The higher expression of SREBF2 and the activity of HMGCR in the IUGR-CON group compared with that in the NBW-CON group suggested that IUGR promotes cholesterol synthesis, whereas the addition of C. butyricum downregulated cholesterol synthesis by decreasing SREBF2 expression and upregulating its efflux by elevating the expression of LXRα and its downstream target ABCG8. LXRα is one isoform of the LXR family that is highly expressed in metabolically active tissues, such as the liver and intestine. Here, HMGCR is linked to fetal growth restriction.