Oxysterols and Their Metabolic Roles Beyond Cholesterol: A Reappraisal

Abstract

Oxysterols are oxidized products of cholesterol metabolism that are found in trace amounts in the biological system and play important roles in the body. It has been shown that they are involved in cholesterol homeostasis, neuro- genesis, protein prenylation and in the functioning of the immune system. Oxysterols are also implicated in the aetiology of disease states including ath- erosclerosis, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases due to their cyto- toxic and proapoptotic properties. Their functions have not been fully under- stood, yet. In this review, general properties of oxysterols and their relation- ship with the pathogenesis of some major diseases have been summarized.