Definition:

Catalyzes the formation of 25-hydroxycholesterol from cholesterol, leading to repress cholesterol biosynthetic enzymes. Plays a key role in cell positioning and movement in lymphoid tissues: 25-hydroxycholesterol is an intermediate in biosynthesis of 7-alpha,25-dihydroxycholesterol (7-alpha,25-OHC), an oxysterol that acts as a ligand for the G protein-coupled receptor GPR183/EBI2, a chemotactic receptor for a number of lymphoid cells (By similarity). May play an important role in regulating lipid metabolism by synthesizing a corepressor that blocks sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) processing. As an interferon-stimulated gene, has broad antiviral activities against a wide range of enveloped viruses, such as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and SARS coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Its product, 25-hydroxycholesterol, activates the ER-localized enzyme ACAT to induce internalization of accessible cholesterol on the plasma membrane and restricts SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated fusion which inhibits virus replication. In testis, production of 25-hydroxycholesterol by macrophages plays a role in Leydig cell differentiation (By similarity).