Serum Desmosterol Level Reflects Hepatic Inflammation Grade in Patients with Biopsy-Confirmed Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease

<p> Aim: Desmosterol, a cholesterol precursor, is converted by Δ24-dehydrocholesterol reductase. Hence, desmosterol levels are considered to reflect cholesterol metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate sterols as novel biomarkers of liver condition in Asian moderate obese patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).</p><p>Methods: In total, 218 patients with MASLD who underwent liver biopsy were prospectively enrolled. Liver biopsy samples were evaluated by a well-versed pathologist according to the criteria. The serum sterols of biopsy-proven patients’, such as desmosterol, sitosterol, and campesterol, of the patients with biopsy-proven MASLD were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.</p><p>Results: Inflammation grade 0/1/2/3 was observed in 8/107/90/12 patients, and fibrosis stage 0/1/2/3/4 was observed in 25/48/64/63/17 patients, respectively. Serum desmosterol levels were significantly different by inflammation grade 0-3 (one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA], p = 0.004), with a beta coefficient of 0.219 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.088-0.350, p＜0.01). Ordinal logistic regression analysis data on inflammation grade, adjusted for other parameters, showed that desmosterol had an odds ratio of 3.727 (95% CI 1.422-9.901, p＜0.005). Although desmosterol levels are influenced by statin treatment, in non-statin-treated patients, serum desmosterol levels remained significantly different by inflammation grade (one-way ANOVA, p = 0.041), and the beta coefficient was 0.233 (95% CI: 0.066-0.400, p＜0.01).</p><p>Conclusions: Serum desmosterol levels indicated the degree of hepatic inflammatory activity in patients with MASLD. Since desmosterol, a ligand of nuclear receptor LXR, reflects hepatic cholesterol metabolism, we hope that our findings will contribute to establishing a novel biomarker to screen the high-risk patients for cardiovascular diseases in MASLD.</p>