Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a sterol lipid that is an important structural and regulatory component of cellular membranes.
Cholesterol is a sterol lipid that is an important structural and regulatory component of cellular membranes. Its distribution between the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and other intracellular compartments is tightly controlled. Cholesterol contributes to the organization and physical properties of the lipid bilayer and participates in membrane-dependent processes, including signaling, vesicular transport, and cellular motility. Cellular cholesterol balance reflects coordinated biosynthesis, uptake, intracellular trafficking, esterification, and degradation.
In medicine, cholesterol is measured in blood as a clinical metric relevant to metabolic health and cardiovascular risk assessment. Disturbances in cholesterol homeostasis include hypercholesterolemia and may occur alongside obesity, triglyceride abnormalities, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, or metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease. The recent literature represented here also treats cholesterol as a therapeutic target, a component of lipid nanoparticle formulations, a substrate for cholesterol oxidase, and a regulator of cancer-cell behavior. In particular, Aster proteins transport cholesterol from the plasma membrane to the ER, linking membrane cholesterol to intracellular sensing and metabolism.
Where the papers sit
14 papers from the last 6 months study cholesterol directly · updated from PubMed 1 Nov 2026
Study type 0 clinical trials · 2 observational · 4 human data · 6 preclinical · 2 unclassified
Themes 3 themes
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Cholesterol Metabolism and Therapeutics
Cholesterol metabolism is being connected to cancer progression, systemic energy balance, brain delivery, and metabolic disease. DHCR24, cholesterol-dependent Piezo1 signaling, ACAT3, and aster trafficking emerge as distinct intervention points. Nanoparticles are being developed both to deliver cholesterol to the brain and to enable biosensing, while nanozymes exploit related metabolic vulnerabilities to trigger disulfidptosis and pyroptosis. The field remains exploratory, with mechanisms and therapeutic applications not yet unified.
8 papers · 57.1%
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LDL Cholesterol and Clinical Risk
LDL-C is being used both as a modifiable treatment target and as a prognostic marker across clinical settings. Personalized coaching and follow-up aim to improve lipid control, while target attainment is linked to later revision risk after joint replacement. Admission LDL and HDL-related ratios are also being evaluated against acute neurological and functional outcomes. The studies support context-specific interpretation rather than a single universal risk threshold.
4 papers · 28.6%
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mRNA Lipid Nanoparticle Delivery
mRNA lipid nanoparticles are moving toward component-level design for safer, more selective delivery beyond the liver. Particle size, lipid composition, inflammation, and extrahepatic distribution recur as key determinants of performance. DY635-functionalized lipids support hepatocyte targeting and traceability, while cholesterol-free formulations challenge conventional particle designs. The main open question is how to balance targeting, stability, and tolerability.
2 papers · 14.3%
Papers
The 14 papers from the last 6 months that study cholesterol directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
Cholesterol Metabolism and Therapeutics (8)
- DHCR24 promotes endometrial carcinoma progression and is associated with cellular senescence regulation. Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 15 Sept 2026 PMID 42742784
- Targeting cholesterol-dependent Piezo1 activation impairs amoeboid migration in melanoma cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 9 Sept 2026 PMID 42715085
- Nanotechnological and in vivo characterization of a new generation of brain-permeable nanoparticles for brain-targeted cholesterol delivery in Huntington's disease. International journal of pharmaceutics · 3 Sept 2026 PMID 42692378
- Design and structural basis of selective nonsteroidal inhibitors of aster cholesterol trafficking. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 1 Sept 2026 PMID 42679036
- Axial Coordination and Defect Engineering of Copper-Based Single-Atom Nanozymes: Driving Synergistic Disulfidptosis and Pyroptosis for Efficient Prostate Cancer Immunotherapy. Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 9 Jul 2026 PMID 42424164
- Chemiluminescence functionalized magnetic nanoparticles-based biosensor for sensitive detection of glucose, uric acid, and cholesterol. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry · 2 Jul 2026 PMID 42393242
