LDLR

protein-coding

low density lipoprotein receptor, the group of Low density lipoprotein receptors|MicroRNA protein coding host genes

Gene summary

The low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene family consists of cell surface proteins involved in receptor-mediated endocytosis of specific ligands. The encoded protein is normally bound at the cell membrane, where it binds low density lipoprotein/cholesterol and is taken into the cell. Lysosomes release the cholesterol, which is made available for repression of microsomal enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase, the rate-limiting step in cholesterol synthesis. At the same time, a reciprocal stimulation of cholesterol ester synthesis takes place. Mutations in this gene cause the autosomal dominant disorder, familial hypercholesterolemia. Alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants.[provided by RefSeq, May 2022]

MANE transcript

NM_000527.5

Inheritance

SD, AD, AR

ClinVar variants

P:2079U:937B:642

Top phenotype

Hypercholesterolemia, familial 1

gnomAD constraint

pLI —, LoF o/e 0.86

Max pathogenic AF

—

Genomic locus

chr19:11,089,418-11,133,820

External References & Databases

Transcript & Mutation Effects

hg38 • Region Span ~44.4 kb
Loading mutation effect viewer...

GenCC Phenotypes & Disease Associations

Curated gene-disease validity assertions and inheritance patterns

hypercholesterolemia, familial, 1DEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: SD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007750

Submitter: ClinGen

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inborn error of lipid metabolism that leads to deficiency or disrupted internalization of the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), elevated serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, and subsequent increased risk for coronary artery disease and other complications. From 1976-1986 multiple studies implicated a causative role for LDLR in familial hypercholesterolemia, including at the protein level (PMID: 189940) and finally at the genome level (e.g. PMIDs:3924410, 3549308). Monoallelic variation in the LDLR gene is associated with 2-3 fold increased plasma LDL levels with typical onset around the third decade of life, whereas biallelic variation is associated with 6-8 fold increased plasma LDL with onset as early as childhood and coronary artery disease by the second decade of life or earlier (PMID: 24404629/BookshelfID: NBK174884). Xanthomas can also be observed in individuals with biallelic LDLR variants. Familial hypercholesterolemia due to genetic variation in the LDLR gene therefore follows a dosage dependent pattern, consistent with semidominant inheritance, in which the presence of biallelic variants results in an earlier onset, more severe phenotype than individuals with a monoallelic variant. As such, a semidominant mode of inheritance was chosen and this curation includes evidence from individuals reported to have autosomal dominant and recessive inheritance. Thousands of variants in LDLR have been described including nonsense, missense, frameshift, large and small deletions, duplications, and more, per ClinVar and LOVD databases. Evidence supporting this gene-disease relationship includes case-level data, segregation data, functional data, and model organisms. This gene-disease relationship has been studied for more than 40 years, therefore a significant amount of case-level data, segregation data, and experimental data is available and the maximum score for genetic evidence (12 points) and experimental evidence (6 points) has been reached. Note, this curation effort may not be exhaustive of all literature related to this gene-disease relationship. The mechanism of pathogenicity for this gene-disease relationship is loss of function, in which the receptor is not able to effectively bind and/or internalize plasma LDL for degradation, thus resulting in increased levels of LDL in the arteries (PMID:189940). This gene-disease association is also supported by animal models, biochemical studies, protein interaction, in vitro functional assays, and rescue assays (PMIDS:2280177, 8349823, 17080197). In summary, LDLR is definitively associated with familial hypercholesterolemia in a semidominant inheritance pattern. This has been repeatedly demonstrated in both the research and clinical diagnostic settings, and has been upheld over time. This gene-disease relationship was approved on Feb 24, 2021 by the General Gene Curation Expert Panel.

hypercholesterolemia, familial, 1STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007750

Submitter: Genomics England PanelApp

hypercholesterolemia, familial, 1DEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007750

Submitter: Laboratory for Molecular Medicine

This gene-disease relationship has undergone rapid assessment. Classifications are based on preliminary review of gene-disease validity during analysis of genomic sequencing results.

