A gut-derived hormone regulates cholesterol metabolism. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38503280/)

These scientists wanted to understand how our bodies control the levels of cholesterol, which is a type of fat in our blood. They discovered a new hormone called Cholesin that can help lower cholesterol levels in our bodies. This hormone is made by a gene that was not known before.

Cholesin is released by our intestines when we absorb cholesterol from the food we eat. It then travels to the liver and attaches to a special receptor called GPR146. By attaching to this receptor, Cholesin stops a signal called PKA from working, which in turn stops the liver from making more cholesterol.

This study shows that Cholesin helps to balance the amount of cholesterol in our bodies by reducing the production of cholesterol in the liver. This discovery could lead to new treatments for high cholesterol and heart diseases.

Hu X., Chen F., Jia L., Long A., Peng Y., Li X., Huang J., Wei X., Fang X., Gao Z., Zhang M., Liu X., Chen YG., Wang Y., Zhang H., Wang Y. A gut-derived hormone regulates cholesterol metabolism. Cell. 2024 Mar 28;187(7):1685-1700.e18. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.024. Epub 2024 Mar 18.