Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 12, 367-375, May 1971
Copyright © 1971 by Lipid Research, Inc.

Biosynthesis of squalene and sterols by rat aorta

Marie M. Daly

Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine and the Unit for Research in Aging, The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York 10461

The synthesis of nonsaponifiable compounds from radioactive mevalonate by segments of adult rat aorta was studied in vitro. The labeled products consisted largely of substances with the chromatographic and chemical behavior of squalene, lanosterol, lathosterol, and cholesterol. Even after 3 or 4 hr of incubation, the incorporation of mevalonate into squalene was higher than its incorporation into C₂₇ sterols; cholesterol contained less than 20% of the radioactivity in the total sterols. Lanosterol was the most highly labeled sterol. The level of radioactivity in lathosterol was comparable to the level in cholesterol. Small amounts of radioactivity were found in other sterols. Material with the same mobility on TLC as 7-dehydrocholesterol had less radioactivity than cholesterol, but more than sterols with the mobility of desmosterol. The results of measurements made after short periods of incubation showed that squalene and lanosterol became labeled before the other nonsaponifiable compounds.

Supplementary key words cholesterol • lanosterol • lathosterol • 7-dehydrocholesterol • desmosterol

Submitted on May 4, 1970
Revised on December 15, 1970
Accepted on February 3, 1971

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