, pantothenate (vitamin B5), and ATP. In humans and other organisms, about 4% of cellular enzymes use CoA or its thioester forms as substrates[1][3][5][6]. Disruptions in CoA metabolism are linked to various diseases such as cancer, myopathies, cardiomyopathies, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, obesity and microbial infections[4][5][6]. While primarily considered a nutraceutical or investigational supplement rather than an approved pharmaceutical drug for specific indications in humans[1], it has been explored hypothetically for conditions like acne.

Other names

coenzyme acoacoashshcoahscoa