Liver X receptor (LXR)

Class

Topical LXR agonist

Liver X receptor (LXR) is a nuclear hormone receptor that exists as two related forms, LXRα and LXRβ, found throughout the body including the skin. Once activated, LXR pairs with another nuclear receptor called RXR and turns on genes that govern cholesterol and lipid handling, including transporters that move cholesterol out of cells and enzymes that shape the skin's outer lipid barrier. LXR activation also dampens certain inflammatory signaling pathways. These combined effects on lipid metabolism, barrier formation, and inflammation make LXR of interest in skin disorders where the epidermal barrier is disrupted or where inflammation and abnormal cell turnover are prominent, such as acne or psoriasis-type conditions. Applying an LXR agonist directly to the skin, rather than giving it systemically, is a deliberate strategy: LXR activation in the liver and fat tissue can raise triglycerides and promote fat accumulation, so restricting the drug's action to the skin aims to capture the barrier-restoring and anti-inflammatory benefits while limiting exposure of internal organs to the same signaling. This mechanism broadly matters wherever skin barrier integrity, lipid production, and local inflammation intersect.