Cholesterol in Chemistry and Biology: History, Myths, and Excitements

Cholesterol is characterized with a unique chemical structure and implicated in the organization and dynamics of cellular membranes. Important membrane proteins such as G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), require membrane cholesterol for their function. Although cholesterol was discovered in 1760, its biosynthesis was discovered only in the 1960’s by Konrad Bloch for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize. Bloch speculated that cholesterol biosynthetic pathway parallels the evolution of cholesterol (the Bloch hypothesis). The Bloch hypothesis has been validated by the Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS) that results due to defective cholesterol biosynthesis in humans. I will focus on the role of membrane cholesterol in the organization and function of GPCRs and its implications in health and disease. I will also highlight certain myths associated with cholesterol.

References:

1. Kumar, G.A. & Chattopadhyay, A. (2016) Biomedical Spectroscopy and Imaging (invited review in the Special Issue celebrating 200 years of naming of cholesterol) 5: S55-S66.  
2. Kumar, G.A., Sarkar, P., Stepniewski, T.M., Jafurulla, M., Singh, S.P., Selent, J., and Chattopadhyay, A. (2021) Science Advances 7:eabh2922 (Recommended in Faculty Opinions (F1000Prime)