Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40001197›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroinflammation2025

25-Hydroxycholesterol modulates microglial function and exacerbates Alzheimer's disease pathology: mechanistic insights and therapeutic potential of cholesterol esterification inhibition.

Hayoung Choi, Haeng Jun Kim, Sang-Eun Lee, Hyun Ho Song, Jieun Kim, Jihui Han, June-Hyun Jeong, Do Yup Lee, Sunghoe Chang, Inhee Mook-Jung

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroinflammation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Hayoung Choi *Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
Haeng Jun Kim *Convergence Dementia Research Center, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
Sang-Eun LeeDepartment of Physiology and Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
Hyun Ho SongDepartment of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Research Institute for Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
Jieun KimDepartment of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
Jihui HanDepartment of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
June-Hyun JeongDepartment of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
Do Yup LeeDepartment of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Research Institute for Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
Sunghoe ChangDepartment of Physiology and Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
Inhee Mook-JungDepartment of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea. inhee@snu.ac.kr.

Funding

Korea Dementia Research Center RS-2020-KH106747National Research Foundation of Korea RS-2023-00274420
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study investigates the role of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC), a metabolite produced by cholesterol hydroxylase encoded by the Ch25h gene, in modulating microglial function and its potential implications in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. We demonstrated that 25HC impairs microglial surveillance, reduces phagocytic capacity, and increases the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In vivo two-photon microscopy revealed that 25HC administration diminishes microglial response to brain lesions, while flow cytometry confirmed reduced phagocytosis in both in vivo and in vitro models. Additionally, amyloid-beta (Aβ) was shown to upregulate Ch25h expression and elevate 25HC levels in microglia, exacerbating these functional impairments. Mechanistically, 25HC was found to enhance cholesterol esterification, disrupt cell membrane dynamics, and further reduce microglial mobility and phagocytosis. Treatment with Avasimibe, a cholesterol esterification inhibitor, restored membrane dynamics and microglial function, leading to attenuated AD pathology in a 5XFAD mouse model. These findings suggest that 25HC-induced changes in microglial function contribute to AD progression, and targeting cholesterol metabolism could offer therapeutic potential.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseCholesterolHydroxycholesterolsMicrogliaAcetamidesAnimalsBrainDisease Models, AnimalDisease ProgressionEsterificationMiceMice, TransgenicPhagocytosisPrimary Cell CultureSteroid HydroxylasesSulfonamides25-hydroxycholesterolAcetamidesavasimibeCholesterolcholesterol 25-hydroxylaseHydroxycholesterolsSteroid HydroxylasesSulfonamides25HCAvasimibeAβCholesterolDisease-associated microgliaMicroglia

Identifiers

PMID40001197
PMCPMC11863767

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.