How long-term dietary cholesterol can slow down its own clearance by liver cells

25 June 2026

Cholesterol carried by low-density lipoprotein (LDL) drives heart disease and is cleared by liver cells expressing the receptor LDLR. A cell-signalling mechanism has been discovered through which high cholesterol promotes the enzyme-mediated degradation of LDLR. Blocking this enzyme restores LDLR levels in liver cells, suggesting a new strategy for treating high cholesterol.

This is a summary of: Feng, X. et al. Dietary cholesterol activates a Ral-dependent pathway driving LDLR turnover. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10697-z (2026).

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