20(S)-Hydroxycholesterol

20(S)-Hydroxycholesterol (516-72-3) is an endogenous ligand for the LXR receptor.1 It has anti-adipogenic and pro-osteogenic effects in mesenchymal stem cells mediated via a non-LXR dependent pathway.2 The osteogenic effects of 20-(S)-hydroxycholesterol have been shown to be mediated by activation of hedgehog signaling and expression of genes associated with Notch signaling.3 Activation of Hedgehog is mediated via binding of 20(S)-hydroxycholesterol to Smoothened at a site distinct from the cyclopamine binding site.4,5 It has also been found to be an endogenous ligand for the sigma 2 receptor.6 References/Citations: 1) Janowski et al. (1996), An oxysterol signaling pathway mediated by the nuclear receptor LXR7alpha; Nature, 383 7282) Kha et al. (2004), Oxysterols regulate differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells: Pro-bone and Anti-fat: J. Bone Min. Res., 19 8303) Kim et al. (2010), Osteogenic oxysterol, 20(S)-hydroxycholesterol, induces notch target gene expression in bone marrow st