Regulatory aspects of cholesterol metabolism in cells with different degrees of replication

This study explored cholesterol biosynthesis and its possible involvement in cell proliferation and cancer development. Normal proliferating cells and cancer cells were used to study the regulation of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. Evidence is presented that shows a positive correlation between the activity of the HMP pathway, DNA synthesis, and cholesterol biosynthesis; this evidence also shows a negative correlation between circulating cholesterol levels and/or cholesterol influx from serum to rates of cell proliferation. It is suggested that since cell proliferation is a prerequisite for the development of cancer, altering the HMP pathway, circulating cholesterol levels, and cholesterol influx from serum alters rates of cell proliferation and development of cancer.