{
  "id": 18093016,
  "title": "Monounsaturated fat prevent, whereas saturated fat promote, cholesterol crystals in cytoplasmic lipid droplets",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/monounsaturated-fat-prevent-whereas-saturated-fat-promote-cholesterol",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-03T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.02.763728v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH) might be caused, at least partially, by an excess of cholesterol accumulating in liver cells in the form of crystals. The process by which these crystals develop inside lipid droplets is not completely understood. Previous research demonstrated that cholesterol must first be esterified, or chemically modified, before crystals can form. The researchers then aimed to determine if the crystals present in lipid droplets are made up of saturated or unsaturated cholesteryl ester, a type of fat.\n\nThe study involved co-treating liver cell-like and immune cell-like cells with a substance called vehicle, monounsaturated fat, or agents that raise the level of saturated fat in the cells. They used a technique called lipidomics to measure the types of cholesteryl ester present. Additionally, they employed a method called Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectromicroscopy to analyze liver samples from mice with MASH and identify the molecular makeup of the crystals in their liver lipid droplets.\n\nThe results showed that when cells were loaded with cholesterol, they produced more cholesteryl ester and these crystals. When cells were treated with monounsaturated fat (such as oleate), the ratio of unsaturated to saturated cholesteryl ester increased, and this change led to a significant reduction in lipid droplet crystals. However, increasing the level of saturated fat did not produce the same effect. Using FTIR spectromicroscopy, the researchers found that the main component of hepatic lipid droplet crystals in mice with MASH was cholesteryl palmitate, a saturated ester of cholesterol.\n\nIn conclusion, the findings suggest that the crystals found in the liver lipid droplets of mice with MASH are composed of saturated cholesteryl ester. Furthermore, consuming unsaturated fat can help maintain a cellular environment that prevents the formation of these harmful crystals in lipid droplets.",
  "summary": "Objective: Metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH) may, in part, result from excessive storage of cholesterol in hepatic lipid droplets that transition into a crystalline state. The mechanism by which crystals form in lipid droplets of hepatocytes and other cells such as macrophage is incompletely understood. Recently, we showed cholesterol must be esterified for crystals to form…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}