Elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 7 (ELOVL7)

Elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 7 (ELOVL7) is an integral membrane enzyme, localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, that catalyzes the first and rate-limiting condensation step in the elongation cycle of long and very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) by adding two carbons per round, especially favoring C18 acyl-CoA substrates[1][2][3][4][5]. ELOVL7 forms an essential part of the biosynthetic machinery for ceramides, sphingolipids, and other complex lipids vital for diverse cellular functions such as membrane integrity, signaling, and nerve myelination[2][4]. Dysfunction or mutation leads to several human diseases, including hereditary neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic syndromes, and the enzyme has been implicated in carcinogenesis and other pathologies where VLCFA dysregulation is a risk factor[2][4]. Although no approved targeted therapeutics exist, structural studies support the feasibility of selective inhibition, and ELOVL7 is considered a promising drug target in conditions involving toxic VLCFA accumulation[2][4].

Other names

Very long chain fatty acid elongase 7ELOVL FA elongase 7FLJ235633-keto acyl-CoA synthase ELOVL7Very long chain 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase 7Very long chain 3-oxoacyl-CoA synthase 7ELOVL family member 7

Inhibition or modulation of ELOVL7 may reduce synthesis of very long chain fatty acids and their incorporation into complex lipids; candidate inhibitors would act by blocking the first, rate-limiting condensation reaction of fatty acid elongation[2][4].