20S-Hydroxycholesterol

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20S-Hydroxycholesterol: a cholesterol-derived signaling molecule

20S-Hydroxycholesterol is a steroid in the oxysterol family and a natural metabolite of cholesterol in humans. Put simply, it is cholesterol with an extra oxygen atom, which changes how it behaves in the body.

Key facts
- Chemical notes: It has the formula C27H46O2 and is known by other names such as 20α-hydroxycholesterol and 5-Cholestene-3β,20α-diol.
- Natural occurrence: It is produced in the body during cholesterol metabolism.
- Signaling role: It acts as an allosteric activator of the Hedgehog signaling pathway, a cellular communication system important for development and linked to cancer research.
- Receptor interaction: It has been identified as an endogenous ligand for the sigma-2 receptor, a protein involved in various cellular processes. The sigma-2 receptor was once thought to lack a natural ligand since its discovery in 1990.
- Why it matters: Because of these roles, 20S-hydroxycholesterol is studied for its potential implications in health and disease.