7-keto Cholesterol is a bioactive sterol and a major oxysterol component of oxidized LDL.
1,2 It is produced by oxidation of cholesterol
via ethanol-mediated lipid peroxidation or photodamage as well as oxidation of 7-dehydro cholesterol (Item No.
14612) by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoform CYP7A1.
3,4,5 7-keto Cholesterol inhibits CYP7A1 (IC
50 = ~1 μM).
4 It induces activation and chemotaxis of retinal microglia as well as polarization to a pro-inflammatory state
via NLRP3 inflammasome activation
in vitro.
6 Intraocular implantation of 7-keto cholesterol coated wafers increases ocular levels of VEGF, IL-1β, and GRO/KC, macrophage infiltration, and neovascularization in rat eye.
7 Levels of 7-keto cholesterol in lipid deposits are increased in a variety of chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer''s disease, and age-related macular degeneration.