Cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase protects the liver from inflammation and fibrosis by maintaining cholesterol homeostasis.

Cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) plays a critical role in control of bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis. Bile acids activate farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) to regulate lipid, glucose, and energy metabolism. However, the role of bile acids in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis remains unclear. In this study, we showed that adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Cyp7a1 ameliorated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory cell infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in WT and TGR5-deficient (Tgr5