desmosterol + DMHCA

desmosterol + DMHCA is a combination therapy consisting of the endogenous oxysterol desmosterol and the synthetic desmosterol mimetic DMHCA (N,N-dimethyl-3beta-hydroxy-cholenamide), encapsulated within synthetic high-density lipoprotein (sHDL) nanodiscs. Developed by researchers at the University of Helsinki, this formulation is designed to selectively target atheroma macrophages to promote reverse cholesterol transport and reduce inflammation without triggering the hepatic side effects (such as liver steatosis or hypertriglyceridemia) typically associated with non-selective liver X receptor (LXR) agonists. The sHDL carrier facilitates selective delivery to atherosclerotic plaques, where desmosterol and DMHCA act as agonists of the liver X receptors (LXRα and LXRβ), upregulating the expression of cholesterol efflux transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1 to induce atherosclerosis regression.