SIGNALING MOLECULES DERIVED FROM THE CHOLESTEROL BIOSYNTHETIC-PATHWAY- MECHANISMS OF ACTION AND POSSIBLE ROLES IN HUMAN-DISEASE

The association of high plasma cholesterol levels with the development of atherosclerosis is well known. The metabolic pathways that are reg ulated by cholesterol and the mechanisms involved are less well unders tood. Recent studies have identified not only cholesterol, but also ox ysterols and isoprenoids, derived from the cholesterol biosynthetic pa thway, as new signaling molecules. The transcriptional and post-transc riptional regulation of specific genes and metabolic pathways by these newly discovered signaling molecules may be important in the developm ent of human disease and forms the topic of this review. Curr Opin Lip idol 9:433-440. (C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins