I have always thought of cholesterol as being an indicator of inflammation, like how WBC is a marker for infection, if you artificially lower the cholesterol the inflammation is sill present its just that there is less cholesterol to stick to the inflamed walls of the arteries
Cholestral is a general indication that your collagen is being decimated.
The liver detects the collagen breakdown products, and increases cholestral output to plug the holes (kind of like putting “Slime” in your bicycle tires).