Journal of Lipid Research, Vol 18, 232-238, Copyright © 1977 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Bile acid synthesis in man. II. Determination of 7 alpha- hydroxycholesterol, (22R)-22-hydroxycholesterol, and 26- hydroxycholesterol in human meconium
U Lavy, S Burstein, M Gut and NB Javitt
7 alpha-Hydroxycholesterol, (22R)-22-hydroxycholesterol and 26-
hydroxycholesterol have been quantitated in human meconium. The method used
tetrahydrofuran for extraction and solvolysis of the sulfate esters, liquid
partition chromatography for the separation of the hydroxysterols,
gas-liquid chromatography for quantitation, gas-liquid chromatography-mass
spectrometry for identification, and tritiated and 14C-labeled tracers for
overall recovery standards. (22R)-22- Hydroxycholesterol and
26-hydroxycholesterol were present almost entirely, ( greater than 93%) in
the sulfate fraction at concentrations of 3.8-6.4 and 0.4-0.8 mg per 100 g
meconium, respectively. Since free tritiated (22R)-22-hydroxycholesterol
was used as the tracer to assess recovery of this hydroxysterol, the
concentrations found for this compound may be minimal. Tritiated
26-hydroxycholesterol 3,26-disulfate was used as tracer to determine the
levels of this compound, and the solvolysis procedure was optimized for
recovery of 26- hydroxycholesterol and least decomposition of 7 alpha-
hydroxycholesterol. No significant amounts of 7 alpha- hydroxycholesterol
were found based on the tracer-free hydroxysterol as recovery standard.