High plasma cholesterol in drug-induced cholestasis is associated with enhanced hepatic cholesterol synthesis

1999 ◽  
Vol 276 (5) ◽  
pp. G1165-G1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey W. Chisholm ◽  
Patrick Nation ◽  
Peter J. Dolphin ◽  
Luis B. Agellon

In α-naphthylisothiocyanate-treated mice, plasma phospholipid (PL) levels were elevated 10- and 13-fold at 48 and 168 h, respectively, whereas free cholesterol (FC) levels increased between 48 h (17-fold) and 168 h (39-fold). Nearly all of these lipids were localized to lipoprotein X-like particles in the low-density lipoprotein density range. The PL fatty acyl composition was indicative of biliary origin. Liver cholesterol and PL content were near normal at all time points. Hepatic hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase activity was increased sixfold at 48 h, and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase activity was decreased by ∼70% between 24 and 72 h. These findings suggest a metabolic basis for the appearance of abnormal plasma lipoproteins during cholestasis. Initially, PL and bile acids appear in plasma where they serve to promote the efflux of cholesterol from hepatic cell membranes. Hepatic cholesterol synthesis is then likely stimulated in the response to the depletion of hepatic cell membranes of cholesterol. We speculate that the enhanced synthesis of cholesterol and impaired conversion to bile acids, particularly during the early phase of drug response, contribute to the accumulation of FC in the plasma.

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Nagaoka ◽  
Hitoshi Miyazaki ◽  
Yoritaka Aoyama ◽  
Akira Yoshida

Dietary polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) caused hypercholesterolaemia in rats. The concentration and output of biliary cholesterol was significantly lower than that of the control group. Biliary output of total bile acids was significantly decreased in rats given the PCB-supplemented diet. Faecal excretion of total steroids (sum of neutral steroids and acidic steroids) was not significantly changed in rats given the PCB-supplemented diet. The present results indicate that dietary PCBs cause hypercholesterolaemia without modifying the faecal total steroids excretion. These results suggest that PCBs produce hyper-cholesterolaemia accompanied by changes in biliary or faecal excretion of bile acids and neutral steroids in addition to an increase in hepatic cholesterol synthesis.


2006 ◽  
Vol 95 (5) ◽  
pp. 879-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Hirche ◽  
A. Schröder ◽  
B. Knoth ◽  
G. I. Stangl ◽  
K. Eder

Methionine has been shown to increase plasma cholesterol in animals. In the present study, mechanisms were investigated by which methionine could alter cholesterol metabolism. In the first experiment, forty growing rats were fed four casein-based diets differing in methionine content (2·6, 3·5, 4·5 or 6·0 g/kg) for 14 d. In the second experiment, isolated rat hepatocytes were incubated in media supplemented with 50, 100 or 200 μmol/l methionine. Dietary methionine tended to increase plasma homocysteine concentrations in the rats (P=0·058). A weak positive correlation between circulating homocysteine and plasma cholesterol was observed (R20·27, P<0·01). Rats fed 3·5 g/kg or more of methionine had higher concentrations of cholesterol in their plasma, in lipoprotein fractions of density (ρ kg/l) 1·006 < ρ<, 1·063 and ρ>. 1·063, and in liver than rats fed 2·6 g/kg methionine. Rats fed 6 g/kg methionine had a higher hepatic expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase than rats fed less methionine. The phosphatidylcholine:phosphatidylethanolamine ratio in rat liver increased with rising dietary methionine concentration; the relative mRNA concentrations of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase and cystathionine β-synthase remained unaffected. Hepatocytes incubated in media supplemented with 100 or 200 μmol/l methionine had a higher cholesterol synthesis than hepatocytes incubated in a medium supplemented with 50μmol/l methionine; the LDL uptake in hepatocytes was independent of the methionine concentration of the medium. In conclusion, the present study suggests that dietary methionine induces hypercholesterolaemia at least in part via an enhanced hepatic cholesterol synthesis.


1985 ◽  
Vol 249 (5) ◽  
pp. G634-G641 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. R. Feingold ◽  
A. H. Moser

Previous studies have demonstrated that cholesterol synthesis is increased twofold in the small intestines of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of adding glucose or fructose to standard rat chow on cholesterol synthesis in control and diabetic rats. In control rats a 25% glucose or fructose diet fed for 21 days markedly inhibited hepatic cholesterol synthesis in the liver. In contrast, in diabetic animals only fructose inhibited hepatic cholesterol synthesis. In both control and diabetic animals the addition of these simple sugars to the diet did not markedly alter extrahepatic cholesterol synthesis. The enhancement of small intestinal cholesterol synthesis observed in diabetic animals was present regardless of the dietary manipulations. Further studies demonstrated that the addition of smaller concentrations of fructose (10%) to standard rat chow decreased hepatic cholesterol synthesis in both control and diabetic rats. Similarly the addition of fructose to the diet of control and diabetics for a period as short as 2 days was also sufficient to inhibit hepatic cholesterol synthesis. In both control and diabetic animals, fructose feeding decreased hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity but did not alter the percentage of HMG-CoA reductase in the active form. Finally, the intestinal hypertrophy and stimulation of intestinal cholesterogenesis that are characteristic of streptozotocin-induced diabetes occurred when either glucose or fructose was the sole caloric source.


1960 ◽  
Vol 198 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel W. Foster ◽  
Marvin D. Siperstein

The synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids from acetate-1-C14 was studied in the aortas and livers of 42 diabetic rats and their normal controls. Hepatic cholesterol synthesis was significantly increased in 13, decreased in 13, and unchanged in 16 of the 42 animals. Fatty acid synthesis was depressed in the liver in 39 of the 42 diabetic rats. Aortic cholesterogenesis was increased in only 2 of the 13 aortas from the same rats showing elevated hepatic cholesterol synthesis. Fatty acid synthesis was depressed in 21 of 42 aortas from the diabetic group. It is concluded, therefore, that the aorta is relatively resistant to stimulation of cholesterol synthesis by diabetes even when hepatic cholesterol synthesis in the same animal is elevated. Lipogenesis on the other hand is commonly depressed in the aorta as well as the liver. Cholesterol was purified through dibrominization and both normal and diabetic aortas were shown to be capable of carrying cholesterol synthesis to completion.


1988 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Venkatesan ◽  
K. J. Simpson ◽  
T. J. Peters

1. Chronic (5 weeks) alcohol-fed and isocaloric glucose pair-fed control rats had similar body weights, liver weights and liver protein contents. 2. Hepatic esterified cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels were two- to three-fold higher in alcohol-fed rats than in controls. 3. Hepatic cholesterol synthesis rates measured in vivo with 3H2O were significantly reduced in alcohol-fed rats. 4. Hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (NADPH) (EC 1.1.1.34) activity was increased and the apparent Km for 3-hydroxymethyl-3-glutaryl-CoA was decreased in alcohol-fed rats. 5. Hepatic acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (cholesterol acyltransferase; EC 2.3.1.26) activity was significantly increased in alcohol-fed rats. 6. These results indicate that there is no direct relationship between 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity and sterol synthesis in liver of alcohol-fed rats.


1991 ◽  
Vol 260 (4) ◽  
pp. G625-G630 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Yamauchi ◽  
W. G. Linscheer ◽  
D. H. Beach

Lovastatin, a competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, is effective in the treatment of hypercholesterolemic patients and is currently being evaluated as a potential agent for dissolving gallstones. We therefore evaluated its effect on cholesterol metabolism in a rat model. A low-cholesterol diet containing 0.1% lovastatin was fed 15 h and 7 and 21 days. Microsomal HMG-CoA reductase activity, hepatic cholesterol synthesis, blood cholesterol, and biliary lipid output were determined and compared with control rats. Hepatic cholesterol synthesis increased ninefold after 7 days and levels of HMG-CoA reductase activity sevenfold. Biliary cholesterol excretion maximally increased fourfold. Biliary lipid output was still elevated after 21 days of treatment (cholesterol 3-fold and phospholipid 2-fold, P less than 0.01). Bile salt output did not change. Augmented responses to lovastatin were present but less on the high-cholesterol diet. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that lovastatin increases HMG-CoA reductase activity through a feedback mechanism that promoted increased cholesterol synthesis, biliary lipid secretion, and elevated blood cholesterol. There was an apparent coupling of biliary cholesterol output with phospholipids but not with bile salts. Although lovastatin also increased microsomal HMG-CoA reductase activity in humans, cholesterol synthesis is not stimulated but is inhibited. This may be explained by higher permeability of the microsomal membranes for lovastatin. Thus the effect of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on cholesterol synthesis in different species should then depend on the properties of microsomal membranes.


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