hypercholesterolemia, familial, 1STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007750

Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)

hypercholesterolemia, familial, 1DEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: SD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007750

Submitter: Natera

homozygous familial hypercholesterolemiaSUPPORTIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0018328

Submitter: Orphanet

Clinical Genomic Database (CGD)

Hypercholesterolemia, familial 1AD/AR

Manifestation: Cardiovascular

Intervention: Cardiovascular

Rationale: Dietary and medical measures (eg, with statins) to lower cholesterol levels may be beneficial, with evidence that early diagnosis and management improves outcomes; In severe instances, therapy may include plasma apharesis, and gene therapy has been described; In Hypercholesterolemia, familial, 1, medical management (with inclisiran, a small interfering RNA), has shown evidence of benefit related to parameters such as LDL levels

Refs: 3020025; 3155573; 3924410; 3012527; 3549308; 3815525; 3818645; 3343347; 2837085; 3263645; 2563635; 2569482; 2544509; 2088165; 1978682; 1999337; 1863993; 1609792; 1734722; 8098448; 8054972; 9016531; 9645910; 10422803; 11246453; 10631147; 10882754; 11453971; 11600564; 11298688; 15657370; 17335829; 17215532; 18400033; 18354102; 20703241; 20686565; 21722902; 21872251; 21925044; 22244043; 22698793; 22881376; 22893714; 23054246; 32187462; 32197277Source: CGD (NHGRI)

ClinVar Associated Diseases & Phenotypes

Reported disease conditions connected to LDLR variants in ClinVar

21 Conditions Cataloged
Familial hypercholesterolemiaTotal: 2709
Hypercholesterolemia, familial, 1Total: 2671
Cardiovascular phenotypeTotal: 1142
not providedTotal: 749
not specifiedTotal: 314
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemiaTotal: 120
DyslipidemiaTotal: 114
LDLR-related disorderTotal: 80

ClinVar Variants & Pathogenicity by Type

Statistics based on transcript NM_000527.5. Only rare variants are included.

We include only reliable ClinVar variants with their consequences to MANE Select, MANE Plus Clinical transcripts, or transcripts with TSL equal to 1. Click a count to filter the variants table below.

Slight differences between displayed counts and ClinVar may occur due to a different transcript/consequence chosen by our variant effect predictor, or because we classify Benign/Likely benign as Likely benign and Pathogenic/Likely pathogenic as Likely pathogenic.

EffectPLPVUSLBBSum
synonymous
3
clinvar
10
clinvar
22
clinvar
553
clinvar
12
clinvar
600
missense
156
clinvar
790
clinvar
903
clinvar
68
clinvar
6
clinvar
1923
nonsense
189
clinvar
43
clinvar
2
clinvar
234
start loss
3
clinvar
4
clinvar
7
frameshift
589
clinvar
112
clinvar
6
clinvar
1
clinvar
708
splice donor/acceptor (+/-2bp)
65
clinvar
115
clinvar
4
clinvar
1
clinvar
1
clinvar
186
Total10051074937623193658

Highest pathogenic variant AF is 0.00009174846

Loading ClinVar variants...

Transcript Catalog

Annotated transcript isoforms across RefSeq and Ensembl databases

Showing 4 of 61 transcripts
Transcript IDSourceProtein IDCoding ExonsMANE Status
NM_000527.5RefSeqNP_000518.118MANE Select
ENST00000558518.6EnsemblENSP00000454071.118MANE Select
NM_001195798.2RefSeqNP_001182727.118Standard
NM_001195799.2RefSeqNP_001182728.117Standard

Model Organisms & Knockout Phenotypes

Observed phenotypic effects in mouse and zebrafish models

Gene / ModelOrganismObserved Phenotype
ldlraDanio rerio

Structure: blood plasma

Quality: decreased amount

abnormal

Gene Ontology (GO) Annotations & Pathways

Biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and pathways

Pathways ConsensusPathDB

  • Cortisol synthesis and secretion - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Aldosterone synthesis and secretion - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Cushing,s syndrome - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Endocytosis - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Bile secretion - Homo sapiens (human)

