The LX receptors (LXRs) were originally identified as orphan members of the nuclear receptor superfamily because their ligands were unknown. Like other receptors in the family, LXRs heterodimerize with retinoid X receptor (see MIM 180245) and bind to specific response elements (LXREs) characterized by direct repeats separated by 4 nucleotides. Two genes, alpha (LXRA, MIM 602423) and beta, are known to encode LXR proteins (Song et al., 1995 [PubMed 7625741]).[supplied by OMIM
