SH42

SH42 (also known as SH-42) is a highly potent and selective steroidal inhibitor of Delta24-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR24), the terminal enzyme in the Bloch pathway of cholesterol biosynthesis that catalyzes the conversion of desmosterol to cholesterol. By selectively blocking DHCR24, SH42 promotes the intracellular accumulation of desmosterol, which acts as an endogenous agonist of the liver X receptor alpha (LXRα). This downstream LXRα activation suppresses inflammatory pathways and reduces Kupffer cell activation and monocyte infiltration. In preclinical models, SH42 has been shown to ameliorate hepatic steatosis, liver inflammation, and fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD/NASH) and to enhance inflammation resolution in peritonitis, notably without inducing the hyperlipidemia or hepatic lipogenesis typically associated with synthetic LXR agonists.

Other names

(3β,5α,20S)-3-acetate 21-formate, 20-methyl-pregn-7-ene-3,21-diolCAS 2143952-36-5CAS2143952-36-5CAS-2143952-36-5