title: Plant sterols, cholesterol precursors and oxysterols: Minute concentrations-Major physiological effects.
abstract: Non-cholesterol sterols are present in our body at very low concentrations as compared to cholesterol. Small changes in the structure of sterol molecules confer them highly distinct biological activities. The best-known example are steroid hormones derived from cholesterol. During the past decade, our knowledge of also other biomolecules related to or derived from cholesterol, particularly plant sterols, biosynthetic precursors of cholesterol, and oxysterols, has expanded rapidly. In this review article we recapitulate the latest insights into the properties and physiological activities of these non-cholesterol sterols, as well as their importance in disease processes and potential as diagnostic biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Biomedicum 2U, FI-00290 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: vesa.olkkonen@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Vesa M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Olkkonen
authors.affiliation: University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Internal Medicine, Helsinki FI-00029 HUS, Finland.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gylling
authors.affiliation: Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Biomedicum 2U, FI-00290 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ikonen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D007249:Inflammation; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D000072376:Oxysterols / Q000737:chemistry*; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000072376:Oxysterols; D010840:Phytosterols; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Cholesterol; Cholesterol precursor; Diagnostics; Disease mechanism; Oxysterol; Plant sterol