Biological Process

  • lipid metabolic process
  • endocytosis
  • receptor-mediated endocytosis
  • long-term memory
  • cholesterol metabolic process

Molecular Function

  • amyloid-beta binding
  • virus receptor activity
  • protease binding
  • low-density lipoprotein particle receptor activity
  • calcium ion binding

Cellular Component

  • lysosome
  • early endosome
  • late endosome
  • Golgi apparatus
  • plasma membrane

gnomAD Constraint

Source: gnomAD

Gene type
protein_coding
Transcript type
protein_coding
Transcript
ENST00000558518
Coding exons
18
Length
44455
Individuals with no LoFs
125659
Homozygous LoFs
1
Heterozygous LoFs
88
Defined
125748
p
0.000354
Z-ScoreObservedExpectedObserved/ExpectedMutation RateTotal Possible
Missense0.1245055130.9850.00003515729
Missense (PolyPhen)184194.020.948342266
Synonymous-1.122432221.100.00001851598
Loss of Function0.8483945.20.8640.00000228489

Population LoF Frequency

PopulationCAFp-valueStatus
African0.000130.00012rare
Latino/Admixed American0.000200.00020rare
Ashkenazi Jewish00.0absent
East Asian0.000330.00033rare
Finnish0.000320.00032rare
European (Non-Finnish)0.000460.00045rare
South Asian0.000520.00049rare
Other0.000160.00016rare

dbNSFP Gene Annotations

Source: dbNSFP

Function
FUNCTION: Binds LDL, the major cholesterol-carrying lipoprotein of plasma, and transports it into cells by endocytosis. In order to be internalized, the receptor-ligand complexes must first cluster into clathrin-coated pits. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:3005267, ECO:0000269|PubMed:6091915}.; FUNCTION: (Microbial infection) Acts as a receptor for Vesicular stomatitis virus. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:23589850}.;
Disease
DISEASE: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) [MIM:143890]: A common autosomal dominant disorder characterized by elevated serum low- density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, which result in excess deposition of cholesterol in tissues and leads to xanthelasma, xanthomas, accelerated atherosclerosis and increased risk of premature coronary heart disease. The disorder occurs in 2 clinical forms: a mild form that becomes evident in the fourth or fifth decade in individuals carrying heterozygous LDLR mutations; a more severe form that usually manifests in the first two decades of life in individuals with homozygous LDLR mutations. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:10090484, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10206683, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10422803, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10447263, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10532689, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10660340, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10882754, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10978268, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10980548, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11298688, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11462246, ECO:0000269|PubMed:1446662, ECO:0000269|PubMed:1464748, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17142622, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17347910, ECO:0000269|PubMed:1867200, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19318025, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19319977, ECO:0000269|PubMed:22160468, ECO:0000269|PubMed:22509010, ECO:0000269|PubMed:2318961, ECO:0000269|PubMed:24529145, ECO:0000269|PubMed:25378237, ECO:0000269|PubMed:25545329, ECO:0000269|PubMed:2569482, ECO:0000269|PubMed:2726768, ECO:0000269|PubMed:3263645, ECO:0000269|PubMed:3955657, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7550239, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7573037, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7583548, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7635461, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7635482, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7649546, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7649549, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8168830, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8347689, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8462973, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8664907, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8740918, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9026534, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9104431, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9143924, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9254862, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9259195, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9452094, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9452095, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9452118, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9654205, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9678702, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9852677, ECO:0000269|Ref.71}. Note=The disease is caused by mutations affecting the gene represented in this entry.;

Recessive Scores

pRec
0.943

Intolerance Scores

LoFtool
0.0737
RVIS EVS
-1.85
RVIS percentile EVS
2.03

Essentials

Essential (CRISPR)
N
Essential (CRISPR2)
N
Essential (gene trap)
E
Indispensability pred.
E
Indispensability score
0.965

Gene Damage Prediction

AllRecessiveDominant
MendelianMediumMediumMedium
Primary ImmunodeficiencyMediumMediumMedium
CancerMediumMediumMedium
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