Cholesterol: A friend to viruses

Int Rev Immunol. 2024 Feb 19:1-15. doi: 10.1080/08830185.2024.2314577. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTCholesterol is a key life-sustaining molecule which regulates membrane fluidity and serves as a signaling mediator. Cholesterol homeostasis is closely related to various pathological conditions including tumor, obesity, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and viral infection. Viral infection disrupts host cholesterol homeostasis, facilitating their own survival. Meanwhile, the host cells strive to reduce cholesterol accessibility to limit viral infection. This review focuses on the regulation of cholesterol metabolism and the role of cholesterol in viral infection, specifically providing an overview of cholesterol as a friend to promote viral entry, replication, assembly, release and immune evasion, which might inspire valuable thinking for pathogenesis and intervention of viral infection.PMID:38372266 | DOI:10.1080/08830185.2024.2314577
Source: International Reviews of Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Source Type: research