- Metabolic traits in obesity and normal BMI in industrialised countries: a multi-country analysis of national population-based studies. Lancet (London, England) · 1 Jul 2026 PMID 42385750
- ACAT3 controls hepatic cholesterol metabolism and modulates systemic energy homeostasis of male mice. Life sciences · 9 Jun 2026 PMID 42264322
LDL Cholesterol and Clinical Risk (4)
- LDL-C target attainment and risk of revision following knee and hip replacements: real-world evidence from a target trial emulation study. Journal of orthopaedic translation · 27 Oct 2026 PMID 42935702
- White Blood Cell to HDL-C Ratio and Sarcopenia: A Dual-Cohort Analysis Including Exploratory Insights on Hepatitis B History. Geriatrics & gerontology international · 27 Sept 2026 PMID 42802037
- Admission low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and early haematoma expansion after spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage. Annals of medicine · 17 Sept 2026 PMID 42751819
- A Health Coach-Based Multilevel Personalized Strategy Lowers Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Enhances Lipid Control in Veterans With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of the American Heart Association · 9 Sept 2026 PMID 42714414
mRNA Lipid Nanoparticle Delivery (2)
- Decoding the Functional Roles of Individual Components in mRNA Lipid Nanoparticles. ACS nano · 27 Jul 2026 PMID 42503852
- Targeting and traceability of DY635-functionalized lipids for cholesterol-free, hepatocyte-directed lipid nanoparticles. International journal of pharmaceutics · 17 Jun 2026 PMID 42309200
By study type
Observational studies and case reports (2)
- White Blood Cell to HDL-C Ratio and Sarcopenia: A Dual-Cohort Analysis Including Exploratory Insights on Hepatitis B History. Geriatrics & gerontology international · 27 Sept 2026 PMID 42802037
- Admission low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and early haematoma expansion after spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage. Annals of medicine · 17 Sept 2026 PMID 42751819
Human data, design not indexed (4)
- A Health Coach-Based Multilevel Personalized Strategy Lowers Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Enhances Lipid Control in Veterans With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of the American Heart Association · 9 Sept 2026 PMID 42714414
- Axial Coordination and Defect Engineering of Copper-Based Single-Atom Nanozymes: Driving Synergistic Disulfidptosis and Pyroptosis for Efficient Prostate Cancer Immunotherapy. Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 9 Jul 2026 PMID 42424164
- Chemiluminescence functionalized magnetic nanoparticles-based biosensor for sensitive detection of glucose, uric acid, and cholesterol. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry · 2 Jul 2026 PMID 42393242
- Metabolic traits in obesity and normal BMI in industrialised countries: a multi-country analysis of national population-based studies. Lancet (London, England) · 1 Jul 2026 PMID 42385750
Preclinical: animal, cell and lab studies (6)
- DHCR24 promotes endometrial carcinoma progression and is associated with cellular senescence regulation. Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 15 Sept 2026 PMID 42742784
- Targeting cholesterol-dependent Piezo1 activation impairs amoeboid migration in melanoma cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 9 Sept 2026 PMID 42715085
- Nanotechnological and in vivo characterization of a new generation of brain-permeable nanoparticles for brain-targeted cholesterol delivery in Huntington's disease. International journal of pharmaceutics · 3 Sept 2026 PMID 42692378
- Design and structural basis of selective nonsteroidal inhibitors of aster cholesterol trafficking. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 1 Sept 2026 PMID 42679036
- Targeting and traceability of DY635-functionalized lipids for cholesterol-free, hepatocyte-directed lipid nanoparticles. International journal of pharmaceutics · 17 Jun 2026 PMID 42309200
- ACAT3 controls hepatic cholesterol metabolism and modulates systemic energy homeostasis of male mice. Life sciences · 9 Jun 2026 PMID 42264322
Unclassified: not yet indexed with MeSH (2)
- LDL-C target attainment and risk of revision following knee and hip replacements: real-world evidence from a target trial emulation study. Journal of orthopaedic translation · 27 Oct 2026 PMID 42935702
- Decoding the Functional Roles of Individual Components in mRNA Lipid Nanoparticles. ACS nano · 27 Jul 2026 PMID 42503852
Written from 14 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-09-11. Last written: 2026-09-19 by GPT. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.