Cholesterol metabolism pathway

Cholesterol and its metabolites play pivotal physiological roles. Cholesterol is indispensable, serving as a vital component for growth, development, and the synthesis of steroid hormones and vitamin D analogs. Yet, due to our limited ability to break down cholesterol, its surplus can lead to atherosclerosis, a prevalent global cause of mortality.

Moreover, cholesterol influences cancer progression by modulating oncogenic signaling pathways, ferroptosis, and the tumor microenvironment, further highlighting its multifaceted impact on health and disease.

References

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3. Schade DS,, Shey L,, Eaton RP. Cholesterol Review: A Metabolically Important Molecule Endocr Pract  26 (12),1514-1523 (2020)
4. Xu H,, Zhou S,, Tang Q,, et al. Cholesterol metabolism: New functions and therapeutic approaches in cancer Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 1874 (1), (2020)