Desmosterol: a natural product derived from macroalgae modulates inflammatory response and oxidative stress pathways in intestinal epithelial cells

The serum level of cholesterol and its biosynthetic intermediates are critical indicators to access metabolism-related disorders in humans and animals. However, the molecular actions of these intermediates on gene functions and regulation remain elusive. Here, we show that desmosterol (DES) is the most abundant intermediate involved in cholesterol biosynthesis and is highly enriched in red/brown algae. It exerts a pivotal role in modulating core genes involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory response processes in the ileum epithelial cells (IPI-2I).