STAR
steroidogenic acute regulatory protein
Gene summary
A protein-coding gene on chromosome 8 (steroid hormone synthesis). The protein encoded by this gene plays a key role in the acute regulation of steroid hormone synthesis by enhancing the conversion of cholesterol into pregnenolone. This protein permits the cleavage of cholesterol into pregnenolone by mediating the transport of cholesterol from the outer mitochondrial membrane to the inner mitochondrial membrane.
Source: NCBI Gene, accessed 2026-10-07.
Protein reference (UniProt)
- Protein
Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, mitochondrial
- Function
Plays a key role in steroid hormone synthesis by enhancing the metabolism of cholesterol into pregnenolone. Mediates the transfer of cholesterol from the outer mitochondrial membrane to the inner mitochondrial membrane where it is cleaved to pregnenolone.
- Pathway
Steroid metabolism; cholesterol metabolism.
- Subcellular location
Mitochondrion outer membrane; Mitochondrion matrix.
- Tissue specificity
Expressed in gonads, adrenal cortex and kidney.
- Associated conditions
Adrenal hyperplasia 1 (AH1).
Source: UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot P49675, release 2026_03, licensed CC BY 4.0. This is the protein’s normal biology, not evidence about post-drug syndromes; associated conditions are inherited disorders of the gene, not PFS, PSSD or PRSD.
Why its pathway is in the library
Steroid-synthesis enzymes sit directly on the pathways perturbed by 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors and SSRIs; inherited variation here is a candidate susceptibility factor for persistent post-drug phenotypes.
Written for the whole steroid synthesis family, not for STAR specifically.
Mentioned in 1 corpus record
- Conference abstractPSSD Discord pick
(166) Paroxetine-induced alterations in neurosteroidogenic gene expression in the female nucleus accumbens: insights into post-SSRI sexual dysfunction
G Chrostek, S Diviccaro, L Cioffi, R C Melcangi, S Giatti · The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Congress abstract (J Sex Med Vol 23, Suppl 4, June 2026; article page 403'd, metadata recovered via Crossref) reporting paroxetine effects on neurosteroid-synthesis genes in female rats, a neglected sex in PSSD research. qPCR of the nucleus accumbens after 14…
STARTSPODISC-0162026PFSPSSDPSSD Discord picks
Also in steroid hormone synthesis
All 38 genes- SRD5A2
steroid 5 alpha-reductase 2
chr 2· Steroid synthesis· 19 records - SRD5A1Powers
steroid 5 alpha-reductase 1
chr 5· Steroid synthesis· 17 records - AKR1C2Powers
aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C2
chr 10· Steroid synthesis· 12 records - AKR1C3Powers
aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3
chr 10· Steroid synthesis· 9 records - CYP17A1
cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1
chr 10· Steroid synthesis· 9 records - AKR1C4Powers
aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C4
chr 10· Steroid synthesis· 8 records - AKR1C1Powers
aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C1
chr 10· Steroid synthesis· 7 records - HSD3B2
hydroxy-delta-5-steroid dehydrogenase, 3 beta- and steroid delta-isomerase 2
chr 1· Steroid synthesis· 7 records
Browse by family on the gene families page.