Free cholesterol accumulation in macrophage membranes activates Toll-like receptors and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and induces cathepsin K.
Sun Y, Ishibashi M, Seimon T, Lee M, Sharma SM, Fitzgerald KA, Samokhin AO, Wang Y, Sayers S, Aikawa M, Jerome WG, Ostrowski MC, Bromme D, Libby P, Tabas IA, Welch CL, Tall AR. Free cholesterol accumulation in macrophage membranes activates Toll-like receptors and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and induces cathepsin K. Circ Res. 2009 Feb 27; 104(4):455-65.