AUTHOR=Zhou Yourong , Cao Yashi , Yin Yiming , Xu Zhifei , Yang Xiaochun , Yang Bo , Luo Peihua , Yan Hao , He Qiaojun 

TITLE=Mechanism and therapeutic potential of liver injury induced by cholesterol-associated proteins

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1572592

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2025.1572592

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=Cholesterol, the most abundant sterol molecule in mammalian organisms, serves not only as a fundamental structural component of cell membranes but also as a critical regulator of cellular signaling and function. Cholesterol-associated proteins can mediate liver injury either directly by influencing cholesterol levels or through non-cholesterol pathways. These non-cholesterol pathways, which operate independently of cholesterol’s traditional metabolic functions, are regulated by specific transcription factors, proteins and receptors. Dysregulation of cholesterol-associated can disrupt cellular homeostasis, leading to liver injury, metabolic disorders, and even tumorigenesis. In this article, we explore the mechanisms by which cholesterol-associated proteins contribute to liver injury via both classical cholesterol pathways and non-cholesterol pathways, and discuss their potential as therapeutic targets for liver-related diseases.