The malfunction of lymphatic drainage that occurs in lymphedema leads to excessive cholesterol accumulation in the affected skin and lymphatic vessels, causing inflammation and fibrosis. However, surgery and the chemical reduction of accumulated cholesterol with cyclodextrin reduce inflammation and regenerate lymphatic vessels. Cholesterol is a potential therapeutic target for treating lymphedema, according to this study published on Feb. 11, 2026, in Nature by Veronique Angeli and her colleagues.

An international collaboration led by scientists at The University of South Australia, SA Pathology in Adelaide, and the de Duve Institute, University of Louvain, Belgium, has discovered biallelic MDFIC pathogenic variants underlying the severe lymphatic disorder, central conducting lymphatic anomaly (CCLA), in seven people from six separate families.

A multicenter study led by scientists at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Melbourne, Australia, has described a new mesenteric lymph vessel-based pathogenic mechanism, which was shown to contribute to visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance in both mice and humans.