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Marco Bertolotti,1 Chiara Mussi,1 Elisa Pellegrini,1 Alessandro Magni,2 Marina Del Puppo,2 Silvia Ognibene,1 Lucia Carulli,1 Claudia Anzivino,1 Enrica Baldelli,1 Paola Loria,1 Nicola Carulli1 1Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; 2Department of Health Sciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, Italy Background: The modifications of cholesterol metabolism associated with aging are ill-defined. The objective of this study was to define age-associated alterations of the different metabolic pathways controlling cholesterol homeostasis by analyzing circulating sterols. Methods: We analyzed serum samples collected from 201 adult (75 male, 126 female) subjects within the epidemiological MICOL study (Multicentrica Italiana Colelitiasi). The age range was 38–79 years; 103 had evidence of gallstones. The concentrations of the different sterols, recognized as markers of the main pathways of cholesterol homeostasis, were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, including lathosterol (synthesis), campesterol and sitosterol (absorption), and 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (degradation to bile acids). Results: A significant direct correlation was detected between age and cholesterol levels (r=0.34, P |
