Novel pathways in cholesterol metabolism to combat cardiometabolic diseases

Zhou, E. (2021)

Doctoral Thesis

Cardiometabolic diseases including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. Hypercholesterolemia and inflammation are common major risk factors for atherosclerotic CVD as well as NAFLD. The studies described in this thesis aimed to get insight in strategies how to further improve cholesterol metabolism and inflammation, by exploring the therapeutic potential of brown fat activation and transcription factors involved in both processes. The results described in this thesis have increased our insight into regulation of cholesterol metabolism and inflammation by brown fat and nuclear receptors, respectively, and provided promising leads for innovative treatment of cardiometabolic diseases including brown fat activation, Δ24-dehydrocholesterol reductase inhibition, and farnesoid X receptor activation.

• Cholesterol
• Brown fat
• Atherosclerosis
• NAFLD
• Liver X receptor (LXR)
• DHCR24
• Farnesoid X receptor (FXR)
• Inflammation
• Macrophage

• All authors: Zhou, E.
• Supervisor: Rensen, P.C.N.; Wang, Y.
• Committee: Willems van Dijk, J.A.P.; Winther, M.P.J. de; Shiri-Sverdlov, R.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden University
• Date: 2021-04-28
• ISBN (print): 9789492597724